A new generation of high-performance machines will make your heart beat faster when two-seater sports cars are taken to a new level.
Porsche has given a glimpse of its next-generation Cayman sports car in the form of a wild electric racing concept.
While existing series like Formula E are disappointing machines with less power than some hatchbacks, the next generation promises to be alive.
Porsche gave a glimpse into the electric future of motorsport with its concept study Mission R overnight at the Munich Motor Show in Germany.
And its styling could hint at the look of the next-generation Porsche Cayman and Boxster.
Rumor has it that an electric version will be installed in the near future, and Porsche’s junior sports car could become the first battery-powered two-seater sports car to be mass-produced. The brand says their concept offers similar drivability to the Cayman thanks to a battery pack stacked behind the cockpit in the same location as the entry-level sports car’s engine.
Such a production model wouldn’t look as wild as the Mission R, which is developing as an electric alternative to racing series like the Porsche Carrera Cup.
Developed with the help of professional drivers Timo Bernhard and Lars Kern, the lightweight racing concept combines a pair of extremely powerful electric motors with all-wheel drive, fat tires and a powerful body to create breathtaking performance.
According to Porsche, the coupe can produce 800 kW in a special qualifying mode, so that the car can reach 100 km / h in 2.5 seconds before it reaches a top speed of more than 300 km / h.
Long-distance racing stints deliver 500 kW in continuous running.
The brand says its performance is roughly on par with the latest 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 Carrera Cup, a machine that will likely prove faster than Australia’s V8-powered supercars when it launches next year.
The Mission R’s 80 kWh battery takes 15 minutes to be charged from 5 to 80 percent of its capacity, provided there is an ultra-fast charging infrastructure on the route.
Built to show that racing will be sustainable in the future, the body and key interior elements of the machine are made from a plant-based alternative to carbon fiber that is held together with flax strands.
The car also closes the gap between real racing and e-sports.
The seat and steering wheel are removable, so drivers can train on home simulators with the same controls and posture as their racing car for upcoming races.
Elite motorsport series such as Formula 1 follow a similar approach, so that the drivers know the complex controls of modern racing cars well before they even arrive on the track.
Originally published as Porsches Electric Sports Cars That Shock
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