Porsche shows off 918 Spyder Prototype

From AB



918 Spyder prototypes commence trials

Stuttgart. The Porsche 918 Spyder is on the road: Dr. Ing. h.c. F.
Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has taken the driving trials of the super
sports car of the future a step further with completion of the initial
prototypes. The 918 Spyder will go into production at the end of
September 2013 as planned, with the first customers receiving their
vehicles before 2013 is out. "What we are doing with the 918
Spyder is redefining driving fun, efficiency and performance,"
said Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and
Development of Porsche AG.

The prototypes, their camouflage harking back to historical Porsche
917 racing cars, signal the final touches to the 918 Spyder. The focus
is on the interplay between the highly sophisticated individual drive
components. The combination of combustion engine and two independent
electric motors – one on the front axle and one in the drive line,
acting on the rear wheels – poses completely new demands on the
development of the operating strategies. "They are therefore a
critical component in this vehicle into which we have put all of our
expertise and capacity for innovation," said Wolfgang Hatz. These
operating strategies and the development of the software to go with
them are one of Porsche's core competences. Both of them have a major
influence on the extreme driving fun to be had with the 918 Spyder and
they make possible a unique combination of minimal fuel consumption
and maximum performance. The initial results of the driving trials are
in line with the high expectations placed on the 918 Spyder.

The super sports car is designed as a plug-in hybrid vehicle combining
a high-performance combustion engine with cutting-edge electric motors
for extraordinary performance: on the one hand, the dynamics of a
racing machine boasting more than 770 hp, on the other hand, fuel
consumption in the region of three litres per 100 kilometres.
Moreover, Porsche is breaking yet more new ground with the technology
demonstrator with spectacular solutions such as the full carbon fibre
reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive
aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and the upward-venting
"top pipes" exhaust system. In the process, the 918 Spyder
is offering a glimpse of what Porsche Intelligent Performance may be
capable of in future.
 
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