Cross Purpose

This might just be one of those days you bore your grandchildren about it in years to come. You woke up. Boiled the kettle. Had a good scratch while the laptop fired and up and then: you read this. For today is the day when the wraps come off what could be the definitive Porsche for our not-so-distant future.

Unveiled for the first time to the world at the Geneva Motor Show, this surprise release is the Mission E Cross Turismo, a concept study of an electrically driven ‘Cross Utility Vehicle’ Or CUV for short.

This is the multi-talented Porsche of tomorrow: all-electric, four-wheel drive, spacious, practical, desirable. It’s a four-door, four-seater with the same 800-volt architecture that is planned for the Mission E in 2019, with its preparation for the Europe-wide fast charging network. It can also be charged by induction, at a charging station or using the Porsche home energy storage system.

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The Mission E Cross Turismo is 4.95 metres long, so fractionally longer than a Cayenne but a tad shorter than a Panamera. The radical new design incorporates the best of Porsche’s sporting pedigree alongside obvious off-road elements, including robust wheel arch protection, an aggressive front spoiler and increased ground clearance.

A low-slung bonnet and prominent front wheel arches pay homage to F.A Porsche’s original 911, offset by very modern air curtains and matrix LED headlights with three-dimensional glass elements. Embedded in those sweeping wings are innovative four-point indicator lights, alongside high-performance headlights with Porsche X-Sight technology.

The silhouette is defined by a roofline that tapers rearwards over coupé-like side windows, a feature similar to that of the Panamera Sport Turismo Porsche which designers refer to as a ‘flyline’. At just under two metres wide, the Cross Turismo has a real presence, featuring broad wings and three-dimensional side panels with air outlets behind the front wheels that reinforce that sporting crossover character. Other distinctive features on this concept include the eye-catching off-road door sills and 20-inch wheels shod in bespoke 275/40 R 20 tyres.

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Although this is still technically a design study, there are various elements that are immediately recognisable from series Porsche production. From the back, finished in light grey metallic, that rakish rear is capped by an aerodynamic roof spoiler and split by the sort of continuous light strip first featured on the new Panamera.

That said, there is plenty to remind you that this is not quite Porsche as we know it. Yet. The eye-catching luminescent white Porsche logo is made of glass letters embedded in a three-dimensional cover with a circuit board design. During charging, the ‘E’ in ‘Porsche’ pulsates, and the circuit board is brought to life by further pulses of light, conveying the sense of energy in flow.

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On board, meanwhile, a large panoramic glass roof extending from the windscreen to the boot lid ensures a generous sense of space and natural light. Innovative displays on the dash and a touchscreen operating concept with eye-tracking control reveal the very latest of Porsche’s cutting edge in-car technology. More of that in a bit.

The interior reinterprets classic Porsche elements, bringing them into the digital age. The dashboard emphasises the vehicle’s width and is composed of a wing-shaped upper and lower part. The instrument panel is organised horizontally with an extra-wide display for the driver and front passenger. The freestanding instrument cluster is angled towards the driver and includes three circular display graphics with digital content on TFT screens. The centre console rises towards the dash panel, its indirect lighting creating a unique atmosphere in combination with ambient lighting.

It also uses lightweight structures, visible on the instrument panel and sports seats, referencing Porsche’s racing heritage and its on-going commitment to low weight and performance. The door lining has innovative three-dimensional elements with a textured surface, while anodised edges in Nordic Blue on touch points such as the air vents and window switches create a contrast to the exclusive bicolour interior, upholstered in black and light grey aniline leather.

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Style and technology aside, the interior of Porsche’s first CUV must also be highly functional and flexible. Each rear seat back benefits from a load-through facility for skis or other long objects, and they all fold flat to maximise a space bolstered by a rail system with adjustable and removable straps.

On the move, two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PSM) with a system output of more than 440 kW (600 hp) allow the Mission E Cross Turismo to accelerate to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and to reach a speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) in under 12 seconds.

And it’s not all for show here. The level of continuous power is unmatched by any other electric vehicle, with multiple accelerations possible in direct succession without loss of performance. And power is guaranteed on any surface thanks to on-demand all-wheel drive with Porsche Torque Vectoring, which automatically distributes torque to individual wheels.

In the uncharted waters of all-electric CUVs, Porsche will still ensure its essential dynamic DNA comes to the fore. All-wheel steering contributes to exemplary agility and stability, while adaptive air suspension raises or lowers the ground clearance by up to 50 millimetres. Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), meanwhile, provides active stabilisation to reduce roll in high-speed corners and limit lateral rocking over uneven surfaces.

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Key to how Porsche’s future customers will engage with the Mission E Cross Turismo is the innovative display and operating concept. In-car operation will be highly intuitive, and information optimally positioned in the field of vision to inform the driver without creating a distraction. And thanks to new connectivity solutions, the vehicle can be perfectly integrated into a modern digital lifestyle, creating a unique user experience.

The instrument cluster comprises three virtual round instruments that are divided into areas for Porsche Connect, performance, drive, energy and Sport Chrono. Using a camera in the rear-view mirror, the eye-tracking system we mentioned earlier actually detects which instrument the driver is looking at. The displays he or she can see are then brought to the foreground, while others are made smaller when the driver looks away. Physical operations are carried out using smart touch controls on the steering wheel.

The front passenger is no less well catered for, with a screen that extends across the full width of their side of the car. Using eye-tracking and touch screen technology, the passenger can operate various apps to control features such as media, navigation and air conditioning as well as contact lists.

More, smaller touch screens are placed both in multifunctional window lift modules (for seat adjustment and comfort functions) as well as in the slatted air vents on the right and left of the dashboard. So a simple swipe from left to right can increase the fan speed for example.

This ‘smart cabin’ approach simplifies most driver input, with vehicle settings, interior climate and ambient lighting all automatically adapted in line with the preferences of the occupants and the driving situation. Even from outside the vehicle, the driver can access a wide range of information and adjust the car’s settings, since all customisation options can be planned ahead using a tablet, smartphone or smartwatch – from air conditioning to on-board navigation.

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But even this is only small portion of the grander vision for the Mission E Cross Turismo’s digital potential. Porsche Connect already offers more than 20 digital services and apps, and here new software called DestinationsApp reveals how the digital platform could make it possible to organise a whole weekend trip in a few convenient steps via your smartphone. The app inspires users with travel destinations, then facilitates quick and easy bookings and takes care of route planning, food and sports equipment. DestinationsApp even allows you to adapt the body of the Mission E Cross Turismo to your chosen route and to select appropriate music, air conditioning settings and ambient lighting.

Porsche’s ground-breaking battery technology will underpin the whole experience, with that 800-volt architecture ensuring the lithium-ion battery can be charged for a range of around 250 miles (400 kilometres – according to the NEDC) in just over 15 minutes. The concept would be fully prepared for connection to the fast charging network, which is already being created on arterial roads around Europe as part of the IONITY joint venture.

The Mission E Cross Turismo presents an incredible vision of what a Turismo crossover could look like in series production – a car that is equally at home on long journeys, handling the daily commute or taking you off the beaten track. Rewind ten years and all this would sound like the far-fetched ramblings of a typically fantastical motor show concept. And yet here we are. On the brink of something as tangible as it is remarkable.