918, I need to win the lottery
08-12-2012, 06:34 PM
#31
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From their current issue...
Excellence Magazine's "Heavy Current:"
Porsche's 3,750-pound gas-electric hybrid supercar appers to be well on its way to eclipsing the mighty Carrera GT's performance
It’s an unusual way to promise a Porsche, fixing the production date two and a half years out. But that’s what Porsche did in March 2011, one year after the 918 Spyder concept’s Geneva debut. Production of 918 units is slated to begin on 9/18/2013. It would be a bold plan if the 918 was “just” a conventional supercar. It isn’t.
The 918 is Porsche’s most technologically ambitious road car to date, making the high-tech 1986 959 and the carbon-fiber 2004 Carrera GT look like a Toyota Hilux 4×4 and a shifter cart, respectively. The 918 Spyder is fiendishly complex — with liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries, a pair of electric motors, an ex-racing V8, a dual-clutch PDK gearbox, selective all-wheel-drive, rear-wheel steering, active aerodynamics, and more.
It’s a new level of complexity for a two-seat Porsche, requiring more than 50 electronic controllers and pushing the projected curb weight beyond 3,700 pounds. One wonders what Dr. Ferry Porsche, a pragmatic man focused on production sports cars, might have made of the 918 — but it’s a good bet that his father, Professor Ferdinand Porsche, who loved exploratory engineering, would have approved.
Porsche appears to be making excellent progress with the 918 Spyder. It claims a combined power output of 770 hp, though some within the company say the production car may have more than 800 hp. Porsche says the Spyder will travel 78 miles on a gallon of gas on the European driving cycle. If your drive is short enough, you might not need gas: Electric-only range is promised to exceed 15 miles.
Of course, hypermiling your way to the supermarket isn’t the point. The 918’s stated goal is to eclipse the performance of the Carrera GT supercar. Porsche says that the 918 Spyder will be at least a full second faster to 62 mph — the CGT did it in 3.9 seconds — and able to lap the Nürburgring in less than 7 minutes and 22 seconds, some ten seconds faster than a CGT.
Such numbers seem feasible. Despite being roughly 700 pounds heavier than a Carrera GT, the 918 Spyder will boast 200 more horses, the instant torque that only electric motors can provide, all-wheel drive, and a PDK dual-clutch gearbox with Launch Control. That should make easy work of sub-three-second 0-60 mph runs, and Porsche says it’s after friendlier handling at the limit — something even Walter Röhrl admits would have helped him score a better time at the’ Ring in the CGT.
Project leader Dr. Frank Walliser has been clear from the start: Weight is the biggest challenge his team faces. He says the finalized production 918 Spyder will weigh no more than 3,750 pounds, and it’s clear his engineers are sweating as they try to offset its 700 pounds of hybrid gear.
Porsche says the 918 Spyder’s 4.6-liter V8 is just 25 pounds heavier than its 3.4-liter counterpart in the LMP2-class RS Spyder race car. For comparison, the Carrera GT’s V10 gained approximately 100 pounds in the transformation from its role in an aborted LMP1-class prototype.
Walliser credits lightweight bits like the titanium connecting rods, the plastic oil-extraction pumps, and the thin-walled crankcase which, like each cylinder head, is the result of low-pressure casting. The lightweight steel crankshaft maintains the RS Spyder’s “flat-plane,” 180° crankshaft to maximize volumetric efficiency at high engine speeds, critical with an engine that makes peak power at 9000 rpm. The alloy-steel exhaust system is “extremely thin-walled,” and the V8’s belt drives have been eliminated in favor of electric accessories.
At its present 570 hp, the direct-injected V8 has a specific output of 123.9 hp, which nearly matches the 997 GT3 RS 4.0’s stellar 125 hp/liter and clearly exceeds the 5.7-liter Carrera GT’s 107 hp/liter. The Spyder engine weighs just 290 pounds, can pass all Porsche road-car durability tests, and shares no parts with the RS Spyder V8.
That last point is understandable due to a rather significant difference: The 918 Spyder’s exhaust ports are located topside, inside the cylinder V. Short exhaust pipes exit the engine cover, an attribute Porsche says is unique among production vehicles. There are benefits to the setup beyond the singed trouser legs promised by the 918 Spyder concept’s side pipes. The so-called “top pipes” evacuate hot exhaust gases in the shortest route possible, with less back-pressure. Meanwhile, the intake ports are located low, keeping the engine bay cooler to the benefit of the Spyder’s liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery.
