Porsche 918 Spyder inches closer to production
Driving trials of Porsche's ambitious 918 Spyder have already started in Stuttgart. The company has already put the final touches to one of the 918 Spyder prototypes with a black and white livery from the old 917 racer series.
The 918 Spyder has been designed as a plug-in hybrid with a combined power of 780PS, but at the same time, delivering a claimed fuel efficiency of 33kmpl. The 4.6-litre V8 engine alone produces 578PS while the electric motors contribute for the rest. The two independent electric motors act on the rear wheels and while one is placed on the front axle, the other is on the drive line. Porsche claim that the Spyder will hit a top speed of 325kmph while in pure electric mode, it can achieve a top speed of 150kmph. The car has a full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with an adaptive rear-axle steering and exhaust pipes which are faced upward and jutting out of the rear windscreen.
Porsche aim to put the car into production by September next year with deliveries scheduled towards the end of 2013.
