October 2024 has turned out to be a massively significant month for hypercars, with both the McLaren W1 and Ferrari F80 being unveiled within two weeks of one another.
Incredibly close in performance, the two are poised to go toe-to-toe in a hypercar showdown of the likes we haven’t seen since the McLaren P1, LaFerrari and Porsche 918 went up against one another. That obvious absence leads us to ask one question: where’s the next Porsche hypercar?
Here’s everything we know so far about if, and when, the next halo car from Stuttgart will arrive.
Is a new Porsche hypercar coming?
Porsche Mission X concept – overhead
Almost certainly. In August this year, Porsche design boss Michael Mauer told Drive: “There will be some time in the future [when] there will be a hypercar again. Not saying when, but definitely there will be one.” That, coming from one of the company’s top brass, is pretty unequivocal.
Will the next Porsche hypercar be electric?
Porsche Mission X concept – interior
This is where things get a bit hazy. In 2023, Porsche unveiled the Mission X, a concept car celebrating the brand’s 75th birthday. A fully electric hypercar, Porsche all but confirmed it was headed for production when it was revealed, saying that it wanted the Mission X to be the fastest production car around the Nürburgring.
The thing is, in the last year or so, it’s become clear that fully electric hypercars are a bit of a hard sell. Rimac is struggling to shift all 150 of its planned run of Neveras and may produce internal combustion cars in the future. Its sister brand Bugatti, as well as the likes of Pagani and Lamborghini, have all stated they don’t feel there’s a market for full EV supercars and hypercars yet.
Porsche Mission X concept – rear
This may be part of the hold-up with Porsche’s new hypercar. In the same Drive interview, Mauer said: “Electric is one option… Porsche, from my point of view, has never been really tied to one technical solution. I think Porsche always had a good understanding of using the best solution for the time in order to create the best car.”
In fact, in a more recent news release dating from March 2024, the Mission X’s project lead, Michael Behr, said “only time will tell” if the Mission X makes production.
While we’ve heard nothing official from the manufacturer, then, it may well be that Porsche is reconsidering its decision to pursue an all-electric hypercar, which could be delaying the project.
When will we see the next Porsche hypercar?
Porsche Mission X concept – side
Don’t hold your breath for a three-way showdown between Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari like we had a decade ago. If Porsche is indeed reconsidering the powertrain for its next hypercar, then it’s likely still in the very early developmental phase.
We wouldn’t bank on seeing anything until well into the second half of the 2020s, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on any developments.
