Porsche 918

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Low Mileage 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder At Collecting Cars

Collecting Cars recently offered a practically new 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder in their global online auction platform.

The plug-in hybrid hypercar is one of only 918 units built. Under the hood of this gorgeous Porsche hypercar is a 4.6-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with an electric motor for each axle. It can produce a total of 887 hp and 944 lb-ft of torque. The engine and rear e-drive motor are matched to a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch paddle shift transmission. The front axle is connected to the front e-motor with an electric clutch coupling, so it makes the hypercar an all-wheel drive.

Marketing materials claim that the 918 Spyder is said to run from 0 to 100 kph – roughly 62 mph – in just 2.6 seconds, and it can go from 0 to 200 kph – roughly 124 mph – in just 7.2 seconds. It has a top speed of only 345 kph or 214 mph. However, independent media tests that was made showed that it was even quicker, where a magazine even claimed that they were able to record the Spyder going from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.2 seconds.

The 918 Spyder has five driving modes including the E-Drive where the car only uses the front and rear electric motors so that it’ll have a ‘zero emission’ driving range of roughly 30 km or 18 miles.

The hypercar was delivered with a Platinum Silver Metallic finish, matched with an Onyx Black leather interior with Acid Green piping. The leather can also be seen on the door cards and steering wheel, and both also have the vibrant contrast color accent. The seat headrests have an Acid Green embroidery, matching with the color of the brake calipers.

As standard, the 918 comes with a two-piece CFRP roadster panel tops, Porsche Communication Management (CRM) with navigation and Bluetooth, and lightweight full LED headlights.

There is no known bodywork damage, nor is there any electrical or mechanical faults. No significant wear was seen on the black leather upholstery although there is some very slight wrinkling on the driver’s seat lower outer bolster. The paintwork is in exquisite condition.

It was during the recall when the example had its most recent documented service which was back in November 2018.

The sale would come with an original battery charger, spare reflectors, and indoor car cover.

The best part of this Spyder is that is has a very low mileage of only 966 miles from new, so the lucky winning bidder will get to drive home a practically new hypercar.

As of writing, the Porsche 918 Spyder has a bid of C$1,000,501 with the auction ending on Thursday, December 23.

December 18, 2021 / Comments Off

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New Porsche hypercar could use F1-spec hybrid powertrain

Not long after the Porsche 918 Spyder went out of production in 2015, the automaker began internal debate about what kind of powertrain it would use in the follow-up. Four years later, the debate is ongoing. In 2017, Porsche voiced its desire to move its hypercar game on with a battery-electric powertrain, beyond the hybrid 918. The problem — echoed by McLaren — was that battery technology wouldn’t make such a BEV possible until at least the middle of the 2020s. In 2019, the same issues remain, with solid-state battery tech not progressing as quickly as hoped. Autocar reports that Porsche could switch to Plan B in the meantime, that being an as-yet-unused 1.6-liter V6 hybrid engine Porsche Motorsport developed in order to return to Formula One as an engine supplier.

Porsche has been mentioned as a potential new F1 entrant for years, but uncertainty at the Volkswagen Group and in the F1 rulebook compelled the German sports car maker to walk away from the opportunity, opting for Formula E instead. However, after leaving LMP1, 40 Porsche engineers from the Le Mans effort began working on a six-cylinder version of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid from the 919 Hybrid. That work turned into the creation of a 1.6-liter V6 hybrid along the lines of an F1 engine but without “the complex and expensive” MGU-H unit that converts exhaust heat into electrical energy. Motorsport chief Fritz Enzinger says that engine is still in development, having got as far as running on a test bench for “analysis with regard to series production relevance.”

There’s no info on the hybrid component yet, but Stefan Weckbach, who oversees Porsche’s EV projects, said the company could turn to its partnership with Rimac for that aspect.

Even though Porsche has a motor ready, the board hasn’t decided on whether to go electric or hybrid, and sports car boss Frank-Steffen Walliser says he doesn’t care what kind of powertrain goes into the car as long as it can tick off a 6:30 lap time at the Nürburgring. So according to Autocar, what kind of bodywork might surround this powertain “remains at conceptual stage, with an introduction unlikely before 2023 at the earliest.” We don’t think the 917 Concept from 2014 would be a bad place to start. If Porsche goes with the 1.6-liter hybrid, though, the market would get a clearer competitor to the Mercedes-AMG One, and the platform could provide entries to the ACO’s new so-called Hypercar class in the World Endurance Championship and to IMSA’s Daytona Prototype class.

November 26, 2019 / Comments Off

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The Ultimate Guide to the Porsche 918 Spyder: Review, Price, Specs, Videos, Images, Performance & More

Introduction

The biggest automotive concern on the planet could hardly stay out of a hypercar sparring match on the world stage, and with the Porsche 918 Spyder, VAG emphasized its strongest points in the hybrid against LaFerrari and the McLaren P1.

With the engineering might (and budget) of Porsche behind it, and drawing upon the company’s experience of racing hybrids in endurance racing, the 918 Spyder managed to undercut its rivals on price, while providing arguably the most complete road car package of the holy trinity.

Appropriately, 918 examples of the Spyder were promised, with Porsche digging deep into its motorsport knowledge to produce technology that provided world-beating performance, as well as reducing fuel consumption.

