Porsche's Mission X will be the brand's fastest and most expensive road car yet - but will the Lotus Evija, Aston Martin Valkyrie rival come to Australia?

Porsche’s show-stopping Mission X concept has taken another step closer to becoming a production model, with executives detailing some of the hypercar’s incredible capability and development secrets.

But while the German carmaker has revealed that a production version would smash multiple road-car records, replicating any of them Down Under is looking increasingly unlikely.

Speaking at a private viewing of Porsche’s latest concept at the Melbourne Grand Prix, Porsche Mission X Project Manager Michael Behr said such a low-volume and exclusive model would be difficult to justify in both left and right-hand drive.

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“It’s more complicated to have two models,” he said. “I think there will be one version… a left-hand drive.”

If so, that would almost certainly exclude the Mission X for sale in Australia where right-hand drive is necessary to comply with Australian Design Rules (ADR) and for public road use.

So while Australians will be denied access to a milestone Porsche on home turf, those nations lucky enough to get the highly exclusive car will have some eye-watering performance to play with.

Behr confirmed a production car would be the most expensive road-going Porsche in the company’s history.

When asked about one of Porsche’s favourite proving grounds, Behr said a production version would have a Nurburgring lap record firmly in its sights.

“There is always a goal to produce a better lap time than the predecessor. If it will go to production, this will be the fastest car of all the cars with a number plate - street-legal cars.”

Behr wouldn’t be pressed on exactly what time the team was targeting but, to topple the current ‘Ring champ Taycan Turbo GT, it would need to go quicker than 7:07.

Porsche’s show-stopping Mission X concept has taken another step closer to becoming a production model.

As you might expect, Porsche’s first hypercar since the 918 Spyder would not be cheap and Behr confirmed a production car would be the most expensive road-going Porsche in the company’s history.

An exact figure was not offered but perhaps Behr wasn’t entirely joking when he suggested an approximate figure of a million Euros “per meter”. At 4.5m long, a cheque to pay for one will land with a thump.

However, Porsche is adamant the decision on whether a production car will result has still not been made. “It’s really not decided,” promised Behr. “It’s a decision made by commercial issues not by technical ones.”

As you might expect, Porsche’s first hypercar since the 918 Spyder would not be cheap.

But each time a Porsche representative made the caveat, another tantalising morsel regarding the concept’s construction and development would follow.

“If the car will go into production it will be really very similar to this one,” said Behr. “Maybe some issues with homologation, but I think you will recognise the car as this one.”

Two versions of the Mission X concept exist. One is a clay mockup, but the version wheeled out as part of a global tour in Australia is fully functioning. And we can report after slotting into its cosy cabin, the concept feels very much like a production-ready Porsche.

Even with the scissor doors latched closed, it’s not claustrophobic.

While the yoke-type steering wheel probably wont make the cut, it feels connected to the front wheels with typical Porsche tightness, while the aluminium paddle shifters click with a high-quality crispness and weight.

Even with the scissor doors latched closed, it’s not claustrophobic but there’s only room for people on board and Behr explained that positioning the Mission X’s battery between the occupants was not possible while retaining the narrow dimensions.

Instead, the lithium-ion unit is behind the seats for optimum packaging, weight distribution and centre of gravity.

“There are other hypercars with the battery between the passengers but with this very narrow seating, there’s no space for that here. It’s a block behind the seats similar to a mid-engined car with the centre of gravity in the middle of the car.”

While Australians will be denied access to a milestone Porsche on home turf, those nations lucky enough to get the highly exclusive car will have some eye-watering performance to play with.

Adding fuel to the theory that the Mission X is close to a showroom version, Behr explained that an all-electric model already confirmed by Porsche would share a significant design feature of the concept.

“There will be an all-electric car and there will be no battery below the seats,” he said.

Other unique design features include seats that are integrated into the monocoque and fixed in place with adjustable steering wheel and pedals instead, while the scissor doors were non-negotiable as the only solution that allows a helmet to be worn while minimising the frontal area of the car.

Officially, the concept is rear-wheel drive, but a production version would have to adopt four-wheel drive according to Behr, if it is to keep its promise of beating the Nurburgring record.

While the yoke-type steering wheel probably wont make the cut, it feels connected to the front wheels with typical Porsche tightness.

“You need a four-wheel drive to recuperate a lot of energy and to have a bigger range,” he said. “Not just for one lap but maybe three laps. You have to have a four-wheel-driven sports car for the Nordschliefe.”

Downforce is another element essential to setting a new EV record and Behr confirmed that the Mission X would produce “at least twice” the amount of downforce than the mighty 911 GT3 RS and, while the all-important kerb weight is still not confirmed it’ll fall between 1500kg and 2500kg.

Exactly which drivetrain powers the concept is not known outside Porsche walls, but tantalisingly, Behr said it’s a donor unit from one of the many existing drivetrain development programs.

“At the moment we are developing a lot of drivetrains so we used one of them.”

For now, the official party line is that this car is still just a concept.

Steering and suspension decisions are also yet to be finalised, but Porsche said it is considering steer-by-wire technology and, as to which suspension system is adopted depends more on packaging than weight and expense.

For now, the official party line is that this car is still just a concept, but it’s highly unusual for the iconic company to produce a design study apparently so close to a production car without good reason.

Nonetheless, “This car is just transporting an idea, to show what would be possible and the vision of a road-legal all-electric sportscar,” concluded Behr.