911 Carrera

Make
Porsche
Segment
Coupe

Porsche has designed some of the most iconic cars in automotive history. Vehicles such as the Porsche 911 have stood the test of time, and newcomers such as the Taycan will surely become future classics, but what most don't know is that Porsche keeps a ton of unreleased designs behind its doors. In the past week, Porsche has teased some seriously cool designs, the first being a retro speedster, and the second a full-blown track monster. Now we get a taste of a third concept, the Porsche Vision Renndienst, a futuristic look at the world of family transport vehicles, as well as a slew of other unreleased cars which range from dedicated race cars to off-road SUVs.

The speedster is in fact the Porsche Vision Spyder (pictured above) which was inspired by the Porsche 550-1500 RS Spyder from 1954 and designed in 2019 as a 1:1 model. This car exemplifies Porsche's simplistic approach to interior design and racing heritage.

While the track monster featured in the #PorscheUnseen series is the epic Porsche 919 Street (pictured below) designed as a 1:1 clay model in 2018 and based on the tech used in the Porsche 919 Hybrid. Under the hood lies a 900-horsepower hybrid racing drivetrain, and the concept shares the dimensions and wheelbase as the real race car.

The latest release from Porsche is the Renndienst, designed in 2018 as a 1:1 hard model and the company's "free interpretation of a family-friendly space concept for up to six persons". This space shuttle features a central driver's seat and a modular cabin that can be arranged to suit various seating positions. The Porsche vision Renndienst hides its all-electric drive technology in the underbody to keep the car's overall weight balance in check, which in turn creates more space for its occupants. Combined with autonomous driving technology, this type of seating arrangement could be the future for many brands.

Porsche has previously revealed some interesting concept cars which include the 2013 Porsche 904 Living Legend which is based on the vehicle architecture of the Volkswagen XL one-liter car and follows the same concept as the Porsche Carrera GTS from 1963.

The 2005 Porsche 906 Living Legend takes inspiration from the Porsche 906 and features the same color scheme as the classic racer when it made its appearance in the 1966 Targa Florio.

In 2012 Porsche came up with the 911 Vision Safari, which was inspired by Porsche 911 rally racers of the 1970s. This car was based on the 991-generation 911 and features raised suspension and the historic red and blue color scheme.

Continuing with Porsche's racing heritage, the 2013 917 Living Legend was a tribute to Porsche's return to the LMP1 class in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race and is a modern interpretation of the classic 917.

Porsche went on a safari in 2013 when it released its Porsche Macan Vision Safari, a car that is meant for proper off-roading, The concept was inspired by the Porsche 911 Safari and the 959 Paris-Dakar, and features flared wheel arches and knobby tires.

2014 saw the Porsche Boxster Bergspyder come to life. This car was a tribute to the lightest racing car ever competitively run by Porsche, the 909 Bergspyder. The car features an elegant roll bar, closed-off passenger side seat, and a curb weight of only 1,130 kg (2,491 lbs)

Another minimalist design is the 2016 Porsche Vision 916 which was inspired by the 916 prototype. This all-electric concept also pays homage to the first all-wheel-drive Lohner-Porsche race car which was developed by Ferdinand Porsche back in 1900.

2016 also saw the creation of the Porsche Le Mans Living Legend, inspired by the 550 Spyder, and was the Porsche design team's version of an extreme road-going sports car with a rear-mounted V8 engine.

Another great design coming out of 2016 is the Porsche Vision Turismo which at first was planned to be a mid-engined super sports car with four doors, but was soon changed to a four-door 911, and finally became the basis of the new Porsche Taycan.

The 2019 Porsche Vision 920 was designed as a road-going version of an LMP1 car and features a central driving position, and features a striking red and white color scheme and a purist body design honed for aerodynamic proficiency.

Porsche continues the trend to design hardcore racing cars with the 2019 Porsche Vision 918 RS which celebrates the success of the 918 Spyder, by evolving into a super sports car that's as home on the track as it is on the road, and looks like it's ready to take on a professional race series.

The Porsche Vision E was conceptualized in 2019 for the growing electric racing scene and around the idea of giving private individuals the chance to compete at a Formula E level. The car features a central seating position and 800-volt technology.

"When it comes to the visions we develop, it is not about bringing every car onto the road. Instead, it is more a question of establishing creative space and a relationship with the future," says Michael Mauer when describing the design process and adds: "There are two possibilities for continuing to develop as a brand: either you improve your products from the present, that is to say step-by-step. However, it is difficult to be really innovative in this process. Or you give free rein to your creativity. The idea is to let your thoughts jump to the day after tomorrow, and to then move back from there to tomorrow." he concludes.