Porsche Mission R : Future of Racing

“Every Porsche has to be clearly recognizable 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, 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! “ 

Michael Mauer, Head of Style, Porsche 

Porsche delivers a magnificent glimpse into the automotive future just in time for the start of the IAA MOBILITY 2021 in Munich (from September 7 to 12). The Mission R concept automobile blends cutting-edge technology and environmentally friendly materials like natural fiber-reinforced polymers with a desire to race. The pioneer of sustainable mobility reveals what customer motorsports might look like in the future with this research of an all-electric GT racing car. 

Exterior 

The race car’s frontal area is reduced by the compact cabin, which helps to its remarkable e-performance due to lower air resistance. As a digital alternative for traditional wing mirrors, cameras are positioned on the edge of the roof. 

Porsche’s typical Carrara White Metallic satin finish dominates the color scheme. The front bonnet and front wings, on the other hand, are painted in a high-gloss bright metallic red. This new tint continues into the doors, ending in a dramatic sweep. To offer a better contrast, the spoilers are black. 

The Mission R’s silhouette appears lower than it is due to the transparent surfaces of the exoskeleton roof. The streamlined cabin, the roofline that slopes steeply downhill to the rear, and the pronounced shoulders of the wings all identify the purist design approach. The window graphics stop at the C-pillar with a counter-sweep, similar to the Porsche Cayman. The A-pillars are black and resemble the visor of a helmet, visually blending the side window surfaces into a single unit. The curved windscreen, which extends slightly over the corners, is another Porsche trademark. As a result, the driver has greater all-around view. 

The sills have been recessed to make the aerodynamic underbody even more effective. As with the front splitter and the big diffuser at the rear, the underbody panels are not painted so that the natural fibers can be seen through the paint. With a five twin spoke configuration, the Mission R rides on 18-inch Cup center lock wheels. There is a high-gloss black finish on the polished carbon aeroblades. 

Before and behind the wheel arches are panels. Any damage caused by contact with other cars can be simply repaired. Quick-release fasteners are indicated by yellow arrows. In addition to the yellow arrows, there are also other functional elements that may need to be accessible fast. Among them are levers, pins & panels, compressed air connections for the lifting system housed in the C-pillars, as well as levers, pins & panels as a result, the roof module has the appearance of a submarine’s profile. It has a pitot tube for measuring speed and an LED display for indicating the state of the high-voltage system, among other things. 

There are two steeply curving wings on the front bonnet. Big triple-louvre side air intakes, the visible natural fiber front splitter and flat LED headlamps make up the nose of this car. The Taycan electric sports car’s headlights inspired the four-point light symbol. The front splitter and bumper are visually connected by two towing lugs that are vertically aligned. All of these pieces have been painted yellow because they are functional parts. 

As for the rear, it is dominated by a two-section carbon-fiber spoiler (diffuser) and the two-section diffuser (diffuser). The brake and rain lights have been integrated into the profile of the wing plates. Thus, even in the rain, they are highly visible to other cars. The Porsche light strip is visible at the rear. This piece is composed of a huge number of illuminated vertical pieces to the right and left of the illuminated writing. As is customary for racing cars, the towing lugs at the back have been emphasized in color. Because they are seamlessly integrated into the vehicle’s supporting structure, they are unique. The battery’s charging port is hidden behind a flap in the middle of the rear glass, in the middle of the rear window. 

Interior 

Sporting events and virtual reality collide in Mission R. One reason is related to a driver cell monocoque that can be employed as a simulator outside the vehicle. They can practice virtually in a familiar atmosphere before their next race. The driver cell can also be used by future racing drivers to compete in esports events. In addition, the Mission R’s interactive features are designed to appeal to a young and enthusiastic motorsports audience. Drivers can engage with their fans by just pressing a button.  

The Mission R’s seat, steering wheel, controls, adjustable pedals, and screens are all integrated into a single compact unit that rotates around the driver’s axis. This allows the driver to focus on the most important aspects of the race during the competition. 

Due to its unique design, the second driver’s cell in the Mission R can serve as a racing simulator. For example, the driver’s dynamic forces can be reproduced by using movable, electrically-controlled supports. This type of training can be exceedingly realistic and highly effective because to the familiar settings with identical display and control elements, as well as the same full bucket seats. 

For the driver, a complete bucket seat provides excellent protection. A 3D-printed body form complete bucket seat is part of its revolutionary design. For example, the driver’s seat in the Mission R is actively ventilated and covered in an environmentally friendly 3D knit fabric. Lattice structure created in 3D adds to a pleasant seat climate. Some of these black, coarse-mesh components can be found in the area between the cushion and the backrest, for example. 

The Mission R was designed with the driver in mind. Most of the important displays and controllers are situated on the same axis. This lowers driver attention and improves performance by speeding up the driver’s reaction time, both of which boost performance. 

At every race, two cameras installed on the roof frame and on a rail in front of the passenger seat provide a real-time view of what’s going on inside the car as it moves. It is possible to stream live images directly to the community using a button on the control panel.  

Once again, Porsche has come up with something new for the interior ventilation system: fresh air now enters the cockpit directly through a windscreen inlet that can be adjusted. Due to the fact that centrifugal fans and long air ducts are used in conventional designs, this is an extremely efficient and environmentally friendly option. 

Another seat can be installed on the passenger side of a taxi. They’re situated in a footwell, along with a cooler that’s part of a single electronic module that controls everything. In addition, there is a place for the driver’s water bottle in the seating arrangement. There is a nice arrangement of expansion tanks for the battery coolant, braking fluid, and dampers under the rear window.

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