Porsche has lifted the veil on its collection of unreleased concept cars, offering enthusiasts a glimpse at what might have been.
Unveiled this week, the Porsche Unseen collection comprises 15 concept cars developed between 2005 and 2019. Some point to potential production models, others play on the brand’s history.
Here’s three of the best, along with one that might yet see the light of day.
2017 Porsche 919 Street
The now-retired Porsche 919 Hybrid was a world beater on the track, taking overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times between 2014 and 2017.
After being retired from endurance racing as a part of Porsche’s pivot to focus on Formula E in 2017, the 919 Hybrid was breathed on again to create the 919 Hybrid Evo.
With no pesky regulations to follow, the engineers in Weissach unleashed the full potential within their one-time endurance racer to smash the outright lap record around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
With a 5:19.66 lap time the Evo was 51.58 seconds faster than the previous record, set by Stefan Beloff in 1983 behind the wheel of a Porsche 956.
The concept points to what a third member of the 919 family would have looked like. The 919 Street would have rivalled the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Toyota GR Super Sport, and shown what a hypercar beyond even the 918 Spyder could do.
With a variation of the hybrid-boosted, turbocharged V4 engine from the LMP1 racer under its carbon body, the 919 Street shares its dimensions and wheelbase with the racer.
The car pictured here is a 1:1 clay model.
2019 Porsche Vision Spyder
Porsche loves to play on its history with Spyder versions of the Boxster.
The current-generation 718 Boxster Spyder plays on the brand’s pared-back performance heritage with a unique roof and rear deck, but the Vision Spyder took things a step further with a unique body.
Porsche describes the cabin as “spartan” and “puristic”, while the square rear end calls to mind the 550/1500 RS Spyder from 1954. The car that killed James Dean, known as Little Bastard, was a 550 Spyder.
The Vision Spyder was used to develop ideas for future models. Porsche points to the rear roll bar as one example.
The car pictured is a 1:1 hard model
2018 Porsche Vision “Renndienst”
That’s right, Porsche did an retro-electro van. What’s next, a GT3 RS tractor?
This swoopy concept is a six-seater conceived as an homage to the red racing service (renndienst) van used by Porsche Motorsport in the 1960s.
Unlike the clattery Volkswagen Type 2 van that inspired it, the 2018 concept is built on an electric skateboard chassis to free up more interior space. The driver sits in the middle of the car, McLaren F1 style, and the remaining seats can be shuffled around as required.
Although it’s working on a Taycan Cross Turismo wagon, don’t expect to see a production Porsche van any time soon.
The car pictured is a 1:1 hard model.
2012 Porsche Vision 911 Safari
Porsche has toyed with the idea of a high-riding 911 Safari before.
The 2012 Vision 911 Safari concept harks back to the 1978 911 SC Safari with a taller ride and tougher body than a regular 911.
The wheel housings are reinforced, and the cabin is home to two bucket seats and a roll cage – along with an air-conditioning system for the driver’s helmet.
There’s a chance a modern Safari will still see the light of day. Porsche was recently snapped testing a 992 911 with a taller ride and flared arches, prompting speculation we’re going to get a new Safari.