(OK, we’re not going to convince you that the 918 Spyder’s hybrid system was entirely geared at saving fuel, but official tests on the New European Driving Cycle, which includes urban, extra-urban and combined driving cycles, rated this hypercar at an impressive 85mpg and 79 g/km of CO2 emissions – actual results with 887hp at your disposal may vary…)

Design, Styling & Interior

With styling cues from Porsche’s racing heritage – including top-exit exhaust pipes that improve the efficiency of heat dispersion from the mid-mounted 4.6-litre V8 (and that this writer thinks are one of the best car design elements to appear this side of the turn of the century) – and designed around aerodynamic efficiency and a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, which helps lower the centre of gravity and improve the overall rigidity of the car, the 918 has still somehow managed to emerge with a shape that is distinctly Porsche.

Look at a completely shaded silhouette image of this and a Boxster or Cayman side by side, with no other visual hints, and it would take a severely dedicated hypercar enthusiast to tell the pair apart – though of course you’re on this site, which means (ideally) that’s exactly what you are.

Step inside, and you find a cockpit that is better appointed than you might expect given the performance the 918 is capable of. The 918’s interior is lavish, and while carbon fibre still makes an appearance, the remainder of the interior is stunningly trimmed.

Driver and passenger are separated by a centre console that rises from the floor a la the 918’s predecessor – the Carrera GT – while a smaller, 310mm steering wheel debuted on the hypercar that has since been used on other high performance Porsches.

Looking for some wind in your hair? Look no further. The 918’s party piece (well, one of them) is the lift-out roof panel hinted in its name, giving driver and passenger access to miles and miles of sky.

Performance

As you’d expect for a top-of-the-range Porsche, the 918 Spyder’s performance is simply blistering. This car is far from all show and no go.

Power comes from a mid-mounted, racecar-derived 4.6-litre, 608hp V8 teamed with two electric motors, with the rear producing the equivalent of 154hp and the front – driving just the front wheels up to 146mph – producing 127hp.

The combined output of the system is somewhere in the region of 887hp.

A seven-speed PDK gearbox drives power to the rear wheels, meaning high-speed drifting is very possible.

0-62 comes up in around 2.8 seconds, with a top speed somewhere north of 211mph.

Being a plug-in hybrid, the 918 Spyder can do all this and run silently in electric-only mode for a quoted range of 18 miles.

Ride & Handling

Ride in any high performance car is a relative thing, and compared with its peers the 918 Spyder returns a comfortable driving experience.

Four-wheel drive, torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering help out in the twisty stuff too, while a multilink rear axle with adaptive electro-mechanical settings allows the car to be set up to the driver’s tastes.

Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) allows each corner to talk to the rest of the car, optimising damping for the driving and road conditions.

Even with its electro-mechanical steering setup, reviews of the 918 Spyder suggest it handles as good as the best from Porsche’s past. It’s as precise as you’d expect a Porsche hypercar to be.

Compared with the lunatic V10 Carrera GT, you could even describe it as civilised.

Prices & Specs

Starting prices for the Porsche 918 were, comparitively for a hypercar from a major manufacturer, cheap.

Entry to the brand-new 918 club started at €781,155, rising to €853,155 for Weissach package cars – for those seeking even greater performance that could do without some of the creature comforts, including comfy seats, sound deadening and about €72,000.

Weissach cars also get extra-lightweight magnesium wheels, reducing the unsprung weight of the car.

Porsche 918 Spyder Performance & Specs >
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August 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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Matching Porsche 918 Spyder and 911 R going up for auction

The Porsche 911 R is one of the most revered and sought after cars to ever roll out of the factory doors in Stuttgart. The model was limited to just 991 units, an homage to this generation of 911’s internal code. It was an enthusiast special and an ode to driving pleasure and not just flat-out speed. Almost immediately after hitting public hands, 911 Rs began trading for upwards of $1 million. Now another one is going up for auction, and it’s being paired with a matching Porsche 918 Spyder. That’s one hell of a combination.

The 911 R was first offered up to owners of the 918 Spyder, which is how the current owner came into possession of both cars. Both cars wear serial number 290 and sport contrasting paint. It would be difficult to part with just one since the pair were so obviously meant to stay together.

The 2015 918 Spyder is apparently number 290 out of 294 total U.S.-spec vehicles. The hybrid supercar has just 2,300 miles on the odometer. That doesn’t sound like a lot until you realize the 2016 911 R has rolled just 37 miles in its life. As desirable as low-mileage cars may be, it’s a shame to know that these two have sat unused for most of their lives.

The cars go across the Bonhams auction block in Scottsdale on January 18. Other notable cars include a 1958 Porsche 550A Spyder and a 1930 Bentley Speed Six. There’s no estimate available for the 918 and 911 R, but expect a final selling price well into the millions of dollars.

Related Video:

December 12, 2017 / Comments Off

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Sx-Z | Porsche 918 Spyder Prototype in Martini Livery

OFFICIAL: Porsche 918 Spyder Prototype in Martini Livery

It’s official, Martini racing, the famous Porsche sponsor who has lent its racing stripes to both the 911 and 917, will now be gracing the all-new 918 hybrid supercar.

Spy shots of the Porsche 918 in the Martini Livery monochromatic classic race guise at the Nürburgring were recently released, but Porsche has just now released the official photos with permission from Martini owner Bacardi & Company of Switzerland.

View the Porsche 918 spy shots here.

July 31, 2012 / Comments Off

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VIDEO: HEAR The All-New Porsche 918 For The FIRST Time

Hear the pre-production prototype of the upcoming 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder in ACTION!

That’s the sound of a plug-in hybrid driveline that mixes a 570PS (+562hp) 4.6-liter V8 petrol linked to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission with two electric motors for a combined output in excess of 770PS (+762hp)… Not bad for a hybrid.

July 20, 2012 / Comments Off

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