The battery, which provides optimum performance at temperatures between 68° and 104° F, is mounted between the seats and the V8. Its 312 cells have a total energy content of 6.8 kilowatt hours, and can be charged at home via the socket on the passenger-side B pillar. Using a supplied cable standardized for the country of purchase, Porsche says the 918 can be charged within four hours. The cars will also come with a “quick charger,” which can be hard-wired into the owner’s garage and will charge the battery in approximately two hours. The 918’s electric-only range is currently 15 miles depending on how it is driven. Of course, that’s up to the driver, who can select from five modes that sap resources with increasing abandon (see sidebar).
The 918 can also charge its battery on the move through a regenerative braking system considerably more efficient than the systems in the Cayenne Hybrid and Panamera S Hybrid. The latter recover braking energy up to deceleration of 0.15 g, which Porsche says corresponds to about 3.3 pounds of pedal force. The 918 can recover energy at up to 0.5 g, or about 24.3 pounds of pedal force. As in Porsche’s existing hybrids, the 918’s conventional disc-brake system handles harder stops.
The battery sends power to two electric motors, either individually or in parallel. A 107-hp motor drives the front wheels through a fixed ratio, while a 121-hp motor mounted behind the driver sends power to the rear wheels. The forward motor can propel the Spyder up to 15 mph. It functions as needed after that, adding torque to either front wheel until it is disengaged at speeds exceeding 145 mph to prevent over-revving. The rear wheels can be driven by the V8 or the electric motor, or both. Because the rear electric motor sends its power through the seven-speed PDK gearbox, it can contribute all the way up to the 918’s projected 202-mph top speed.
The main powertrain is mounted in a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic carrier that bolts to the monocoque chassis, which is also rendered in CFRP. Drivetrain components and anything else weighing more than 110 pounds are located as low and as centrally as possible. To lower the V8, the PDK transmission is “upside down,” 935 style. The ’box is based on the unit found in the 997 Turbo, but gets a new case and internals. Weight distribution is said to be 43/57, with a rear bias similar to Porsche’s recent mid-engined cars.
Suspension consists of double wishbones up front and multi-link at the rear. The Spyder’s PASM electronically variable dampers and PCCB ceramic-composite brakes are nothing new on a Porsche, but active rear-wheel steering is. The latter is speed-sensitive and can add a few degrees of lock in either direction. The rear wheels counter the direction of the front wheels to add agility at low speeds but mimic them at high speeds to add stability.
The list of technology will be long, from a reconfigurable thin film transistor LCD dashboard to active aerodynamics that optimize cooling and downforce while minimizing drag. After all, buyers in this realm expect more than mere performance.
Speaking of buyers, the sales plan is as bold as the production date. Porsche has announced a U.S. base price of $845,000. That’s considerably more than the $440,000 Carrera GT — a car that struggled to find 1,270 buyers worldwide after falling short of an initial production cap of 1,500 units. Will Porsche have the last laugh with its 918 Spyder hybrid? We’ll know more in another year and a half.
Excellence Magazine's "Heavy Current:"
Originally Posted by Dan Clark
Porsche's 3,750-pound gas-electric hybrid supercar appers to be well on its way to eclipsing the mighty Carrera GT's performance
It’s an unusual way to promise a Porsche, fixing the production date two and a half years out. But that’s what Porsche did in March 2011, one year after the 918 Spyder concept’s Geneva debut. Production of 918 units is slated to begin on 9/18/2013. It would be a bold plan if the 918 was “just” a conventional supercar. It isn’t.
The 918 is Porsche’s most technologically ambitious road car to date, making the high-tech 1986 959 and the carbon-fiber 2004 Carrera GT look like a Toyota Hilux 4×4 and a shifter cart, respectively. The 918 Spyder is fiendishly complex — with liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries, a pair of electric motors, an ex-racing V8, a dual-clutch PDK gearbox, selective all-wheel-drive, rear-wheel steering, active aerodynamics, and more.
It’s a new level of complexity for a two-seat Porsche, requiring more than 50 electronic controllers and pushing the projected curb weight beyond 3,700 pounds. One wonders what Dr. Ferry Porsche, a pragmatic man focused on production sports cars, might have made of the 918 — but it’s a good bet that his father, Professor Ferdinand Porsche, who loved exploratory engineering, would have approved.
