The 918 Spyder, the most powerful Porsche ever built

21/7/2015

Not so long ago the concept of a hybrid supercar was inconceivable. Now it’s a game changer.

With Porsche’s supercar predecessor, the Carerra GT, regarded as one of the best supercars of the 2000s, anticipation for Porsche’s next interpretation was sky high.

Now after 21 months of production, the last of the limited edition 918 Spyders has come off the assembly line.

Performance and efficiency

Quiet and relaxed when needed, but loud and ferocious when wanted.

The 918 Spyder is not an efficient hybrid hiding underneath supercar clothing, this is the most powerful Porsche ever built, a top speed of 214 mph and 0-60 in just 2.2secs.

The Spyder packs a 4.6 liter V8 engine producing 608 horse power with two electric motors providing an additional 279 horsepower. A total combined output of 887 horsepower.

See Video: Get behind the wheel of a 918 Spyder with Nathan Long

Porsche’s goal was to develop a performance hybrid with plug-in technology. A car geared towards optimal performance on the track but efficient and convenient for everyday use. And it proved that back in 2013 setting a record time for a street-legal automobile on the Nordschleife track at Nürburgring with an astonishing time of 6:57 minutes. See it here .

The car of tomorrow

The 918 Spyder represents an entirely new look at the supercar. A car built to beat all on the racetrack but conveniently used everyday as a plug-in from home supercar.

This is evident with the integration of cars and apps. 918 owners can view important information on their vehicle remotely with the Porsche Car Connect application for mobile, tablet and smart watches. Owners have the ability to view tyre pressure, charge levels, and to remotely control selected vehicle functions with their fingerprints.

The 918 Sypder’s advanced technology will pave the way for the development of future sports cars.

The 918 Spyder combines the V8 high combustion engine with two electric motors for optimal power. The thermal management system has also been hugely innovative using five separate cooling circuits with the hybrid cooling the rear electric motor with air and water to then convert more kinetic energy to electrical energy.

See Video: Mesmerizing attention to detail, the production of the Porsche 918 Spyder  

The influence of Porsche’s involvement in motorsport is fundamental to the success of the 918’s highly intelligent technologies. Performance has been ingrained straight from the test track to explore how far the heights of hybrid technology can go.

The answer to the longevity of the sports car is here.

Find out more .