Porsche 918 Spyder goes on sale!

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I don't really see what's subtle about the car. And I'd much rather stare at it than the Ferrari or McLaren (unless of course I could be staring at the underside of the McLaren).

I wouldn't touch the Porsche though unless I was willing to go through converting it into a proper supercar by tearing out the electric guts (or maybe if I won it in a contest or something). Electric power in a sports car doesn't make sense yet and I really don't like that manufacturers are trying to force it in.
 
Exorcet
Electric power in a sports car doesn't make sense yet and I really don't like that manufacturers are trying to force it in.
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It makes perfect sense. If they are going to meet the 55 MPG requirements by 2025 here in the US, they are going to have to make steps forward with cars like this. They are by no means forcing it down anyone's throats, after all, you can still get a rather-raw 911 GT3 for a third of the price of one of these.

Between it, the McLaren P1, and the Ferrari LaFerrari, I'd have the Porsche. Easily. Design based in endurance racing, with a mind for the street, goes a long way to make a car the "just right" option in the supercar market.
 
I guess it doesn't help that I consider the MPG laws idiotic, but it's true that's out of the manufacturer's hands.

My strategy though would be to mass produce hybrids on the low end to fill the quota and leave the good stuff, good. But that again would depend on external factors like sales. Though I don't think it would be that hard to sell them.

As far as Porches is concerned, they've got other ways to hit MPG targets like sedans and SUV's. 911 GT3's are great but if I was in the market for something above that, I wouldn't be shopping Porsche.
 
Exorcet
I guess it doesn't help that I consider the MPG laws idiotic, but it's true that's out of the manufacturer's hands.

My strategy though would be to mass produce hybrids on the low end to fill the quota and leave the good stuff, good. But that again would depend on external factors like sales. Though I don't think it would be that hard to sell them.

As far as Porches is concerned, they've got other ways to hit MPG targets like sedans and SUV's. 911 GT3's are great but if I was in the market for something above that, I wouldn't be shopping Porsche.
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There's the problem right there, though.
 
Looks like this bad boy has done a 6:57 at the Ring :eek: the Macca and Ferrari will probably be faster but it is one hell of a laptime.
 
The McLaren did a Lap and wasn't as fast but that certainly isn't the final Lap. Anyway as awesome as the other two are, I'd have the Porsche first (McLaren is extremely tempting). Actually no, give me a CGT and the McLaren. Wait no I'm not rich :dunce:
 
I actually agree to above.. I think the 918 Spyder has a reminisicent of the CGT in a lot of ways..
 
Very impressive lap time from the 918, but it's such a different car to the CGT. The CGT is (was) a 'pure' car - NA based on a racing engine, no driver aids, low weight (relatively).

Here's a quote from someone who posts on Pistonheads who owns both a CGT and an F40, and has driven pretty much all the recent 'hypercars'... a bit OTT in the language used, but I think he likes it ;)

I am lucky enough to own both.
I can say categorically the Carrera Gt is the greatest car in the world . There, I said it.
Ive tried everything . Zonda , Agera , Veyron , Enzo , F50 , you name it ive ragged it .
The Carrera GT is on another planet to them all. The excitement and raw thrills that car can consistently deliver are beyond my vocabulary to describe.
My relationship will be life long, I will never be better than that car. You grow with it, learn with it and exult in it.
It must be treated with respect (as a REAL 600 hp supercar should be treated ) but can truly be enjoyed like no other.
Its old school thrills with modern, seriously over engineered indestructibility.
There will never be its like again, all hail the dragon. A best of such power, if you were to see it all whole and in a single glance it would burn you to cinders
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A CGT and a Singer is my perfect garage... with a Cayenne 4.2S as a daily.

Black CGT with brown leather interior and MPSS (which apparently make the handling suitable for those with less talent than Mr Rohrl)... utter perfection.

CGTexterior.jpg


cgtinterior.jpg
 
Never gonna learn if you keep that MPSS holding you back! Making mistakes is part of the learning process.

But that does sound like a mighty tasty garage. In particular, I'd like a Singer Carrera RS.
 
918 configurator now live here.

If you order one, consider the price of a paint upgrade (€47.600) and a different set of rims (€29.750).

:)
 
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motora...s-title-fastest-production-car-140330907.html

With esteemed names in the hypercar world, such as Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche, and to some degree Lamborghini, all vowing for the title as the most outlandish, crazy-fast, technologically advanced supercar on the market, we finally have our first bullet fired. It comes from Porsche, just hours after the official unveiling of the 918 Spyder in Frankfurt: claiming the 918 as the fastest production car to ever lap Germany's famed Nürburgring. Porsche's rivals should be a bit worried.

For years now, Porsche has promised the 918 would be the ultimate in performance, yet many thought the plug-in hybrid would likely fall short of the McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari. But achieving a 6 minute, 57 second lap time around the legendary 12.8 mile Nürburgring Nordschleife — demolishing the old record of 7:12 set by a Dodge Viper in 2011 — Porsche has proved that the 918 remains everything it promised.

