Despite being a flagship sports cars just as its direct competitors, like LaFerrari and McLaren P1, 918 Spyder’s arrival doesn’t cause the same fuss because its first appearance was made in 2010, already showing most of what the production version would have. In other words, Porsche’s way of succeeding Carrera GT while taking benefit of today’s technologies. It’s interesting to notice that taking the logotypes off wouldn’t make harder to identify this car not only as a Porsche but also as a typical German car: looking from any angle reveals heavy inspiration taken both of the automaker’s other current cars and of its own nine-years-old predecessor.
However, if the exterior doesn’t bring too much fascination, everything else in this car does: these smooth lines and discreet volumes work with Porsche Active Aerodynamic system, which manages all the vehicle’s spoilers, air flaps and rear wing in order to achieve the most convenient air flow for each of the five driving modes, which will be listed later: the track mode’s settings seek higher downforce to improve the performance at tight turns, while Sport’s are a little less “extreme” in order to increase the potential top speed. Hybrid and fully-electric, in turn, focus on minimizing the air drag to reduce fuel consumption. The optional Weissach package adds several other improvements both at aerodynamics and weight-reduction, besides six-point seatbelts and visual accents.
Such complexity of work concerning the outside is responded by 918’s internal structure, which features multi-link chassis with performance systems such as active suspension (PASM), shock absorber and rear-axle turning, the latter capable of steering each rear wheel up to three degrees in the same or in the opposite direction to the front axle depending on the speed: since this operation respectively increases and shortens the wheelbase, the first situation is used to improve stability at high-speed lane changes and the other makes cornering much easier and more direct by reducing the turning circle. These are the kind of technologies which explain the car’s initial price of £ 682,000.
And if you’re wondering which engine would be strong enough to deserve such preparation, 918 doesn’t answer even with two, as a regular hybrid: this car combines the combustion engine to two electric engines. There’s a V8 4.6L responsible for 608 hp, which becomes Porsche’s highest specific power ever reached with a naturally-aspirated unit. The first electric engine produces 115 kW and is placed side-by-side with the combustion one, in front of the rear axle, composing the “hybrid module”. The second electric unit, in turn, produces 95 kW and is placed near the front axle, being the responsible only for powering this one. The maximum combined power reaches 880 hp.
While Spyder’s engines struggle with each other seeking the most efficient arrangement for each moment, their power comes from a single 312-cell lithium-ion battery with liquid-cooling system. It offers around 7 kWh and can be recharged in four hours, but taking the optional Speed Charging Station enables full charge in around 25 minutes. Since the front axle is only powered by its electric engine, the seven-speed transmission works only at the rear axle, having no direct mechanical connection with the other one. As you’ve already thought, the trendy cabin offers a complete infotainment central and top-notch materials, but its most important function on a car like this is another one: choosing the driving mode, which starts with E-Power as default.
This mode covers from 16 to 32 km on purely electric power, and uses the combustion engine only if the battery gets discharged. Hybrid mode works like most vehicles with this kind of propulsion, alternating both engines to achieve 30-kpl consumption and 79 g/km CO2 emissions. Sport Hybrid uses the combustion unit continuously, only supported by the electricals, to achieve sportier driving. Race Hybrid uses the three engines at full output whenever is needed, charging the battery only at the other moments in order to keep the electric set working all the time. And Hot Lap can be used only for short periods, taking all the possible power to enable numbers such as 0 to 100 kph in 2s8, 200 kph in 7s9 and 300 kph in 23s, with the top speed of 340 kph.