2014 Porsche 918
On Sale:
Late 2013
Late 2013
Expected Pricing:
$845,000
$845,000
The Porsche 918 Spyder goes into production September 2013 and on sale in the U.S. near the end of the year. Porsche hasn't said but we're guessing that means it will be a 2014 model. MSRP will be $845,000, Porsche said.The world caught its first glimpse of the Porsche 918 Sypder plug-in hybrid concept in March 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show. Five months later, Stuttgart announced the two-seater would go into production, after being quietly shown (or not-so-quietly, depending on whom you ask) to a hand-picked group of prospective customers, including the swanky Pebble Beach crowd during the week of the famed golf community's Concours d'Elegance.
With its futuristic, multi-faceted (some say overdone) styling, the 918 may someday take its place as the first Porsche supercar since the long-planned and short-lived Carrera GT, a $440,000 mid-engine which ended production in 2006.
The Porsche 918 Spyder is powered by a 500-horsepower, V8 gasoline-powered engine and two electric motors (one each on the front and rear axle) that generate a combined 160 kilowatts of power, roughly the equivalent of 218 hp, for a total of 718 hp. The powertrain is mated to Porsche's dual-clutch PDK transmission for lightening-quick shifts. Energy is stored in a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery, which can be charged by plugging into a suitable electrical outlet.
Porsche, known for putting out conservative specs on its cars, claims the 918 Spyder is capable of achieving fuel economy numbers equivalent to 78 miles per gallon. But with a 0-to-100 km/h (about 62 mph) time of less than 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph, we're guessing most drivers won't be out hypermiling.
Performance of the 918 Spyder is largely determined by one of four driving modes:
E-Drive Mode: This all-electric mode is good for about 16 miles.
Hybrid Mode: Like other two-mode-hybrid systems, the 918 Spyder uses a combination of the electric motors and combustion engine, depending on driving demands. Because driving styles and conditions are so variable, Porsche isn't giving any range or fuel economy numbers right now.
Sport Hybrid Mode: Uses both drive systems, but with heavier focus on performance. Power is biased toward the rear wheels and uses Torque Vectoring for enhanced driving dynamics. No numbers here, either.
Race Hybrid Mode: Full power, with push-to-pass E-Boost. Batteries must be fully charged to use this mode, and no doubt EPA ratings are abysmally low. But you'll look great passing the tool in the Ferrari next to you on the freeway.
The 918 Spyder also converts kinetic energy from braking into electrical energy that gets stored in the battery to provide an on-demand power boost for fast acceleration. But this is not to be confused with KERS, which some might recognize as the promising but sometimes problematic technology found in recent incarnations of Formula 1 cars, as well as Porsche's new experimental 918 RSR racecar.
All that extra technology means extra weight. So cutting bulk on the Porsche 918 Spyder was crucial. Porsche used a race-inspired monocoque body shell made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP), as well as magnesium and aluminum throughout the inner workings of the concept car to achieve a curb weight of 3,285 pounds. However, Porsche has yet to tell us what type of roof will be used on the production car, which could tweak that number.
With its futuristic, multi-faceted (some say overdone) styling, the 918 may someday take its place as the first Porsche supercar since the long-planned and short-lived Carrera GT, a $440,000 mid-engine which ended production in 2006.
The Porsche 918 Spyder is powered by a 500-horsepower, V8 gasoline-powered engine and two electric motors (one each on the front and rear axle) that generate a combined 160 kilowatts of power, roughly the equivalent of 218 hp, for a total of 718 hp. The powertrain is mated to Porsche's dual-clutch PDK transmission for lightening-quick shifts. Energy is stored in a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery, which can be charged by plugging into a suitable electrical outlet.
Porsche, known for putting out conservative specs on its cars, claims the 918 Spyder is capable of achieving fuel economy numbers equivalent to 78 miles per gallon. But with a 0-to-100 km/h (about 62 mph) time of less than 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph, we're guessing most drivers won't be out hypermiling.
Performance of the 918 Spyder is largely determined by one of four driving modes:
E-Drive Mode: This all-electric mode is good for about 16 miles.
Hybrid Mode: Like other two-mode-hybrid systems, the 918 Spyder uses a combination of the electric motors and combustion engine, depending on driving demands. Because driving styles and conditions are so variable, Porsche isn't giving any range or fuel economy numbers right now.
Sport Hybrid Mode: Uses both drive systems, but with heavier focus on performance. Power is biased toward the rear wheels and uses Torque Vectoring for enhanced driving dynamics. No numbers here, either.
