Porsche 918 spyder is looking to prove that the best of both worlds don't have to be mutually exclusive with the 918 Spyder concept scheduled to debut tomorrow at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Looking a bit like a Carrera GT evolved, the 918 Spyder is powered by both a 500-horsepower V8 and a pair of electric motors (one for each axle) producing an additional 218 hp or 160kW. At full gallop, the concept can theoretically reach 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and nip 198 mph on the high end. On the flip side, Porsche says it can also achieve 78 miles per gallon and emit just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer.
First previewed in concept-car guise at the 2010 Geneva motor show, the 918 Spyder recently completed the first phase of a three-year development program that is set to culminate with production at Porsche's traditional Zuffenhausen manufacturing plant in Germany, with the first example earmarked to run down the line on September 18, 2013. The first car arrives in November 2013.
The production version of the 918 Spyder eschews the full open-top treatment of the earlier concept for a targa-style roof featuring removable panels that can be stowed in the front luggage compartment. Other changes evident in official sketches released by Porsche appear to be minor, although with the first production car still two and half years away, further modifications are possible.
Powered by a 3.4-liter V-8 engine and a hybrid drive system, the 918 Spyder Concept could preview a new supercar from the company. We're not expecting it for another year or two at the earliest, however, as its 9,200-rpm, 500-horsepower output and 78-mpg efficiency are sure to prove difficult to render in production. Performance isn't hampered by the hybrid drive system, however: 3.2 seconds to 62 mph, 198 mph top speed, and a promised Nurburgring Nordschleife lap time of under 7:30--faster than the Carrera GT that preceded it. Electric motors on the front and rear axles contribute 218 horsepower to the mix.
