Porsche 918 Spyder prototype
E3 Spark Plugs wants to know: Might you be interested in vintage-inspired super sports car capable of hitting 0-60 in 3.1 seconds and scoring 78 miles per gallon? Got $845,000 to drop? Well then, you’re in luck. Porsche recently hit the streets with the initial prototypes of the 918 Spyder, dubbed the “super sports car of the future.”
The Spyder will definitely make your pulse race. Porsche press officials say its gas-electric drivetrain can indeed take you from zero to 60 in 3.1 seconds and tops out at a dizzying 199 miles per hour on gas, 94 mph on electricity. Those figures help bolster the claim that the new Spyder can log up around 78 miles per hour on the EU cycle.
“What we are doing with the 918 Spyder is redefining driving fun, efficiency and performance,” said Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and Development of Porsche AG.
To that end, the Spyder 918 features three separate power sources: a 500 horsepower 4.0-liter V8 engine and two independent electric motors – one on the front axle and one in the drive line, acting on the rear wheels. It’s designed as a plug-in hybrid and features a full carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and the upward-venting “top pipes” exhaust system.
Visually, the Spyder 918 prototypes pay homage to the vintage 917 racers with a black-and-white livery scheme. Production is slated mid 2013 and you should be able to pick up yours before year’s end.
So what do you think: Is the Porsche Spyder 218 truly the “super sports car of the future?” Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.
