Spied! Porsche Caught Flogging the Mission E on the Nurburgring

When we lined up this year’s Best Driver’s Car contenders for the World’s Greatest Drag Race 7, we also brought out a Tesla Model S P100D. But despite its ludicrous straight-line acceleration, the Model S couldn’t actually compete for Best Driver’s Car since it couldn’t complete a flat-out lap of Laguna Seca. It’s a great car in a lot of ways, but it’s not a track car. When Porsche’s Tesla hunter, the Mission E, finally goes on sale though, it looks like it might actually be trackable, too.

Recently, our spy photographers caught a Mission E prototype testing on the Nürburgring. It also doesn’t look too different than it did the last time we caught it out testing with a few Teslas. Porsche has clearly made some changes from the concept we first saw back in 2015, adding in a few necessary production tweaks and working in some of the Panamera’s styling. But it’s still a good-looking car that will make a serious competitor for the Model S. And while it’s still wearing a decent amount of camouflage, it does look well on its way to being production-ready.

Interestingly, Porsche kept the fake exhaust tips on the prototype. Since it’s fully electric, it would be nice to see those disappear before the Mission E goes into production. We’re also hoping the camouflage on the front end means the production version will retain the air inlets we saw on the concept.

When it does go into production, expect the Mission E to be one serious performer even when not on a track. Porsche says it will make 600 hp and be capable of hitting 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. It’s also expected to have a range of more than 300 miles, and thanks to an 800-volt charging system, Porsche claims it will be able to hit an 80-percent charge in about 15 minutes.

Photo source: CarPix

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