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It was the quickest car C&D and Motor Trend ever tested.
The sheer disbelief on Richard Hammond’s face when he launched the 918 Spyder in Dubai nearly 8 years ago still makes me giggle at how insanely rapid 918 was.
The quickest it went was 2.2 seconds. Yeah, you could say that the Ferrari SF90 does the same for nearly half a million less, but this was 10 years ago.
Even Ferrari’s then-contender La Ferrari couldn’t touch that despite having 1000 hp compared to Porsche’s 875 horses and a slightly more curb appeal (debatable in comments).
2.2 Seconds in 2015 !!!, But How?
Partly because It packed a 4.6 Liter 9150 rpm V8 that made 608 hp and 390 lb-ft. The specs remind me that the 458 Speciale for some reason had a similar kind of engine chops and a specific output of 133HP/L, a record it shared with the 918 Spyder.
The engine alone warrants its own article such was the extent of engineering that went into it. It had Titanium connecting rods that led to its excellent throttle response, steel crankshaft, and hosted no belt-driven accessories that kept the parasitic losses to the bare minimum.
Such was the extent of Porsche’s obsession with weight savings that the air box was integrated into the subframe of the vehicle along with an oil tank.
Porsche implemented the shortest route possible for the exhaust gases to escape hence the top exit dual exhaust on either side that filled the cabin with high-pitched harmonics and spitted blue flames during downshifts much to the delight of its 918 lucky owners.
Surely It Wasn’t just the Engine?
I mean Porsche could’ve called it a day after dropping that monster of an engine in the 918 chassis, but the goal here was not to match the Carrera GT but to exceed it.
Hence, the three electric motors alongside the V8 provide a stupendous amount of torque from available from a dead stop.
The motors on the front and rear axle are capable of producing 154 hp and 127 hp for a total of 887 hp alongside 950 lb-ft of torque. The front motor has a gearbox of its own and is decoupled after 146 mph.
It can manage around 18 miles of range in the EV mode alone. A third motor is integrated into an upside-down mounted 7-speed PDK gearbox.
Chassis is still the best in business.
When journalists got to test the Ford GT they were surprised by how taut the chassis was, like driving on the rails. Porsche designed a Carbon Fibre Monocoque that made for a super stiff chassis and mounted all the heavy stuff low down resulting in 43:57 weight distribution.
There is also a Double Wishbone front end and multilink link rear with adjustable dampners on each corner providing superb traction off the line, without any wheel spin.
The whole handling package also had the rear wheel steering alongside active aero.
Aside from a spoiler and a splitter, there were also air flaps cleverly hidden around headlights. Depending on the mode you have selected the aero bits went up increasing downforce or stayed recessed for Vmax attempts. Which FYI was over 211 mph.
Weissach package
The Weissach package helps improve the feel and look of your 918 Spyder by reducing the weight to about 3,615 pounds.
The package features additional carbon fiber components and magnesium wheels to give the supercar a sharper edge.
Weissach package drivers can choose from an exclusive range of film coatings and exterior colors reminiscent of the classic Porsche cars like the Salzburg livery.
The options in this package cost around $84,000. With the package, you also get to enjoy Alcantara upholstery and noise-reducing materials.
Carbon Fiber Galore
The 918 Spyder’s body is made primarily of lightweight carbon fiber, which is both strong and expensive. The use of this material helps to reduce the car’s weight and improve its performance, but it also adds to its price.
The Porsche 918 Spyder has a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque that makes it extremely light and rigid.
The car weighs only 3,602 pounds, which is remarkable for a hybrid vehicle with a large battery pack. The carbon fiber also gives the car a sleek and futuristic look, with sharp and angular lines that evoke the original Porsche 917 race car.
They cost more than a million dollars now
Porsche only made 918 units of the 918 Spyder. It had a starting price of around $845,000 and nowadays go for around $1.5 million, ballpark.
Those with custom piants and Weissach are even more expensive and make up for an excellent collector’s car.
