Mark Webber, the Porsche test track in Weissach, and a prototype of the Mission E, 600 horsepower and all. You can already guess what the former Formula 1 driver has to say about the all-electric sedan, more so if you bear in mind he’s competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times (2014, 2015, 2016) in the 919 Hybrid racing car.
Speaking of the LMP1 prototype, Webber said of the Mission E that it reminds him “at times, a lot of the 919.” After finishing the test drive, the Australian racing driver with nine Formula 1 Grand Prix wins under his belt concluded the car is “a game-changer,” describing the long-anticipated Mission E as “stealth emotion, stealth performance.”
Webber let it out on camera that the prototype has 600 horsepower and it’s all-wheel-drive, two pieces of information that corroborate with Porsche’s bits of low-down on the sub-Panamera sedan. On the other hand, the “unluckiest man in modern Formula 1” didn’t say anything about the fake exhaust tips. Or the tire roar getting inside the cabin. Or the panoramic moonroof of this particular vehicle.
Going into production in 2019 at a modern facility on the site of Porsche’s main plant near Stuttgart in Baden Wurttemberg, the Mission E is more than just a competitor to Performance models from Tesla. It’s a new chapter for the German automaker, which has already proven with the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid that plug-in hybrid doesn’t necessarily translate to a compromise in driving dynamics.
On the other hand, the Mission E lineup is anticipated to include an entry-level variant with rear-wheel-drive and a mid-ranger with all-wheel-drive. There’s talk of two-door coupe and convertible body styles as well, but given time, we’ll find out how many members the Mission E family will include. Oh, and remember the Cross Turismo concept from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March? Hearsay suggests that the automaker is interested in turning the one-off into production reality too.
On that note, would you get the most powerful Panamera available or spend your hard-earned cash on an electric sedan endorsed by Mark Webber?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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