:scared:
 
Exorcet
Not that it's not impressive, but I wonder if it will last a month.
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Once the LaFerrari and P1 are ready, I am 90% sure they'll beat the 918 by a couple seconds. It's amazing how technology advanced so quickly. How hybrids can beat a regular old gasoline powered supercar.
 
The P1 might. I wouldn't bet on Ferrari, though. They have never been a company to use the 'Ring to show off lap times; that's what Fiorano is for.
 
A bit more information on the 918's 'Ring session...

The record, which was previously held for four years, was broken during the first attempt on the morning of September 4. All three drivers – Former European Rally Champion Walter Röhrl, Porsche test driver Timo Kluck and Porsche factory driver Marc Lieb – were quicker than the existing record with each lap driving the two 918 Spyder models used, and posted lap times of less than seven minutes on numerous occasions. Ultimately, it was Marc Lieb who posted the absolute best time of 6.57 minutes, driving at an average speed of 179.5 km/h, as measured by Wige Solutions. Marcus Schurig, editor-in-chief of sportscar magazine "sport auto", was on hand as an objective observer of the record-breaking runs. The two sportscars, which deliver an output of 887 bhp (652 kW), were equipped with the optional "Weissach package" to increase the driving dynamics, and lead out on the standard Michelin tyres developed specifically for the 918 Spyder.
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Also heard it has run 6.48 on a set of 'non e-rated tyres' :crazy:

Keef
Never gonna learn if you keep that MPSS holding you back! Making mistakes is part of the learning process.

But that does sound like a mighty tasty garage. In particular, I'd like a Singer Carrera RS.
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CGT on original spec tyres had a very narrow grip/slip boundary, making it very difficult to drive at the limit... IIRC it was called 'spikey' :D Apparently MPSS massively expand the grip - slip boundary which in turn makes the car much more enjoyable to drive. Even Walter Rohrl recommends them!

I still see CGT's fetching sub £300k and always think they are amazingly good value compared to say an Enzo (which are now £700-900k) never mind the latest £1 million brigade.

I don't have the words to express how much I want a Singer... pure car porn :drool:

McLaren
The P1 might. I wouldn't bet on Ferrari, though. They have never been a company to use the 'Ring to show off lap times; that's what Fiorano is for.
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I heard McLaren had had a couple of attempts at setting a 'Ring time and the best they had managed to date was a 7.04.

Very surprising, as if there was one car I thought would smash all the lap records it would have been the P1. But seems it's not that good round the 'Ring.... yet.

Might be it's a bit stiff for the bumps as it does look very solidly suspended.
 
^yes indeed, I cant't believe how even the best of porsches generally just either maintain their value or even depreciate a bit, I know exactly what I would buy if I had that kind of money, probably wouldn't lose much in a few years but hell I wouldn't care because I would not sell a CGT. The PSS are amazing indeed, have those in the back of my car right now and they grip and grip but still allow for some sideways fun in the wet. Didn't know they came in those sizes.
 
ProjectWHaT
Will Porsche do more timed laps after the P1 and Laferrari do it?
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I'm pretty far from an insider, but I honestly don't see a reason for them to do so unless they release an RSR version or something.

And I don't recall Ferrari themselves doing actual Nurburgring times on their street cars, though Sport Auto pushed 7:28 out of the 458 Italia.
 
Porsche claims faster performance for 918 during final tests

Autocar
The Porsche 918 Spyder has beaten its own benchmark performance figures during final testing.

Porsche says that just ahead of the first customer deliveries of the £657,400 car, the results of its final performance tuning has resulted in the car sprinting to 60mph in just 2.5 seconds - 0.2 seconds faster than previously thought - and reaching 0-124mph in 7.2 seconds with the optional Weissach performance package, half a second faster than previously released.

The company says the car can now also reach 186mph over two seconds faster than before, at 19.9 seconds.

Porsche also says it has improved the performance of the 918's dual electric motors, meaning the car can accelerate to 62mph in 6.2 seconds without producing any CO2 emissions. The Weissach package reduces that time to 6.1 seconds.

The 918 Spyder entered production at Porsche's Zuffenhausen factory in September, with the firm promising first deliveries before the end of the year.

The 918 Spyder is powered by a natually aspirated 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine developing 599bhp, supported by two electric motors producing a combined 282bhp. Its combined power output is 875bhp at 8500rpm.

It's already been well noted that the 918 Spyder faces stiff competition from the likes of the McLaren P1 as well as LaFerrari. The Porsche hypercar has previously set a lap time of 6 minutes and 57 seconds around the Nürburgring.
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The 918 is quick, but the P1 is 3.5s seconds faster to 186mph and the LaFerrari is 4.5s faster... the LaFerrari is only around 1s slower than a Veyron if Ferrari's clims are true!

McLaren won't release a 'Ring time for the P1, but have said it's well under 7 mins. Ferrari were at the 'Ring with their hypercar last week, but no news of a lap time.
 
is it 0-60 in 2.5 or 2.6 Jalopnik says the latter. how does one pronounce Weissach from my terrible german I guess it's Vee-sack or maybe vice-ak
 
Weissach is pronounced 'Vise-ach' with guttural 'ch'... so like your vice-ak 👍
 

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