The Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid Supercar

A new idea, a new spark of inspiration, this is Porsche’s dedication to the sports car for the 21st century. The concept Porsche 918 Spyder. The first plug-in hybrid from Porsche with electric motors that deliver more than two hundred horsepower and a V8, high rpm engine providing an additional five hundred horsepower. What’s more, the Porsche 918 Spyder takes new paths with electric all-wheel drive and torque vectoring. Then there’s the Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) and electric boost function. All vehicle components are embedded in a performance focused automotive architecture with a carbon fiber monocoque.

The 918 Spyder weighs less than 1500kg. With a very low power to weight ratio this car is a true high performance hybrid. With a 0-60 time of barely three seconds and a top speed touching two hundred miles per hour, this model is expected to be faster around the Nordschleife than the companies own current heavy hitter – the Carrera GT. Equally record breaking are the cars green credentials: with a moderate driving style the Spyder can attain a fuel consumption of three liters per sixty miles and CO2 emissions of about seventy grammes per kilometer. Beyond that this car can be driven with electrical power only, providing a range of up to about twenty miles – the Porsche response to the hybrid problem.

The Porsche 918 Spyder has been developed from the genes of the legendary Porsche 917. The outcome: an extremely flat sports car with the distinctive proportions of a racing car. Porsche DNA so to speak. In the cockpit the Spyder follows in the footsteps of the Carrera GT, with an ascending center console and freestanding dials. The operating concept points the way to the future – central control functions are found in the multi-functioning sports steering wheel and a touch panel in the central console.

The 918 is destined to change the way we drive sports cars. It is one of Porsche’s answers to the current environmental issues. Yes Porsche responds with a higher power output – but also lower fuel consumption. A contradiction? Not at all, it is the principle the company have dubbed Porsche intelligent performance. A principle which the company also applies in the new 911 GT3R hybrid. A front axle hybrid with a flywheel energy accumulator for more performance on the race track. It follows the tradition of years of race success – but still finds new directions to go in. With such pioneering technological advancements towards a greener sports car, Porsche is proving that it remains at the forefront of performance engineering.