Hurs

Porsche just announced a new Mission R concept at IAA.
Link to the livestream below:


In short, it seems clear that Mission R is a preview of 2024 Cayman E : fully-electric sports car intended to split Porsche sports car lineup into "traditional" internal-combustion 911 and "sustainable" fully-electric Cayman.

All the hints are there: Mission R uses all familiar Cayman design features: upturned rear window, elongated angular headlights, side air intake, etc. etc. At the same time it previews new features: cameras replacing rear-view mirrors, display in the middle of the steering wheel, movable front aero.

Regarding timing, they have announced new Porsche battery production facility coming online "as soon as 2024". This indicates that Cayman E will likely be 2024 model, probably manufactured alongside Taycan. In the meantime we should expect 718 GT4 RS and 718 Clubsport to close the curtain on the the era of internal combustion Caymans.

Edit: link to Porsche Newsroom, containing more pictures and info:
https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2021...ity-25601.html

Ksdaoski

Looked a bit Audi TT to me

rjf

Very good perspective and insight.

Those were my exact and immediate thoughts. The size of it appears to be Cayman-sized as well.

JPalau

So, what do you think, if your hypothesis is true, will it devalue or revalue the 718 GTS 4.0- 718 GT4?

Hurs

I've read somewhere that the original TT was an alternative front-engined Golf-based design that Porsche considered when it was developing Boxster concept (in a similar fashion to Audi-produced 924). Porsche eventually decided to risk it with a more unique and upscale mid-engined design, and Audi picked the discarded lower-cost configuration to develop it into TT.

I would not at all be surprised if Mission R / Cayman E platform will also be used down the line for a next-gen all-electric Audi TT (trading performance for range).

zedcat

I think it is more likely a preview of a supercar in the line of 959, CGT, 918. But what do I know. it's interesting to see it in this forum and the Supercar forum. There are also references to the 911 cup car. Does this become the future main customer racing platform? Wonder what the FIA will think of the exoskeleton as roll cage. interesting stuff for sure.

Hurs

Mission R is way too small and WAY too similar to Cayman to be a supercar. Who would want their supercar to look like a Cayman? Supercar (if it ever materializes) will likey be based on LMDh platform instead, after Porsche fields it in a couple of LeMans.

MIssion R is also unlikely to be a main racing platform, I think they have quoted battery lasting for only 30min under race conditions. Main racing platform will remain 911 (using e-fuel) because, well, 911.


Mission R is to Cayman as Mission E was to Taycan. A preview of technology / design language and a marketing effort to create "race heritage" for a mass-produced fully-electric two-seater sports car.

Edit: I mean, all the hints are there, you just have to look for them. Here is the text from the link, [emphasis added]
https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2021...ity-25601.html

"The Mission R is the latest vision from Porsche. With this study of an all-electric GT racing car, the pioneer of sustainable mobility is revealing what customer motorsports could look like in the future..."Every Porsche has to be clearly recognisable as a Porsche. Many elements that we envisage in studies find their way later into production cars. This also applies to motorsports. Moreover, our customer sports vehicles are always based on production sports cars," explains Michael Mauer, Head of Style Porsche. "What this means in the case of the Mission R is that the car is packed to the gills with signs that hint of a future production model, and that, of course, means pure racing!“
Much like the Porsche Cayman, the window graphics (daylight opening) end at the C-pillar with a counter-sweep."

And then look at the very bottom of the link above. Consumption data are listed for the current 718 Cayman model.

sobiloff

I see a lot of the Taycan in the front end, Cayman in the middle, and 911 at the rear. It looks like they're targeting it as the next evolution of the 718 Clubsport, Only a half-hour of power at racing speeds for now, but that'll increase as their battery technology improves. It's sure going to cost a lot more than the current 718 Clubsport!

Dr.Bill

Please don't use the words 'sports car' and 'electric' in the same sentence. Makes me sad. And is not at all accurate.

Dan Nagy

Whatever it is, if it can go 400 miles on a charge, I’ll want one sitting alongside my ICE.

Hurs

Indeed.

This is a common misconception. We all used to the Moore's Law, where number of transistors on a chip (and thus the performance) doubles every two years. Battery technology is not like that. There's a hard theoretical limit on battery energy density, based on physics. Under the best conditions, the battery energy density is still roughly twenty (20) times lower than gasoline. Yes, electrical motors are more efficient in converting energy and they are lighter, but any electric car will still remain a terrible racing platform.

The key to racing performance is the consistency of a powertrain. Racing relies on making small incremental improvements (aero/suspension tweaks, tire compounds, racing line, etc. etc.) while the powertrain delivers constant performance minute after minute, hour after hour. How you going to improve your setup if you need to stop for recharging (or worse, battery change) every 30 min, and even during each lap your energy delivery is constantly changing due to battery degradation and overheating?

There is a reason Formula E is a flop, there will never be an electric LeMans24 winner. Fully electric drivetrains are good for mail delivery trucks and golf carts. When racing, end especially endurance racing is concerned, electric cars will always remain inferior. This is especially true for clubsport racing. Modern race cars are already complex enough, now imagine requiring a dual PhD in Electrical Engineering and Materials Science just to troubleshoot your battery pack.

And then there's safety. A regular car, drained of fuel, is 100% inert. You can store it, transport it, work on in and be 100% safe. Electric car is a chemical bomb ready to go off anytime without warning, and you can't even use water to put out the fire.

Ksdaoski

Not too many tracks with charging stations yet. Diesel generator in the hauler for recharging between sessions?

Hurs

I can only imagine future LeMans/Daytona races where cars silently crawl down the pitlane on a last few Watts of power, followed by an exciting 20min wait for a battery recharge to finish.

Archimedes

Nope. Misssion R based sports car will have no connection to the Cayman or the Carrera. Entirely new platform and it will get an entirely new name. There will be little to no connection between the ICE and EV Porsches.

Archimedes

Wut?