During the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show, one of the most anticipated premieres was the hybrid version of the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder model year. The car’s successor is the Carrera GT. At the heart of the novelty is a carbon monocoque, while body elements are made of composite materials. Compared with the conceptual version that debuted three years earlier, the car received new optics and a slightly modified rear end. In addition, the designers installed new mirrors and rims on it, and the exhaust pipes were brought directly from the engine cover.
Engine Specifications
The car is driven by a hybrid power plant, which consists of a naturally-aspirated 4.6-liter eight-cylinder engine, as well as two electric motors, each of which is located on one of the axles. Its total power is 887 horsepower. It should be noted that their lion's share (namely 608 "horses") develops precisely due to the first unit. Despite such impressive performance of the Porsche 918 Spyder, the characteristics of the main competitors of the model, which appeared a little earlier, turned out to be more serious. In particular, according to official information, the power of hybrid engines at McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari amounted to 916 and 963 horsepower, respectively.
Competitive Advantages
Be that as it may, Porsche representatives emphasize that their model is more technological and economical, and the speed of the machine significantly exceeds the performance of competitors in turns. According to them, this was achieved due to the active aerodynamics of the car, a low center of gravity, adaptive suspension and a fully controlled chassis, the peculiarity of which is the possibility of turning the rear wheels by an angle, the size of which is up to three degrees. In the fifth episode of season 21 of the world famous and one of the most respected television shows related to exclusive cars - “Top Gear” - the Porsche 918 Spyder was tested by Richard Hammond. According to the results of the races carried out on one of the tracks in Abu Dhabi, the expert called the model more technologically advanced in comparison with the same McLaren P1. This statement was facilitated by faster acceleration, a removable roof and some other characteristics.
Model Motion Parameters
The car uses a seven- speed robotic gearbox called the PDK. Acceleration from zero to 100 km / h requires just 2.6 seconds, up to 200 km / h - 7.2 seconds, up to 300 km / h - 19.9 seconds. The maximum speed for the Porsche 918 is 344 km / h. At the request of the customer, it is possible to purchase an additional package of options - Weissach, which provides much better dynamic characteristics of the car. As for consumption, in the hybrid mode of movement of the model, an average of 3.3 liters is required for every hundred kilometers. It should be noted that the main competitors of the model are still very far from reaching such an indicator.
Operating modes
There are five operating modes for the engine. Their switching is done through a special button located on the steering wheel. At the first of them (it is called "E-Power"), the Porsche 918 is powered exclusively by electric traction. In this case, the car is able to travel without additional charging a distance, the length of which is about thirty kilometers. The maximum speed of the car is 130 km / h. When activating the second mode ("Hybrid"), the car, depending on the traffic situation, "at its discretion" uses electric motors and an internal combustion engine. At the same time, priority is given to the maximum reduction in fuel consumption. The third program is called the “Sport Hybrid”. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that a gasoline engine is constantly activated, while electrical installations are connected only to provide better dynamics. The next version of the movement (“Race Hybrid”) also uses an internal combustion engine on an ongoing basis. At the same time, the system does not support a constant charge in two electrical installations, which, when the car accelerates, give out all their power. The Hot Lap mode is the most extreme of all. When applied, all the resources and potential that the Porsche 918 model has are used to the maximum.
An interesting feature of the novelty is that its active aerodynamics behaves differently, depending on the driving mode used. At the same time, the car systems are configured in such a way that an increase in downforce at high speeds and a decrease in drag level at low speeds are provided.
Cost
Representatives of the manufacturer decided to release 918 copies of this car. As for the cost of the Porsche 918 Spyder, the price of a car abroad starts at a mark of 645 thousand euros. For Russia, a quota of seven cars has been set, for each of which buyers will have to pay 991 thousand euros. Even despite such an impressive cost, according to official information, an advance payment has already been received for one of the cars from our country.