Porsche 918 Spyder Prototype On Rare Display In Abu Dhabi
Prototype of world’s first hybrid super car tours Middle East
Porsche Centre Abu Dhabi, Ali & Sons LLC, invited to a viewing of a special kind – the 918 Spyder prototype was presented to a selected local audience for a very short time at the showroom in Mussafah.
The 918 Spyder is the company’s interpretation of the super sports car of tomorrow and the world’s first hybrid super race car. Designed as a high-performance hybrid with plug-in electric module, the vehicles are limited to a worldwide production of just 918 individually numbered supercars with start of production in autumn this year.
The new generation 918 Spyder can go from zero to 100 km/h in less than three seconds, reaching a top speed of over 325 km/h, and a purely electric top speed of over 150 km/h. It is these performance figures that have helped the production 918 Spyder set a time of 7:14 minutes on the more than 20 kilometre-long “Nürburgring-Nordschleife” circuit. When driven economically, total NEDC fuel consumption is 3.0l/100 km. Purely electric range is over 25 km.
The newly-designed 4.6-litre V8 engine produces over 580 hp, and is accompanied by two permanently energized electric motors on both front and rear axles, producing a combined power output of over 180 kW. The total power output of the V8 engine and electric motors is over 795 hp, and is coupled to the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK), enabling extremely fast gear changes for high performance, comfort and efficiency.
Design: distinctive, unique, the 21st century sports car
The two-seater 918 Spyder is designed with performance and style in mind. A high-end lightweight body offers a distinctive drive. The 918 Spyder uses a carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque structure that is both extremely lightweight and very rigid. Coupled with a two-piece Targa roof, the two sections can be removed and stowed away in the luggage compartment giving the 918 Spyder a distinctive design and allowing the driver to enjoy the fascinating sound of the thoroughbred Porsche V8 engine.
Sharing the same genes as the Porsche 917 Le Mans, the 918 Spyder is all about racing heritage and tradition. Lightweight, high-quality materials keep the focus on what’s important: the driver. Intelligent ergonomics keep him comfortable and safe, with height-adjustable bucket seats, a dynamically rising centre console with touchscreen and a central instrument cluster with three separate dials.
Chassis: handling and control in its purest form
Keeping the 918 Spyder planted firmly on the road is Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), together with the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) systems, allowing the 918 Spyder to automatically lock and regulate front and rear axles and sending power wherever it is needed.
For effective breaking, the 918 Spyder uses the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCP) system which has been thoroughly tested in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup to withstand even the harshest requirements without fading. The 918 Spyder sits on extremely lightweight staggered wheels, with a diameter of 20 inches on the front axle and 21 inches on the rear axle for a distinctive, aggressive look to match its sports handling prowess.
The 918 Spyder continues the super sports car line in Porsche history; as technology demonstrators, the driving force behind emotion and evolution alike and the ultimate sports cars of their decade: the Carrera GTS, the first Porsche Turbo, the 959, the 911 GT1, the Carrera GT. More than any of its predecessors, the 918 Spyder is providing a critical impetus to developing the technologies for future vehicle concepts.
The 918 Spyder will be produced in Zuffenhausen, where construction of a separate manufacturing plant has already started.
The new Porsche 918 Spyder is available for order now, with production starting in autumn this year. The basic retail price for the 918 Spyder in the United Arab Emirates is 3,294,000 AED.
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Date: Feb 5, 2013
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