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2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Quick Spin Review

Brent Dunn
by Brent Dunn
June 11, 2015
3 min. Reading Time
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The 918 Spyder is the fastest and most advanced car Porsche has ever built; too extreme to be considered a mere supercar, the 918 is part of an elite new group of hypercars that use hybrid technology to make them faster, instead of more economical. Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) included in the monocoque chassis, body, subframe, oil tank, and air filter box, the curb weight has been kept down to 3,715 lbs (3,616 lbs with the Weissach package), despite the added weight of the electric motors and batteries.

Styling

One look at the Porsche 918, and you know it’s going to be fast (though it doesn’t look nearly as fast or extreme as it really is). Like many of Porsche’s fastest cars, the design philosophy seems to start with form over function, which is still somehow beautiful in its own right. A good example of this is the unique top exit exhaust that sits almost right behind the driver’s (and passenger’s) head and occasionally spits blue flames. Like other Porsche hybrids, the 918 features e-hybrid logos and Acid Green brake calipers to let everyone know that you are saving the Earth, one lap at a time.

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Performance

The 918 Spyder is powered by a combination of gasoline engine and two electric motors. The mid-mounted 4.6 liter V8 puts out 608 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque, and can rev all the way up to 9,150 rpm. The front mounted electric motor can put out over 129 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque, while the rear mounted motor is capable of over 156 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque. Energy comes from a battery with 6.8 kWh of storage and a maximum power output of over 230 kW (and an 18.5 gallon fuel tank). Combined system power is over 887 horsepower and 944 lb-ft of torque.

Porsche lists the 0 to 60 mph time as 2.5 seconds, though that number is conservative as cars in the wild have been clocked in the low 2 second range. Zero to 124 mph is taken care of in 7.3 seconds (or 7.2 with the optional Weissach package), and the sprint to 186 miles per hour is dispatched within 20.9 seconds (19.9 with the Weissach package). Top speed is 214 miles per hour.

Thanks to the hybrid powertrain, the 918 is capable of driving up to 12 miles on electric power alone, with an electric-only top speed of 93 miles per hour. Electric-only acceleration to 60 miles per hour from a dead stop takes only 6.2 seconds (6.1 seconds with the Weissach package). Despite this emphasis on performance, fuel economy is rated at 67 MPGe on electric power and a respectable 22 miles per gallon (combined) on gasoline.

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Safety

The Porsche 918 Spyder comes with the basic safety technologies now almost considered mandatory, but little in the way of active safety features. You do get full-size airbags for both driver and passenger, the Porsche Side Impact Protection System (POSIP), thorax airbags integrated into the side bolsters of the seats, head airbags integrated into the door panels, three-point automatic seatbelts with pretensioners and force limiters, and a reversing camera. You also get the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to keep an eye on the 265/35ZR20 tires in front and 325/30ZR21 tires in the rear. The 918 Spyder has not yet been (and, thanks to its limited production, may never be) crash tested by the IIHS or NHTSA.

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Pricing & Features

The MSRP for the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder is an eye-watering $845,000. For that money, you get a 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) dual-clutch gearbox, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) including electronically controlled rear differential lock, a motorsport-derived suspension, the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system, Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), Porsche Active Aerodynamics (PAA), a Burmester High-End Surround Sound System with 11 speakers, a two-zone automatic climate control system and a single rain-sensing windshield wiper.

Cars with the optional Weissach package start at $929,000, and for the extra money you lose the Burmester Sound System, the automatic climate control system, some of the sound insulation, and the paint in the interest of weight savings. You also get lightweight magnesium wheels, all of which add up to a total weight savings (with the Weissach package) of around 90 lbs (which is worth around 3 seconds over the course of a lap 'round the Nurburgring).

Other optional features include a front axle lift system, electric comfort heating, and a carbon fiber interior package. European delivery is also available, either in Zuffenhausen or Leipzig, and comes with a private shuttle to the factory, a catered lunch, and a private tour of both the factory and the museum. Delivery to Leipzig also includes driving instruction and personal track time in your car.

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