15 models. A total of 15 models that Porsche finally lets see the light of day in a series entitled “Porsche Unseen”. Models that are actually projects that never went into production, but which, now, we too can dream of.
Most of them are very ambitious (and interesting) projects whose reality constraints have not allowed them to materialize. In this series “Porsche Unseen” — in a simplistic translation “Porsche never seen” — there are four families of projects: “Spin-offs“, “Little rebels“, “Hyper cars“ and “What's next?”.
Let's get to know each one of them? Swipe the image galleries:
1. Spin-offs
Porsche 911 Safari (2012)
Porsche 911 Vision Safari
Inspired by the Porsche 911 SC that won the East African Safari Rally in 1978, this Porsche 911 Safari (gen. 991) was created in 2012.
At its base, in addition to the evocative decoration of the original, this version also saw its height to the ground increase and many of its panels reinforced.
Porsche Macan Vision Safari (2012)
Another idea that shouldn't have been in the drawer. This Porsche Macan Vision Safari was also inspired by the brand's achievements in rallies. Three-door bodywork, more prominent wheel arches, rollbar, XXL tires.
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That's how Porsche made one of the most interesting Macans ever. It's a shame it didn't get the green light.
Porsche Boxster Bergspyder (2014)
Inspired by the Porsche 909 and 910 Bergspyder that dominated the European Championship on Ramps, this Porsche Boxster (generation 981) is one of the most dramatic interpretations we've seen of the German brand's smallest coupé.
Like the Porsche 909 Bergspyder, this Boxster also bet on low weight: 384 kg (!) less than the original Boxster. Result? Only 1130 kg of weight in running order. To liven up this 20th century Bergspyder. XXI we find the same opposite six-cylinder 3.8 l engine that we know from the Cayman GT4.
Porsche Le Mans Living Legend (2016)
The colors, the decoration, in short, all the aesthetic elements leave no room for doubt.
This Porsche Le Mans Living Legend is a tribute to the Porsche 550. Simply, the first closed model, leaving Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen in 1955, destined for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The rest you know… is history.
2. little rebels
Porsche 904 Living Legend (2013)
Inspired by the Porsche 904, this new Porsche 904 Living Legend shares its foundation with a distant cousin.
They say the best solutions are sometimes the simplest. In the case of this Porsche 904 that's what happened. The Stuttgart brand came knocking on the Volkswagen cousins' door and asked them for the Volkswagen XL1 platform.
Like the more radical version of the XL1 — which never made it to the production line —, this 904 is also powered by a V2 engine from Ducati origin (yes… from a motorcycle). Due to its design and minimalist structure, the weight did not exceed 900 kg.
Porsche Vision 916 Spyder (2016)
How minimalist can a current Porsche be? An intern from the Porsche design team answered the question with this concept.
The stylistic inspiration for this Vision Sypder was the Porsche 916, a racing prototype from the early 1970s that never went into production. This Porsche Vision 916 has four electric motors in the wheel hubs — an homage to the first Lohner-Porsche all-wheel drive, developed by Ferdinand Porsche in 1900.
Porsche Vision Spyder (2019)
The late actor James Dean is one of the great heroes of Porsche history. The silver Porsche 550 Spyder, which we affectionately dubbed the “Little Bastard”, remains in our collective memory to this day.
This Spyder is a tribute to James Dean and beyond. It is also a tribute to Hans Herrmann, who raced in the Carrera Panamericana in 1954, taking a class victory and third place overall for Porsche.
3. Hyper Cars
Porsche 919 Street (2017)
One of the most successful prototypes of the century. XXI and the last (for now…) Porsche's successful chapter in the premier endurance category. The Porsche 919 Hybrid won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three consecutive times — from 2015 to 2017.
The Porsche 919 Street was built on the technology of the racing 919, promising an LMP1 experience to the “commons” of mortals. It has more than 900 hp and looks so real that we believe its production was close to happening — it was even considered producing a version of the 919 to be used in circuits, in a similar way to Ferrari's FXX program.
Porsche 917 Living Legend (2013)
Porsche has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 19 times. Of all the models and models that showered Porsche's history with champagne, one of the most emblematic is the Porsche 917 KH and its red and white paintwork.
For it was behind the wheel of this car that Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood achieved Porsche's first overall victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe in the summer of 1970. In 2013, to mark the Porsche's return to the LMP1 class, a team in Weissach developed a modern interpretation of the Porsche 917. A 1:1 scale model created in six months with the goal of bringing the legend alive to the present day.
Porsche 906 Living Legend (2005)
This was the model that got the most breath here at Razão Automóvel. Maybe because we have an original Porsche 906 keeping us company every day.
As you know, the Porsche 906 was the first Porsche prototype with a tubular chassis. Driven by an opposing six-cylinder engine and 2.0 liter capacity, this small but competitive prototype managed to reach a top speed of 280 km/h.
Porsche Vision E (2019)
They no longer need to imagine what a “production” Formula E would look like. Porsche did it for us. This model was intended to give amateur drivers the sensations of driving a 100% electric formula.
Porsche Vision 918 RS (2019)
The further we go down this list, the more we get the feeling that Porsche wants to make us depressed. How fantastic would it have been to see this Porsche Vision 918 RS in production?
This is the model that in 2010 heralded the beginning of the electrification era at Porsche. Here he appears with RennSport (RS) clothes and his performance would certainly accompany the look. Had it happened, it would represent Weissach's ultimate expression of power, exclusivity and performance.
Porsche Vision 920 (2020)
The boundaries between competition and production have always been very blurred for Porsche. This Porsche 920 represents the culmination of Porsche's presence in the LMP1 category, a bid to succeed the 919 Hybrid, spawning both a racing and a road model — for the Le Mans Hypercar category perhaps?
Purpose of this project? Combining the function and pragmatism of a racing car body with the stylistic language of Porsche today. Mission Accomplished? No doubt.
4. What's next?
Porsche 960 Tourism (2016)
Imagine a Porsche 911. Now add rear doors and more space to it. If your imagination doesn't betray you, you've come very close to these Porsche 960 Turismo.
A model that, despite not having entered production, served as a test tube for many of the stylistic solutions found in the Porsche range. Can you identify these elements?
Porsche Race Service (2018)
Can a Porsche be focused on space and versatility? Will it be compatible with the brand's values? Michael Mauer and his team answered these questions in 2018 with an unusual vision.
Inspired by the Volkswagen vans that assisted Porsches in competition, they created this 100% electric van, capable of being 100% autonomous — the link to Volkswagen remains, as it should derive from MEB and, above all, from ID.Buzz. The most intriguing detail? The driving position is central.
For hobbyists and collectors
These design studies gathered in the never-before-published “Porsche Unseen” series are now being presented by Porsche Newsroom in a series of articles. 911:Magazine – in web TV format – will also devote an episode to some of these studies and will examine the link between the studies and the models currently in production in conjunction with Porsche's head of design, Michael Mauer.
For brand aficionados, the book entitled “Porsche Unseen” will be released today by the German publisher Delius Klasing. These prototypes are presented in detail over 328 pages with photographs by Stefan Bogner and texts by Jan Karl Baedeker. It is published by Delius Klasing Verlag and is also available in the Porsche Museum shop.