In the wake of the Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid's surprise launch at the 2010 Geneva auto show, Porsche made little secret of its plans to put the car into production. In fact, Porsche’s erstwhile R and D chief, Wolfgang Dürheimer—who now heads Bentley and Bugatti—personally handed this writer a form to sign up and register his interest in the car. I declined the offer, but others didn't, and official production plans were confirmed last summer thanks to “outstanding customer response.” Now, we have a price: a cool $845,000, not including destination and handling. (We suspect the destination charge will affect few people’s purchasing plans.)
Additionally, Porsche has confirmed many of our suspicions. The 918 Spyder will be powered by a mid-mounted V-8 displacing “more than four liters”—as opposed to the concept’s racing-derived 3.4-liter engine—making “at least 500 hp.” Output from the car’s two electric motors also will stay close to the first concept’s, at “approximately 218 hp.” The performance targets are lofty: 0 to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds, a top speed of 199 mph, and a Nürburgring lap time of 7 minutes and 30 seconds, beating the legendary Carrera GT by two seconds.
Little Changed From the (First) Concept
Like the first 918 concept (and unlike the second, which appeared at this year’s Detroit auto show press days but departed before the show opened to the public), the production car will have one electric motor at the front axle and one at the rear. The gas engine will drive only the rear wheels, but the electric motors will turn the 918 into an all-wheel-drive car. Feeding electrons to those motors will be a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. While Porsche isn’t sharing much in the way of specifications on the pack, it has said that the production car will have an electric-only range of “more than 16 miles,” during which its top speed will be 94 mph. Fully charging the pack will take about seven hours on a 110-volt circuit, although a quick-charge option is likely. The gas engine will of course ensure that the car can be driven—quickly—regardless of state of charge. Fuel consumption will be rated around 78 mpg in the European combined cycle, which includes some driving on batteries only.
The compact V-8 will be derived from the RS Spyder race car’s engine. It will sit directly behind the passenger compartment and be paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car will use a carbon-fiber monocoque, and will have a manually removable top that can be stored in the front trunk. Stylistically, it will be very close to the Geneva concept.
Production of the 918 Spyder starts on September 18, 2013. (9-18, get it? Given Porsche’s obsession with numerology, we expect the first chassis will begin down the line at 9:18 a.m.) And the total production run will be limited to—you guessed it—918 units. You can place your order now.
Most Expensive Option Ever?
Even if you end up at the back of the queue, Porsche will soften the blow with an exclusive toy to entertain you while you wait. As a 918 buyer, you will be allowed to purchase the 911 Turbo S "Edition 918 Spyder.” Available only to buyers of the 918, it, too, will be limited to no more than 918 units.
The 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder can be had either as a coupe or convertible and boasts "acid green" accents on the badging, mirrors, seats, dash, and instrumentation, as well as matching brake calipers. A plaque on the glove compartment bears the production number of your 918 Spyder. The 911 special edition includes a full leather interior and carbon-fiber elements, and thus represents some value (not that its customers care). It costs the exact same $161,650 or $173,050 as the standard 911 Turbo S and Turbo S Cabriolet, and will be delivered later this year instead of the late-2013 date for the first 918s.
Although that might sound steep for an option, in terms of percentage, it’s the same as a Chevy buyer sprucing up their Cruze with $3200 or so in extras. Considering the tremendous performance of the Turbo S, which went from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds in our testing—not to mention the tremendously deep pockets needed for 918 ownership—we don’t see why one wouldn’t opt for this inevitably highly collectible “option.”
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