Porsche Concept Special: Mission S Reaction & Stephen Murkett Panamericana Design Interview

In this Porsche Concept Car Special on 9WERKS Radio, Lee Sibley and Andy Brookes kick off with an immediate reaction and deep-dive verdict on Porsche’s newly revealed Mission S concept, before sitting down for a milestone feature interview with former Style Porsche designer Stephen Murkett.

With an extraordinary 43-year career inside the design studios at Weissach, Stephen provides a rare, first-hand account of automotive design history. He reveals the never-before-heard inside story behind the radical 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept—created as an 80th birthday gift for Ferry Porsche—the creative culture inside Style Porsche, and the next chapter of his journey: teaming up with Werk96 to pioneer the bespoke Porsche 996 restomod movement.

Featured in This Episode

• Porsche Mission S Verdict: First impressions, packaging revelations, and why Porsche has bet billions on the reception of this concept.

• 43 Years Inside Style Porsche: Stephen Murkett reflects on more than four decades of shaping sports cars, working alongside automotive icons in Weissach.

• The 1989 Porsche Panamericana Untold: The secret design brief, the zippered roof construction, the extreme packaging challenges, and Ferry Porsche's genuine reaction.
• Werk96 & The 996 Restomod: Why Stephen is applying his factory design pedigree to the Porsche 996 platform, and what Werk96 is creating for the future of water-cooled 911s.

Frequently Asked Questions (Porsche Design & Concept Guide)

Who is Stephen Murkett?

Stephen Murkett is a celebrated British automotive designer who spent 43 years at Style Porsche in Weissach, Germany. During his tenure, he contributed to numerous production and concept sports car programs, most notably penning the exterior design of the avant-garde 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept.

What was the 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept car?

The Porsche Panamericana was a radical, off-road-inspired sports car concept unveiled at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA). Based on a Porsche 964 Carrera 4 platform with carbon-fibre-reinforced bodywork, horizontal roof cutouts with a zippered fabric top, and exposed wheel arches, it was presented to Ferry Porsche for his 80th birthday and heavily influenced the exterior design language of the subsequent 993 generation 911.

What is the Werk96 Porsche 996 restomod project?

Werk96 is a specialist brand focused on re-engineering and elevating the Porsche 996 generation. By collaborating with former factory Porsche designers like Stephen Murkett, Werk96 applies OEM-level design refinement, elevated interior craftsmanship, and mechanical optimization to celebrate the analog purity of early water-cooled 911s.

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