By Alex Nunez on March 21, 2011 in
Apparently, Porsche is sick of everyone stealing the supercar thunder, so it's going into production with the 918 Spyder, a plug-in hybrid sports car that was previewed as a concept at last year's Geneva Motor Show. Unlike other hyper-performance cars that boast the approximate power of the Millenium Falcon's hyperdrive and the approximate fuel economy of a 1971 Chrysler Imperial, the Porsche 918 Spyder will be a have-your-cake-and-eat-it machine, with anticipated fuel economy numbers that will be as gaudy as its expected performance. At $845,000, however, that's a lot of cake.
Gobs of power
The Spyder's powertrain consists of a mid-mounted, 500-horsepower V8 based on the engine used in the RS Spyder racing car. It's supplemented with a pair of electric motors (one on each axle), that are good for another 200-plus horsepower. For those keeping score at home, we're now over 700 horsepower combined. The placement of the e-motors on both axles mean the 918 Spyder will be all-wheel drive. Energy to power said motors will be stored in a lithium ion battery that can be recharged off a regular 110V household circuit in 7 hours. Shifts will come via Porsche's seven-speed PDK twin-clutch gearbox.
Performance will be appropriately bonkers: figure 3.1 seconds to go from zero to 60 mph, and a 199-mph top speed, according to Porsche's estimates. Handling should be equally impressive because, well, that's what Porsche does. Also, the Spyder's roof panel comes off in two pieces, which store in the forward trunk.
But what about the fuel economy?
Porsche forecasts that the 918 Spyder will consume 3.0 liters of gas per 100 km traveled based on the New European Driving Cycle calculations. The battery will also allow the car to run on electricity alone for up to 16 miles. In case you were wondering, 3.0l/100 km translates directly to 78.3 mpg. Now, our EPA fuel economy test cycle calculations are different, and Porsche won't announce those estimates until closer to the car's launch in 2013. That said, to give you a point of comparison, the Toyota Prius is currently rated at 4.0l/100 km (58.8 mpg) according to the European test cycle. (In the US, the Prius is rated at 50 mpg in combined usage.) So, in a nutshell, the 918 Spyder — in Europe, at least — stands to have a potentially better fuel economy rating than the Toyota Prius. And it has 700+ combined horsepower. Not bad.
As you can see in the slideshow below, the production sketches of the 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder show that it hews pretty close to last year's show car.
Why not add a Porsche 911 Turbo S, just for kicks?
Porsche 918 Spyder production kicks off in September 2013, and it will be limited to 918 cars in total. If you're one of those 918 people, you can advertise your future Spyder ownership by purchasing the new Porsche 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder (yes, that really is the car's full name). Also shown in the slideshow below, this particular 911 Turbo ($160,700 for the coupe or $172,100 for the convertible) is available only to customers who order a 918 Spyder. It features similar trim accents to the 918 (like acid green badging, leather piping and brake calipers), and is limited to 918 total vehicles, just like the Spyder.
If you buy a 918 Spyder and the "companion" 911 Turbo S, the latter car will have the same production number as your Spyder. And you will have spent over a million dollars. The special edition Turbo S is available for order now and will be delivered later this year. You know, to tide those folks over until their 918 arrives.
And with that, I'm headed down to the bodega for some lottery tickets. Maybe I'll see you there.