Porsche's new strategy: Mission S, an SUV above Cayenne and bespoke cars
Battling falling sales and profits, Porsche is moving upmarket with its 'Sportwagenschmiede 35' strategy, drawn up under CEO Michael Leiters. At the heart of the plan are a mid-engined supercar previewed by the Mission S, a new large SUV and personalization programs.
Porsche is going through a difficult period. Sales and profits have declined, and interest in its high-end electric models has fallen short of expectations. The end of production of the 718 Boxster and Cayman has also removed a significant source of revenue from the lineup. A strategy called 'Sportwagenschmiede 35', drawn up under the brand's new CEO Michael Leiters, aims to change that picture. The core idea of the plan is to have a bigger presence in the more profitable upper segments.
A mid-engined supercar at the center
The most striking pillar of the strategy is a new supercar previewed by the Mission S concept. It will not be a limited-production model like the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder. Instead, it will sit permanently above the 911 in the lineup and take on Ferrari. Porsche describes the Mission S as a mid-engined super sports car platform. That description suggests the model will be powered by an internal combustion engine rather than being fully electric. With demand for electric performance cars at the top of the market remaining weak, a hybrid-assisted combustion system is on the table. The engine type and drivetrain layout have not yet been announced.
Leiters says the Mission S is an idea of what such a car could look like. According to him, the concept reflects the proportions and design principles that will shape the brand's future products. The model is expected to be priced above the 911 Turbo S, which sells for £199,500 in the UK. It is unclear whether it will compete with the Lamborghini Temerario and McLaren 750S or occupy an even higher class.
A new SUV and a personalization push
Porsche is preparing to position a three-row SUV above the Cayenne, aimed at North America, its largest market. A successor to the electric 718 Boxster is also on the way. Because of its dedicated architecture and the cost of its powertrain, it will be noticeably more expensive than the previous model.
The company wants to give buyers of its 10,000 most expensive cars more options to spend money on. These customers currently pay an average of €270,000 for a new Porsche. The goal is to raise that figure to €330,000 through personalization options and a small number of special builds made to customer order. Ferrari, cited as an example in Leiters' presentation, has an average selling price of €440,000.
The latest example of this approach is the Flachbau RS. Under the 'Sonderwunsch' program, a customer's 2018 GT2 RS was given a reworked interior and exterior and a new aerodynamic package, was made 31 kg lighter and was tested on the Nordschleife. According to Porsche, 15 more one-off projects are in preparation. Customers pay between €1.62 million and €13.47 million for these projects. Weissach is also expanding its capacity to refurbish existing cars at the factory. So far, 11 Carrera GTs have gone through the process, with 37 more cars in the queue.
This article was compiled with the help of AI from information published by evo.
