Porsche 918 Spyder prototype first look

AutoMiddleEast.com got a preview of the Porsche 918 Spyder prototype. A special event kit from Germany filling three containers is currently touring to only 13 worldwide stations and the United Arab Emirates was one of them.

With more than half of its development time completed, the Porsche 918 Spyder – the successor to the Carrera GT – is said to have the dynamics of a racing car with a 4.6-litre V8 engine producing over 770bhp of power and 9,000rpm while providing class leading fuel consumption. The hybrid powertrain will have electric motors powering the front wheels and this car will have an electric only driving capability over a short distance at slow cruising speeds. The electric motors can also add to the output during high performance situations.
George Wills, Managing Director of Porsche Middle East and Africa FZE, said: 'The 918 Spyder offers a glimpse of what Porsche Intelligent Performance is really capable of in the near future, and we are extremely excited to be able to show a physical prototype of this ground-breaking vehicle in Dubai. In a market used t
o supercars, the 918 Spyder is a jaw-dropping, head-turning vehicle with its unique design.'Porsche claims a Nürburgring lap tome of 7.22 minutes. The company also claims a kerb weight of around 1,700 kilograms for the final production version.
Dr Frank Steffen Walliser, overall project manager for the 918 Spyder, said: 'The uniqueness of the 918 Spyder is best represented by the union of outstanding performance with a level of efficiency never seen before in the super sports car sector. And under ideal conditions, the 918 Spyder can cover 25 kilometres on purely electric power. Moreover, Porsche is breaking yet more new ground with the technology demonstrator. Spectacular solutions such as the full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) body, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and the upward-venting ‘top pipes’ exhaust system are at the bleeding edge of automotive thought.'
The Porsche 918 Spyder will also feature five driving modes that can be activated via a 'map switch' on the steering wheel. These five modes are E-Power, hybrid; sport hybrid, race hybrid and hot lap mode.
More details regarding pricing, availability will be revealed in the first week of May so stay tuned to AutoMiddleEast.com