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Porsche 918 Spyder may get Nardo shake-out

918 Spyder Mule during development drive in Nardo, Italy.

The chance comes after Porsche's takeover of the automotive proving ground in Italy. The two-seat supercar is still under development ahead of a 2014 launch and is likely to see time on the 700-hectare site which includes a 6.2km handling circuit, a 12.5km high-speed oval and facilities to simulate different road surfaces and weather conditions. 

Porsche already has a development centre in Weissach, Germany and also makes extensive use of the Nurburgring to evaluated the handling of its prototypes. 

The Porsche Engineering Group plans to use the Nardo complex to help develop parts and suspension for other carmakers. The Italian climate means the site can be run with three shifts a day, 365 days a year. 

The Spyder's testing is more rigorous than many test cars because so much of the technology in the open-two vehicle is new. It will be powered by a 425kW 4.6-litre V8 driving the rear wheels with help from a 90kW electric motor while an 80kW motor handles the job of rotating the front wheels.

A lithium-ion battery gives a range of 25km with a top speed of 150km/h in electric only mode before the engine kicks in. Depending on the mode - and there are five - the engine will then top-up the battery charge or act as the primary form of propulsion. 

Combined torque is a handy 750Nm and with the electrics providing their bit from a standstill, the 1700kg car hits 100km/h in 2.8 seconds. 

Ceramic brakes have helped engineers recover three times more kinetic energy in braking than with conventional systems and the electric drive and focus on efficiency translates to claimed consumption of just 3.0-litres/100km with emissions an equally low 70g/km. 

The car is is the spiritual successor to the Carrera GT as a showcase for Porsche's engineering talent. The company says that more than any car before, the Spyder "is providing a critical impetus to developing the technologies for future vehicle concepts". 

Those include adaptive rear-axle steering, adaptive suspension and aerodynamics, a carbon fibre reinforced plastic body and the high-performance parallel hybrid powertrain.