Porsche has released some new official details of its new 918 Spyder, the car which Porsche is using to take on the McLaren P1 and the LaFerrari in the hybrid hypercar stakes.
Although it's still in pre-production form at the moment, Porsche is claiming a 781,155 (roughly £659k) starting price for the 918 Spyder, making it significantly less expensive than the P1 and the LaFerrari.
McLaren P1 vs. Ferrari LaFerrari
The German manufacturer claims that, while performance is ultimately the main focus of the 918, fuel efficiency has a massive impact on the car's design too, with the goal of the 918 being "to deliver maximum performance with minimum fuel consumption."
But while Porsche's critics might claim that the implementation of hybrid technology on a car of this type is a fundamental compromise, Porsche is adamant that the hybrid technology improves the drive, rather than hindering it.
It's also fairly crucial that Porsche gets the 918 Spyder right, as the technology which we're seeing here for the first time will filter down into the rest of the Porsche range in due course.
So, let's take a look at the 918 Spyder's engine. It's a 4.6-litre V8 petrol unit which develops 608bhp, mated to two electric motors, which are powered by lithium-ion batteries. All-in-all, the 918 generates a fairly meaty 887bhp, which -- while nothing to be sniffed at -- is less than the 903bhp of the McLaren P1 and the 950bhp of the LaFerrari.
It's the same story with the acceleration figures. The 918 will get from 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds, 0-124mph in 7.9 seconds and 0-186mph in 23.0 seconds. By contrast, both the P1 and the LaFerrari will hit 124mph in less than 7.0 seconds and 186mph in less than 17.0 seconds.
On paper then the 918 seems slightly underwhelming; however, the 918 Spyder lapped the Nurburgring last year with a time of 7:14 minutes -- around 20 seconds quicker than its direct predecessor, the Porsche Carrera GT -- so it certainly doesn't hang about.
Porsche has gone to great lengths to strip weight from the 918 Spyder, using carbon-fibre for much of the car's structure. The drivetrain components and all components weighing more than 50kg are mounted low down in the car too, lowering the centre of gravity for improved performance. The result of all this weight saving is that the 918 weighs just 1,640kg -- a figure which, given the car's extremely heavy hybrid technology, is very impressive.
Thanks to the 918 Spyder's low kerb weight, Porsche claims that the car will return around 85mpg and 79g/km of CO2, which is an impressive figure for a city car, let alone a driver-focussed hypercar. Of course, these figures are helped by the fact that the car can run in all-electric mode, using no fuel whatsoever. Give it the beans on the track and we'd expect fuel consumption to go skyward.
The 918 Spyder's chassis is inspired by motorsport design, featuring the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive shock absorber system and rear-axle steering, which uses electronics to adjust the angle of the rear wheels by up to three degrees. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts, reducing the car's turning circle and sharpening up the steering feel, while at high speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction to the fronts, improving stability.
Porsche has also fitted the 918 Spyder with what it calls Porsche Active Aerodynamic (PAA), a system which varies the car's aerodynamic components to provide either maximum downforce or maximum efficiency, depending on how the car is being driven.
There are three modes: 'Race', 'Sport' and 'E-Power'. In 'Race' mode, the rear wing is set to a steep angle to maximise rear downforce and two adjustable air flaps open underneath the car, channelling air underneath the car, producing 'ground effect' at the front axle. In 'Sport' mode, the rear wing's angle of attack is reduced, lowering downforce but increasing the car's top speed. The aerodynamic flaps under the car also close, lowering drag. In 'E-Power' mode, the rear wing and spoiler are retracted and the underfloor flaps are closed, minimising aerodynamic drag for lower fuel consumption.
Porsche claims that the 'core' of the 918 Spyder is its ability to power itself using a combination of its three power units (its petrol engine and two electric motors). The driver can control how the power is used via a 'map switch' on the steering wheel, which gives a choice of five operating modes.
The first mode, 'E-Power', is the default mode if the battery is sufficiently charged. It allows the car to cover up to 18 miles on pure electric power, using the internal combustion engine only when needed. Even in this mode, 0-62mph takes less than 7.0 seconds and top speed is 93mph.
In 'Hybrid' mode, the electric motors and engine work alternately, with a focus on maximising fuel economy.
In 'Sport Hybrid' mode, the engine works continuously, providing the primary means of propulsion, while the electric motors provide an electric boost. This mode is focussed on performance and sporty driving.
'Race Hybrid' mode is essentially 'Sport Hybrid' mode turned up to 11. In 'Race Hybrid' mode, the PDK gearbox is set up for sportier driving and the engine charges the batteries when it's not delivering its full output, allowing several 'very fast' laps with electric boost.
The final mode, 'Hot Lap', pushes the battery to its maximum power output for a few fast laps, allowing the driver to achieve the fastest possible lap time, but using all of the available energy in the battery at the same time.
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