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The Porsche 918 Spyder points the way of future sportscars.
Porsche has dropped another hybrid bombshell on the Geneva Motor Show.
German sportscar maker Porsche has dropped another hybrid bombshell on the Geneva Motor Show. In a shock move earlier today it revealed a mid-engine V8 hybrid supercar called the 918 Spyder, the spiritual successor to the Carrera GT. The car, along with a new Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, stole the show in a special preview of VW Group vehicles, which Porsche was invited to.
The 918 Spyder is the third hybrid in the Porsche stable and CEO, Michael Macht predicts that more will come. Although just a concept at this stage Macht has hinted that the Spyder 918 3.4-litre V8 plug-in hybrid will go into production. “Porsche has never before shown a concept car that wasn’t built,” he says. However, Macht says Porsche will wait for the show reaction before making any decisions. “But the Spyder points the way of future sportscars,” he says.
Porsche Australia spokesman, Paul Ellis, says that if there is enough interest from other right-hand drive markets, particularly the UK and Japan, Australia might get the car. “The drivetrain is extremely realistic,” he says.
The 918 Spyder prototype produces just 70g of CO2 per kilometre on fuel consumption of 3.0 litres/100km, combined with a zero to 100km/h sprint of under 3.2 seconds and top speed of 320km/h. In simulations the car produces a lap time on the Nordschleife of the Nurburgring of less than 7:30 minutes, faster than even the Carrera GT.
The 918 Spyder is one of three Porsche models with hybrid drive making their world debut at the show. The other two are the new Cayenne S Hybrid SUV with parallel full-hybrid drive and the 911 GT3 R Hybrid racing car with electric drive on the front axle and a flywheel mass battery.
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