Porsche appears to be making excellent progress with the 918 Spyder. It claims a combined power output of 770 hp, though some within the company say the production car may have more than 800 hp. Porsche says the Spyder will travel 78 miles on a gallon of gas on the European driving cycle. If your drive is short enough, you might not need gas: Electric-only range is promised to exceed 15 miles.
Of course, hypermiling your way to the supermarket isn’t the point. The 918’s stated goal is to eclipse the performance of the Carrera GT supercar. Porsche says that the 918 Spyder will be at least a full second faster to 62 mph — the CGT did it in 3.9 seconds — and able to lap the Nürburgring in less than 7 minutes and 22 seconds, some ten seconds faster than a CGT.
Such numbers seem feasible. Despite being roughly 700 pounds heavier than a Carrera GT, the 918 Spyder will boast 200 more horses, the instant torque that only electric motors can provide, all-wheel drive, and a PDK dual-clutch gearbox with Launch Control. That should make easy work of sub-three-second 0-60 mph runs, and Porsche says it’s after friendlier handling at the limit — something even Walter Röhrl admits would have helped him score a better time at the’ Ring in the CGT.
Project leader Dr. Frank Walliser has been clear from the start: Weight is the biggest challenge his team faces. He says the finalized production 918 Spyder will weigh no more than 3,750 pounds, and it’s clear his engineers are sweating as they try to offset its 700 pounds of hybrid gear.
Porsche says the 918 Spyder’s 4.6-liter V8 is just 25 pounds heavier than its 3.4-liter counterpart in the LMP2-class RS Spyder race car. For comparison, the Carrera GT’s V10 gained approximately 100 pounds in the transformation from its role in an aborted LMP1-class prototype.
Walliser credits lightweight bits like the titanium connecting rods, the plastic oil-extraction pumps, and the thin-walled crankcase which, like each cylinder head, is the result of low-pressure casting. The lightweight steel crankshaft maintains the RS Spyder’s “flat-plane,” 180° crankshaft to maximize volumetric efficiency at high engine speeds, critical with an engine that makes peak power at 9000 rpm. The alloy-steel exhaust system is “extremely thin-walled,” and the V8’s belt drives have been eliminated in favor of electric accessories.
At its present 570 hp, the direct-injected V8 has a specific output of 123.9 hp, which nearly matches the 997 GT3 RS 4.0’s stellar 125 hp/liter and clearly exceeds the 5.7-liter Carrera GT’s 107 hp/liter. The Spyder engine weighs just 290 pounds, can pass all Porsche road-car durability tests, and shares no parts with the RS Spyder V8.
That last point is understandable due to a rather significant difference: The 918 Spyder’s exhaust ports are located topside, inside the cylinder V. Short exhaust pipes exit the engine cover, an attribute Porsche says is unique among production vehicles. There are benefits to the setup beyond the singed trouser legs promised by the 918 Spyder concept’s side pipes. The so-called “top pipes” evacuate hot exhaust gases in the shortest route possible, with less back-pressure. Meanwhile, the intake ports are located low, keeping the engine bay cooler to the benefit of the Spyder’s liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery.
The battery, which provides optimum performance at temperatures between 68° and 104° F, is mounted between the seats and the V8. Its 312 cells have a total energy content of 6.8 kilowatt hours, and can be charged at home via the socket on the passenger-side B pillar. Using a supplied cable standardized for the country of purchase, Porsche says the 918 can be charged within four hours. The cars will also come with a “quick charger,” which can be hard-wired into the owner’s garage and will charge the battery in approximately two hours. The 918’s electric-only range is currently 15 miles depending on how it is driven. Of course, that’s up to the driver, who can select from five modes that sap resources with increasing abandon (see sidebar).
The 918 can also charge its battery on the move through a regenerative braking system considerably more efficient than the systems in the Cayenne Hybrid and Panamera S Hybrid. The latter recover braking energy up to deceleration of 0.15 g, which Porsche says corresponds to about 3.3 pounds of pedal force. The 918 can recover energy at up to 0.5 g, or about 24.3 pounds of pedal force. As in Porsche’s existing hybrids, the 918’s conventional disc-brake system handles harder stops.
