Porsche Mission R concept is a 1,084bhp futuristic GT racer
Flax fibre takes over from carbon
PORSCHE has revealed the Mission R, an electric racing car concept at the IAA Mobility 2021 event in Munich, representing “the vision of an all-electric customer sports racing car.”
The Porsche Mission R’s body is largely constructed using natural fibre-reinforced plastic (NFRP), made using flax fibres, underscoring the Mission R’s claimed green credentials.
Low and purposeful, the front end of the concept features a gap for cooling the batteries and powertrain, whilst adjustable louvres in the side air vents form part of the overall Porsche Active Aerodynamics drag reduction system that also includes the huge two-piece rear wing.
That wing sits above a light-bar and below, an aerodynamic diffuser additionally helps keep the Mission R glued to the track.
A carbon exoskeleton, only really visible when looking down on the car, forms part of the safety cell and roof skin.
As with the exterior, NFRP is used throughout the Mission R’s interior. According to Porsche, the single-seat monocoque driver’s module is practically identical to the inside of an e-sports simulator, with everything focused on the driver. A range of cameras mounted around the interior can record footage or provide live-streaming.
Rather than rear-view mirrors, a monitor above the steering column relays camera feeds back to the driver allowing them to keep abreast of what’s happening around the car.
Important information including speed, level of battery charge and temperatures are displayed on a screen mounted on the steering wheel.
Two electric motors drive the front and rear axles with a maximum of 429bhp going to the front wheels and 644bhp going rearward.
Qualifying mode, designed for qualifying laps and short sprints, sends a maximum of 1,084bhp to the wheels, allowing the Porsche Mission R to make the 0-62mph dash in 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 186mph.
Leaving the car in Qualifying mode would, however, deplete the battery too quickly to allow for any serious racing, so, for longer sessions, the two motors work at putting out a constant 671bhp.
Quick recharge times are also essential to allow racers to compete in multiple sessions throughout the day. Using the 900-volt Porsche Turbo Charging system, recharging the Mission R’s battery from 5% to around 80% using a 340kW charger takes around fifteen minutes.
The Mission R is shorter, wider and lower than Porsche’s current 718 Cayman, so, in terms of design, it’s not, by any means, an outlandish concept.
Considering how closely in recent years some Porsche models like the Taycan and Taycan Cross Turismo have resembled the concepts on which their designs were based, it’s not unreasonable to think that something along the lines of the Mission R may be seen in Porsche race garages in the not-too-distant future.
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- After reading about the Porsche Mission R concept, you might be interested to read that Porsche has created a £500,000 Manthey Racing special edition 911 GT2 RS Clubsport 25
- Also check out Will Dron’s review of the new Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
- Or read all about the car makers’ electric vehicle plans
