Porsche released this week all the details of the new 918 Spyder, which they say it's the "gene pool" for all their future sport models. The Porsche 918 Spyder measures 4,643 mm in length, 1,940 mm in width, 1,167 mm in height and it has a 2,730 mm long wheelbase. It has an unladen weight of around 1,640 kg. The power comes mainly from the same 4.6-litre, 8-cylinder engine of the RS Spyder. This means that the 918 Spyder can rev up to 9,150 rpm. The 612 hp V8 internal combustion engine powers the rear axle of the Porsche 918 Spyder, working in a hybrid module together with an electric motor and a decoupler that bring an additional 115 kW to the table. The 918 Spyder has a parallel hybrid configuration, which means that the rear axle can be powered individually by the combustion engine or the electric motor, or via both drives combined.
The 918 Spyder is an independent all-wheel drive vehicle, so there's also an electric motor that spins the front axle. It has an output of around 95 kW and it spins the front wheels at a fixed ratio. However, at high speeds, the front axle motor is decoupled to prevent it from over-revving.
So, in a nutshell, the Porsche 918 Spyder goes about in life with a V8 engine and two electric motors. It has an output of 608 hp (447 kW) at 8,600 rpm and 530 Nm of torque at 6.600 rpm.
Porsche's official specs say it can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.8 seconds and that it can reach a top speed of more than 211 mph (340 km/h). To get from nought to 124 mph in the 918 Spyder you need 7.9 seconds and to reach 186 mph you'll need 23 seconds. If this doesn't blow your mind, guess what, it has a fuel economy of 85.6 mpg (3.3l/ 100 km) and a CO2 emissions level of 79 g/km. Porsche really sent everyone back to school with this one.
The power is delivered to the rear wheels via the 7-speed PDK transmission. The front electric motor comes with a gearbox that's decoupled from 235 km/h. The Porsche 918 Spyder has five pre-selectable operating modes for optimum coordination of all drive units.
Porsche says that the 918 Spyder can be driven on electric power only for up to 18 miles (30 km), so theoretically, you can do your daily routine without spending a dime on gas.
Unfortunately, all this comes at a serious price. The Porsche 918 Spyder's starting price is set at 781,155 Euro. The Weissach package is going to raise this figure to 853,155 Euro. You should definitely read Porsche's official specifications and details of the 918 Spyder, which are available here.