The battery sends power to two electric motors, either individually or in parallel. A 107-hp motor drives the front wheels through a fixed ratio, while a 121-hp motor mounted behind the driver sends power to the rear wheels. The forward motor can propel the Spyder up to 15 mph. It functions as needed after that, adding torque to either front wheel until it is disengaged at speeds exceeding 145 mph to prevent over-revving. The rear wheels can be driven by the V8 or the electric motor, or both. Because the rear electric motor sends its power through the seven-speed PDK gearbox, it can contribute all the way up to the 918’s projected 202-mph top speed.
The main powertrain is mounted in a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic carrier that bolts to the monocoque chassis, which is also rendered in CFRP. Drivetrain components and anything else weighing more than 110 pounds are located as low and as centrally as possible. To lower the V8, the PDK transmission is “upside down,” 935 style. The ’box is based on the unit found in the 997 Turbo, but gets a new case and internals. Weight distribution is said to be 43/57, with a rear bias similar to Porsche’s recent mid-engined cars.
Suspension consists of double wishbones up front and multi-link at the rear. The Spyder’s PASM electronically variable dampers and PCCB ceramic-composite brakes are nothing new on a Porsche, but active rear-wheel steering is. The latter is speed-sensitive and can add a few degrees of lock in either direction. The rear wheels counter the direction of the front wheels to add agility at low speeds but mimic them at high speeds to add stability.
The list of technology will be long, from a reconfigurable thin film transistor LCD dashboard to active aerodynamics that optimize cooling and downforce while minimizing drag. After all, buyers in this realm expect more than mere performance.
Speaking of buyers, the sales plan is as bold as the production date. Porsche has announced a U.S. base price of $845,000. That’s considerably more than the $440,000 Carrera GT — a car that struggled to find 1,270 buyers worldwide after falling short of an initial production cap of 1,500 units. Will Porsche have the last laugh with its 918 Spyder hybrid? We’ll know more in another year and a half.
08-14-2012, 01:19 AM
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08-15-2012, 10:39 PM
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THREE 918s @ once!
^^ Never too many!
As proven by 9 Magazine's "A Trio of 918 Spyders Show Up In Spain:"
Just recently the new Porsche 918 Sypder prototype was spotted by automotive spies while testing at the famed Nurburgring in white / black Martini livery. It’s clear that Porsche is actively testing the current configuration and now a video of three different 918 Spyders (The black one from previous Porsche press photos, and two in white Martini livery) and has surfaced. The video was captured while the 918′s were doing some real-world testing on the streets of Spain. Talk about being at the right place at the right time!
__________________
Cheers --Jäger
As proven by 9 Magazine's "A Trio of 918 Spyders Show Up In Spain:"
Originally Posted by 9Magazine.com
Just recently the new Porsche 918 Sypder prototype was spotted by automotive spies while testing at the famed Nurburgring in white / black Martini livery. It’s clear that Porsche is actively testing the current configuration and now a video of three different 918 Spyders (The black one from previous Porsche press photos, and two in white Martini livery) and has surfaced. The video was captured while the 918′s were doing some real-world testing on the streets of Spain. Talk about being at the right place at the right time!
Cheers --Jäger
08-19-2012, 02:49 PM
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Serious camera time!
9 Magazine's "918 Spyder Caught Testing On The Streets Of Germany:"
More video of the 918 Spyder has surfaced while undergoing another round of testing. The Porsche 918 Spyder was recently caught driving around town in Germany wearing Martini livery.
The video shows the Porsche 918 Spyder in what we believe to be the latest production ready iteration. This is for sure some great footage, and clearly shows the 918 from every angle.
The sound of the 918 was also captured on this video and it’s interesting to hear as well as see the prototype. We have yet to hear (or not hear for that matter) the 918 Spyder in Hybrid mode which is what makes the 918 Spyder truly special.
__________________
Cheers --Jäger
9 Magazine's "918 Spyder Caught Testing On The Streets Of Germany:"
Originally Posted by 9magazine.com
More video of the 918 Spyder has surfaced while undergoing another round of testing. The Porsche 918 Spyder was recently caught driving around town in Germany wearing Martini livery.
The video shows the Porsche 918 Spyder in what we believe to be the latest production ready iteration. This is for sure some great footage, and clearly shows the 918 from every angle.
The sound of the 918 was also captured on this video and it’s interesting to hear as well as see the prototype. We have yet to hear (or not hear for that matter) the 918 Spyder in Hybrid mode which is what makes the 918 Spyder truly special.
