These Gorgeous Porsche Concept Cars Never Made It To Production, Sadly

It's no secret that whenever a new model is introduced, there’s a lengthy process that goes on behind the birth of that model. This includes a multitude of concepts and design studies that serve as an inspiration for future models. There are many instances where design studies never really see the light of day and are kept forever under lock and key as company secrets. Well, Porsche has now given us a glimpse of these unreleased designs via a new book, ‘Porsche Unseen’.

As the name suggests, the carmaker has revealed a variety of unreleased 1:1 scale model design studies that range from the time period of 2015 to 2019. And some of them are pretty wacky one-offs! Here’s all of them in detail:

919 Street

 

Imagine the LMP1 Porsche 919 Hybrid race car, but more road-friendly. Yes, that’s what we could’ve expected had Porsche made the 919 road legal. In fact the 919 utilises the same carbon-fibre monocoque and the 900PS hybrid powertrain as its race-spec counterpart. Overall, despite some design alterations, the 919 Street boasts as an LMP1 hypercar for the road.

Vision Spyder

The Vision Spyder, is Porsche's interpretation of a one-off retro sports car. Inspired by the 1954 550-1500 RS Spyder, there’s some nifty design bits which include a pair of vertical headlights, a tiny windshield vented fender and a roll bar at the back.  

Vision Renndienst

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A minivan with the Porsche badge? Yes, you read that right, Porsche did cook up its own interpretation of a minivan capable of occupying six people in the form of the Vision Renndienst. And it's quite futuristic, boasting a design inspired by a space shuttle. In addition to this, it is an all-electric MPV with autonomous driving tech.     

911/Macan Vision Safari

Next up is a couple of wacky one-offs that are built for off-road thrills. We’re talking about the 911 and Macan Vision Safari. The former is actually a working prototype, inspired by the 911 Safari that was used in the 1970s in the East African Safari Rally. Both concepts get similar modifications in the form of increased ground clearance, reinforced wheel arches and off-road tyres. The difference is that the Macan has been converted into a three-seat off-road crossover.

Boxster Bergspyder

This working prototype was built as a homage to the 909 Bergspyder, which was Porsche’s lightest racing car in motorsport at 384kg. It boasts all the things that made the 909 Bergspyder special: low weight,  a mid-engine setup and mind boggling cornering prowess.

Le Mans Living Legend (2016)

This one-off model based on the Boxster pays homage to the Porsche 550 racing coupe that raced in the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans. Some notable retro bits include a split rear window and a front-mounted central fuel cap. While technical details haven’t been revealed, Porsche boasts an eight-cylinder engine at the back. 

906 Living Legend (2015)

Another Living Legend concept from Porsche is the 906 which took inspiration from the 906 racecar that ran in the 1966 Group 4 sportscar category. Some similarities between the two include a low-slung nose and aggressive wheel arches. 

Vision 920

Aside from the 919 Street, Porsche also imagined another Le Mans racer for the road. The result is a single-seat hypercar with a central cockpit layout. Its body is also optimised for optimum aerodynamics with deep air ducts to aid downforce

Vision E 

Based on the Porsche 99X Formula E electric race car, the Vision E boasts a closed cockpit layout as well as a semi-open wheel design that makes it look futuristic. Essentially, the Vision E brings with it the thrills of an electric race car for private customers, with a little Porsche flair added onto it. 

Vision Turismo 

This concept borrows a front end from the 918 Spyder as well as a four-door setup that’s similar to a Panamera. But there’s another interesting story about it: It actually served as a blueprint for the Taycan four-door electric coupe

918 RS 

For this concept, Porsche decided to go even more bonkers with the already insane 918. The enhancements are mostly aerodynamic with a massive diffuser at the rear and some upgrades to its chassis and drivetrain. While the meaty details are still under wraps, it wouldn't be naive to expect some nifty technical wizardry under the skin.