Race Hybrid Mode: Full power, with push-to-pass E-Boost. Batteries must be fully charged to use this mode, and no doubt EPA ratings are abysmally low. But you'll look great passing the tool in the Ferrari next to you on the freeway.
The 918 Spyder also converts kinetic energy from braking into electrical energy that gets stored in the battery to provide an on-demand power boost for fast acceleration. But this is not to be confused with KERS, which some might recognize as the promising but sometimes problematic technology found in recent incarnations of Formula 1 cars, as well as Porsche's new experimental 918 RSR racecar.
All that extra technology means extra weight. So cutting bulk on the Porsche 918 Spyder was crucial. Porsche used a race-inspired monocoque body shell made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFP), as well as magnesium and aluminum throughout the inner workings of the concept car to achieve a curb weight of 3,285 pounds. However, Porsche has yet to tell us what type of roof will be used on the production car, which could tweak that number.
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With the debut of the 918 Spyder Concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, it became obvious that Porsche was itching to make a successor to the Carrera GT supercar. As has been long expected, the Stuttgart-based automaker will be putting the 918 into production, with each of the 918 units to cost $845,000, plus destination and handling fees.
As was the case with the concept 918, the production version 918 Spyder will be powered by a 4.0-liter V-8 with 500-plus-horsepower on tap that will work in concert with two electric motors that Porsche says will produce at least 218 additional horsepower. The V-8’s power will be routed through Porsche’s much lauded seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels.
The two electric motors will be mounted directly on the front and rear axles, creating an all-wheel drive system with individual control for each of the axles. Power for the electric motors will be stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack, which should take about seven hours for a full charge on a normal 110-volt household outlet. The 918 will be able to travel at least 16 miles on electric power alone from a full charge and hit a top electric-only speed of 94 mph, depending on driving conditions.
Porsche estimates the production 918 to make the run from 0 to 60 mph in an electrifying 3.1 seconds and on to a top track speed of 199 mph, with a lap of Nurburgring Nordschleife expected to be polished off in a scant seven and a half minutes flat. Porsche also expects the new plug-in hybrid to achieve approximately 78 mpg on the new European driving cycle; EPA estimates will be released closer to the car’s U.S. delivery date at the end of 2013.
For those that need a “daily driver” to go with their 918s, a limited edition 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder will be available in either coupe or cabriolet for those who purchase the 918 Spyder. The special edition 911 will come in a matching color scheme to the 918 with acid-green accents. Only 918 of them will be produced, each with a price of $160,700 for the coupe or $172,100 for the cabriolet, not including destination or the price of the required purchase of a 918 Spyder.
Production for the 918 will commence on September 18th of this year (9/18) at Porsche’s factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. However, starting today, you can put your order in for one of the 918 918s; no word yet on how many will be slated for U.S. consumption, but we’re pretty sure that even with the high price tag they will all get snapped up quickly.
As was the case with the concept 918, the production version 918 Spyder will be powered by a 4.0-liter V-8 with 500-plus-horsepower on tap that will work in concert with two electric motors that Porsche says will produce at least 218 additional horsepower. The V-8’s power will be routed through Porsche’s much lauded seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels.
The two electric motors will be mounted directly on the front and rear axles, creating an all-wheel drive system with individual control for each of the axles. Power for the electric motors will be stored in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack, which should take about seven hours for a full charge on a normal 110-volt household outlet. The 918 will be able to travel at least 16 miles on electric power alone from a full charge and hit a top electric-only speed of 94 mph, depending on driving conditions.
Porsche estimates the production 918 to make the run from 0 to 60 mph in an electrifying 3.1 seconds and on to a top track speed of 199 mph, with a lap of Nurburgring Nordschleife expected to be polished off in a scant seven and a half minutes flat. Porsche also expects the new plug-in hybrid to achieve approximately 78 mpg on the new European driving cycle; EPA estimates will be released closer to the car’s U.S. delivery date at the end of 2013.
For those that need a “daily driver” to go with their 918s, a limited edition 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder will be available in either coupe or cabriolet for those who purchase the 918 Spyder. The special edition 911 will come in a matching color scheme to the 918 with acid-green accents. Only 918 of them will be produced, each with a price of $160,700 for the coupe or $172,100 for the cabriolet, not including destination or the price of the required purchase of a 918 Spyder.
Production for the 918 will commence on September 18th of this year (9/18) at Porsche’s factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. However, starting today, you can put your order in for one of the 918 918s; no word yet on how many will be slated for U.S. consumption, but we’re pretty sure that even with the high price tag they will all get snapped up quickly.
