Porsche Chief Rejects Tesla-Style Shows as Mission S Aims at Ferrari

Porsche head Michael Leiters said at a conference in Berlin this week that the company wants to “completely steer clear from any kind of effects and shows,” a jab at Tesla’s Roadster debut, according to Bloomberg and Motor1. Leiters said the two cars target different customers.

Porsche’s own halo car, the Mission S concept, would sit above the 911 and is meant to push the brand upmarket, with fewer cars sold at higher prices.

Two halo cars on one day

Both companies unveiled their cars on Oct. 15. Tesla showed its next-generation Roadster almost nine years after the 2017 prototype. In the presentation, the car drove up a curved ramp, launched into the air, rotated and landed on its wheels. Motor1 reports that the stunt used compressed-air thrusters developed with help from SpaceX engineers. Porsche’s Mission S debut was more traditional.

What Tesla has and has not said

Tesla has outlined several versions. A Performance model uses suction fans. A Thrust variant has rear-mounted cold-gas thrusters, and Tesla claims it can go from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in less than 0.9 seconds. A single-seat Rocket version has thrusters all around and will not be road-legal.

Tesla has announced neither pricing nor a firm production schedule. Elon Musk has mentioned 2028 as a target.

What Porsche is planning for the Mission S

The Mission S is a mid-engined sports car. Its engine has not been revealed, though Motor1 says all signs point to an eight-cylinder, either a V8 or a flat-eight. Porsche is developing the car to take a hybrid or a conventional combustion engine, and it may offer a manual gearbox if demand is high enough to make the numbers work.

Leiters called the response from potential customers “overwhelming.” The car would carry a considerably higher price than the 911 if it gets approval for production, which has not been announced.

Why it matters for Porsche

A production Mission S would return Porsche to the supercar segment for the first time since the 918 Spyder ended in 2015, putting it in Ferrari’s territory. According to Motor1, the larger goal is exclusivity and higher average selling prices to improve profitability.

That matters because Porsche faces financial challenges and declining sales in China. Instead of chasing volume, the company is betting that buyers will pay extra for something more special.

Not every industry leader shares Leiters’ view of Tesla’s showmanship. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna earlier gave the Roadster unveiling 10 out of 10.

What to watch next

Tesla’s Roadster target of 2028 comes after a wait of nearly a decade since the 2017 prototype, and Motor1 notes that Tesla still has plenty to prove on delivery. Porsche’s concept, by contrast, has drawn strong early interest but has no confirmed engine, price or production decision.

Tesla’s pricing and production timing remain open, and Porsche has yet to decide whether the Mission S reaches production.

Source: Motor1