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Porsche 918 Spyder

Date and place of world premiere:: concept car on March 2, 2010 at Geneva Motor Show
production model on September 10, 2013 at Frankfurt Motor Show
Date of world-wide market launch:: November 2013

918 Spyder first road-legal prototype © Porsche AG

Tech specs and comparison

	Power unit	Power	Torque	Gearbox	0-60 mph	0-100 km/h	0-200 km/h	0-300 km/h	Vmax	Weight	Power-to-weight	Dimen- sions mm	Pro- duc- tion	Nord- schleife
2013 918 Spyder	4.6V8 447kW + electric motors 95kW front and 115W rear	652kW	800Nm 588lb-ft	PDK 7-speed	2.7 sec.	2.8 sec.	7.9 sec.	23.0 sec.	340km/h 211mph	1675kg 3693lbs	389 W/kg	4643x 1940x 1167	918	7:14
2010 911 997 GT2 RS	3.6B6 bi-turbo	456kW	700Nm 515lb-ft	manual 6-speed	3.4 sec.	3.5 sec.	9.8 sec.	28.9 sec.	330km/h 205mph	1370kg 3020lbs	333 W/kg	4469x 1852x 1285	500	7:18
2004 Carrera GT	5.7V10	450kW	590Nm 435lb-ft	manual 6-speed	3.8 sec.	3.9 sec.	9.9 sec.		330km/h 205mph	1380kg 3042lbs	326 W/kg	4613x 1921x 1166	1270	7:28.71
1997 911 996 GT1 street version	3.2B6 bi-turbo	400kW	600Nm 441lb-ft	manual 6-speed	3.7 sec.	3.9 sec.	10.5 sec.		308km/h 191mph	1150kg 2535lbs	348 W/kg	4710x 1950x 1170	20
1996 911 993 GT1 street version	3.2B6 bi-turbo	441kW	653Nm 480lb-ft	manual 6-speed						1125 kg 2480lbs	392 W/kg	4683x	2
1987 959 Sport	2.8B6 bi-turbo	331kW	500Nm 368lb-ft	manual 6-speed	3.6 sec.	3.7 sec.	13.0 sec.		317km/h 197mph	1350kg 2976lbs	245 W/kg	4260x 1839x 1280	292

The work of 100 Weissach technicians, who developed the 918 Spyder concept car, received deserved honour on July 28, 2010, when the supervisory board of Porsche AG decided to develop the concept car into series production car. On March 21, 2011 Porsche started taking orders. 918 will be produced at the Porsche's main factory in Stuttgart (for comparison, the Carrera GT was produced in Leipzig, with only the engine made in Stuttgart).

Body

The Spyder's body is fully made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and has a two-piece Targa roof. The car has a 43/57 weight distribution.

Rear-axle steering

Basically, this comprises an electro-mechanical adjustment system on both rear wheels. The adjustment is speed-sensitive and executes steering angles of a few degrees in each direction. At low speeds, the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the front wheels - this makes cornering easier and reduces the turning circle. At higher speeds, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels.

Engine and top exhaust pipes

In contrary to the 2010 concept car where the exhaust pipes exited in the sides, the tailpipes of the production model will exit just above the engine. The top pipes’ greatest benefit is that the hot exhaust gases are evacuated as quickly as possible and the exhaust gas back pressure remains low. This design requires a new, thermodynamic air channelling concept: the exhaust manifolds are located inside in the cylinder V and the intake tracts are outside. There’s a further benefit: the engine compartment remains cooler. The 4.6V8 can rev up to 9,150 rpm.

Weissach package

With this package the weight is added by additional aerodynamic body parts and 6-point harnesses, but reduced thanks to magnesium wheels and less sound isolation. The wheels measure 9.5x20" in front with 265/35 tyres and 12.5x21" at the rear with 325/30 tyres. The package shaves off 35 kg/77 lb (from 1675 kg/3692 lb to 1640 kg/3615 lb). The roof, rear wings, mirrors and frames of the windscreen are made of visible carbon. Parts of the interior are upholstered with Alcantara instead of leather, and visible carbon replaces much of the aluminium. Optionally available is film-coating instead of body paint. The package costs about 10% on top of the car price, which means you could get another Porsche for it.

Electricity

The 918 Spyder can brake using both electric motors and thus recuperate energy for the battery. The electric energy is stored by a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery comprising 312 individual cells with an energy content of approximately 7 kWh. The 100 kg / 220 lbs battery provides best performance at temperatures 20-40°C / 68-104°F.
The plug-in interface enables the battery to be connected directly with the home mains supply. For example, the battery can be charged within 4 hours from a 10A power socket on the 230V mains supply. A compact charging station is also supplied with the car. This can be installed permanently in the garage. It permits rapid and convenient charging within approximately 2 hours. The battery is covered with 7-year warranty.

A button on the steering wheel allows the driver to choose among five different running modes.

E-Power mode

For running the car under electric power alone, with a range of about 25 km / 16 miles. When the vehicle is started up, this mode is the default operating mode as long as the battery is sufficiently charged. This mode only drives the front wheels, making 918 the first front-wheel-drive Porsche (fortunately only in E-Power mode). Top speed in electric mode is 150 km/h / 93 mph. When the charge state of the battery falls below a set minimum value, the vehicle automatically switches to hybrid mode.

