Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Sports Cars of the Future: 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder



In the biggest surprise of the recent Geneva Motor Show, Porsche pulled the cover off the 918 Spyder, a 2-seat supercar that’s both green and mean. How green? Well, driven accordingly, the 918Spyder gets 78 mpg, says Porsche, with low CO2 emissions. And how mean is it? The 3285-lb. carbon-chassis 918 hits 62 mph in less than 3.2 seconds, says Porsche, and has a top speed of 198 mph. A V-8 with more than 500 bhp is mounted ahead of the rear wheels, augmented by front and rear electric motors that add an extra 218 hp to the mix, fed by a lithium-ion battery pack. With a pure electric mode and a rear-biased race mode, the 918 Spyder really is green and mean, and it has real production possibilities. Don’t believe us?

A prototype recently lapped the Nürburgring in less than 7 minutes 30 seconds (that’s quicker than the hallowed Carrera GT), proving it does more than just look pretty on the show stand.