Cheers --Jäger
08-25-2012, 11:07 AM
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08-26-2012, 10:33 AM
#39
I went to the NYC launch and it does look beautiful in the flesh. However the race car with the side exit exhausts looked so much better than the road version which they had in the next room. Think they had to modify to the engine top exhausts to meet some sort of safety regulations. Guess things must have changed since the MB SLR. The whole project sounded like a porsche science experiment. put in a top ring time with a car with combined mpg of 90 something. Guess its just the same as the 4wd tech in the 959 before the c4's came out.. expect a duel gas electric 911 with 500bhp and 70mpg within the next 5 years maybe?
10-09-2012, 10:34 PM
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9Magazine.com's "Successful Test on the Nürburgring:"
Originally Posted by 9 Magazine
October 9, 2012
Lap time: 7 minutes, 14 seconds.
On September 18th, 2012, Porsche fielded its 918 Spyder hybrid supercar for a lap around the Nurburgring and completed the Nordschleife loop in just 7 minutes and 14 seconds on street-legal tires. A tremendous time.
Porsche just posted a video of the event. The 918 Spyder featured the classic Martini livery and was piloted by legendary Porsche racing driver Walter Rohrl.
The Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar boasts 795-hp while weighing just short of 3,300 lbs. What’s more, Rohrl described the car as physics defying as it was so extraordinarily fast and composed at every corner.
It’s rumored that Porsche plans another attempt, this time to break the 7 minute barrier.
Lap time: 7 minutes, 14 seconds.
On September 18th, 2012, Porsche fielded its 918 Spyder hybrid supercar for a lap around the Nurburgring and completed the Nordschleife loop in just 7 minutes and 14 seconds on street-legal tires. A tremendous time.
Porsche just posted a video of the event. The 918 Spyder featured the classic Martini livery and was piloted by legendary Porsche racing driver Walter Rohrl.
The Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar boasts 795-hp while weighing just short of 3,300 lbs. What’s more, Rohrl described the car as physics defying as it was so extraordinarily fast and composed at every corner.
It’s rumored that Porsche plans another attempt, this time to break the 7 minute barrier.
Cheers --Jäger
10-19-2012, 03:29 PM
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Eagle-eyed RLers may have noticed professional car critic Chris Harris unbuckling from the 918 cockpit at ~10-20 seconds into the ^^ above video.
He's not used to only be allowed to sit in the passenger's seat.
For the 918, though, he decided to put up with it...
From autoBlog.com's "Watch Chris Harris get his turn riding in the Porsche 918 Spyder:"
Chris Harris recently got a chance to ride shotgun in the Porsche 918 Spyder, and he brought along a few cameras to share the experience with the rest of us. While Harris admits to being averse to producing videos where he's only riding around in the passenger seat, he seems to be no less taken with the technological marvels on display in the newest Porsche hypercar. Harris even goes so far as to compare it to the groundbreaking 1987 Porsche 959. He does have a point in that both the 959 and the 918 Spyder were arguably ahead of their time and built to show off Porsche's technical brawn in their respective eras.
While Harris touches on interesting engineering tidbits like the 918's carbon fiber engine cradle and specially formulated tires, the really interesting bits come while riding around not on the infamous Nürburgring but while silently whirring around on a few secondary roads. Take a look below to see what we mean.
__________________
Cheers --Jäger
He's not used to only be allowed to sit in the passenger's seat.
For the 918, though, he decided to put up with it...
From autoBlog.com's "Watch Chris Harris get his turn riding in the Porsche 918 Spyder:"
Originally Posted by Zach Bowman
Chris Harris recently got a chance to ride shotgun in the Porsche 918 Spyder, and he brought along a few cameras to share the experience with the rest of us. While Harris admits to being averse to producing videos where he's only riding around in the passenger seat, he seems to be no less taken with the technological marvels on display in the newest Porsche hypercar. Harris even goes so far as to compare it to the groundbreaking 1987 Porsche 959. He does have a point in that both the 959 and the 918 Spyder were arguably ahead of their time and built to show off Porsche's technical brawn in their respective eras.
While Harris touches on interesting engineering tidbits like the 918's carbon fiber engine cradle and specially formulated tires, the really interesting bits come while riding around not on the infamous Nürburgring but while silently whirring around on a few secondary roads. Take a look below to see what we mean.
Cheers --Jäger
10-21-2012, 02:32 PM
#43
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