Hybrid mode

Uses both the electric motors and the V8. At the speeds over 235 kmh/146 mph the front drive is decoupled.

Sport Hybrid mode

The V8 is now in constant operation and provides the main propulsive force. Most of the drive power goes to the rear wheels, with Torque Vectoring serving to additionally improve the car’s driving dynamics.

Race Hybrid mode

Meant for race track use, the drive systems are focused on pure performance. The combustion engine charges the battery when the driver is not utilising the maximum output. With the battery sufficiently charged, the push-to-pass button can be used to exploit the full power of the car, for example when overtaking or for just the maximum acceleration. In contrast to Sport Hybrid mode the electric motors run at their maximum power output limits.

Race Hybrid Hot Lap mode

The “Hot Lap” button in the middle of the map switch releases the last reserves and can only be activated in “Race Hybrid” mode. Similar to a qualification mode, this pushes the battery to its maximum power output limits for a few fast laps. This mode uses all of the available energy in the battery.

Concept car

The following photos and videos show the concept car with side exhaust pipes and camera mirrors.

Only ceramic brakes are available © Porsche AG

The name 918 is probably due to the Porsche running out of the 9xx numbers and because Porsche 917 was the most powerful Porsche and most powerful racing car ever produced. So 918 is the perfect name for the next absolute top weapon.© Porsche AG

Michael Macht (CEO of Porsche AG in 2010) and Walter Röhrl unweiling the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car on the first press day of the 2010 Geneva Motor Show on March 2.© Porsche AG

1 Power electronics, 2 Electric drive, 3 Lithium ion battery, 4 V8 engine, 5 PDK, 6 Electric motor, 7 Power electronics© Porsche AG

2010 March 2, Geneva Motor Show, Chris Harris interviewing Wolfgang Dürheimer, Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Porsche AG

2010 August 13, Head Designer of Porsche AG, Michael Mauer drives the 918 in Carmel Valley, California during a secret video shoot

2010 August 15, Concours d'Elegance Pebble Beach, California

918 Spyder driving on petrol power and on electric power

2012 March 26: Rolling chassis

Many body parts used from 911 racing cars to cover up the 918 rolling chassis© Porsche AG

Dr. Frank Steffen Walliser, 918 Spyder project manager and Wolfgang Hatz, board member for research and development of Porsche AG© Porsche AG

Rear bumper of 911 991 cut in halves© Porsche AG

2012 February, Nardo, Evo magazine's Editorial Director and Founder Harry Metcalfe does a walk around the 918 rolling chassis

2012 February, 28 minute film shoot at Nardo

2012 May 15: First road-legal prototype and optional Salzburg livery

Optional Salzburg livery shown for the first time. It is inspired by the 1970 Le Mans winning 917 of the Porsche Salzburg team. On the prototype the livery is black and white, but will be red and white on the production car.© Porsche AG

2012 July 5: optional Martini livery unweiled

The Martini Racing livery is optionally available for markets where advertising alcohol companies is not prohibited. Advertising alcohol might have been cool in the seventies, but not nowadays. Come on, Porsche!© Porsche AG

2012 July 18 (or earlier) test drive on Nürburgring

2012 September 18: optional Psychedelic livery

Black and white on prototype, this livery will be dark blue and neon green for production cars© Porsche AG

Filmed on September 18 and aired on October 2, 2012 by Chris Harris On Cars. Video shows Holger Bartels, Porsche chassis engineer and Frank Walliser, 918 project leader.

2012 September 18: Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7:14 achieved by Marc Lieb

918 was initially designed to be able to lap Nordschleife in 7:22. Considering its heavy weight, it would be a good result, but as Porsche already had a faster car, the 911 997 GT2 RS with it's 7:18 lap record, the Weissach engineers had to push the 918 further. With the optional Weissach racing package, the car was able to lap Nordschleife on September 18, 2012 in only 7:14. This of course with the street legal Michelin tyres. And this time even from the standing start!

The fins behind the rear wheels are part of the Weissach racing package© Porsche AG

991 rear lamp used on the 918 prototype© Porsche AG

2012 September 18: 918 Spyder prototype achieving a 7:14 lap time on Nürburgring Nordschleife. Video shows Walter Röhrl and Chris Harris among the others.

2013 May 14: journalists get to drive the near production ready version

With the May 16, 2013 press release the power was raised: for the 4.6V8 from 426 to 449 kW, front electric motor from 80 to 95 kW, rear electric motor from 90 to 115 kW, combined power up from 585 to 652 kW, torque up from 750 Nm/551lb-ft to 800 Nm/588 lb-ft. Acceleration 0-100 kmh is down from 2.9 to 2.8 seconds, 0-200 km down from 8.9 to 7.9 seconds, 0-300 kmh down from 26.9 to 23 seconds. Top speed is up from 326 kmh/203 mph to 340 kmh/211 mph. Nice!

Production headlamps and side blinkers not seen on the earlier prototypes© Porsche AG

Weissach package has some additional aerodynamic elements© Porsche AG

Production rear lamps not seen on the earlier prototypes© Porsche AG

2013 May 14: Chris Harris's video about his experience behind the wheel

You might be interested to learn about the 918 RSR Le Mans concept