LuckyP

What an awesome thing! Thanks for sharing.

Isn't the shape sooo colour sensitive. That silver pops the curvs and scalops, yet the white just drains the shape away. Was that the same in the flesh or is it just the pics?

Pete

neanicu

Very nice pics Eduardo!

Thank you for sharing!
A truly once in a lifetime opportunity!

mousecatcher

thank you for the pics. the lines of the car are amazing. bee-yoo-tiful in silver.

- tron wheels have to go
- dash is decidedly less inspiring than the prototypes
- squarish headlights meh

Maltese Falcon

Eduardo, it was fun and over in a blink. ..I missed meeting you there. I am the guy in the light blue shirt +helmet in your last photo. Your friend's yellow cabrio is visible as well (love the grey leather). What rpm were you upshifting on the paddle? The instructor didn't advise me, so I just up shifted at 8k...good enough for this short track, and I kept catching the red 991 pace car . Smart strategy by Porsche, as it was a rolling blockade to keep some sense in us!
If you are in the L.A. area now and then come by the Greystone Manor and Petersen Museum for the special car events. Check out their websites, or pm me your direct email.
Ciao ¡
Marty

Maltese Falcon

According to Herr Eastman, the square headlights are the most powerful that Porsche has ever used. Also provide progressive field of lighting as your speed increases. Turn signals are also part of these as well.
Marty

Zeus

Thanks for posting the pictures & the write-up guys!

So what were your impressions of the Liquid Silver paint on the 918? Did it look like it was worth the huge jump in price over a PTS or the best Metallic paints, on say a 911?

mile2424

You lucky dog Eduardo! Sure that was a blast and can't wait for the report as usual!

Z356

I didn't even bother shifting manually - I let the computers do the work for me at the track! That is the beauty of PDK, and in particular of the improved software & advanced calibrations made for that transmission on the 918!

Not to me, Zeus. The metallic flakes on this paint are specially aligned in one direction using magnets. That sounds technically great, but I did not think the actual results were dramatic enough to justify the extra cost! The latter is an astounding $63,000. Let me repeat that - $63K! That is $900 more than the base cost of a MY2014 Boxster S! Think about that for one minute!

If I was to order a 918, I would rather pay for a unique PTS color even though that option on a 918 costs 4X as much as PTS on a 991 or 981! According to Melissa Witek of 'Porsche Exclusive', who was in attendance at The Thermal Club for this event, a number of 918 customers have decided to order PTS on their cars, including one daring US buyer who requested an 'Acid Green' exterior color for his 918! 'Acid Green' is the hue 'identity' of the Hybrid technology at Porsche and all the brake calipers of each 918 will be painted in this incredibly 'loud' color! PTS in a 918 costs in the low $20K's - somewhere between $21K and $24K! But that cost, as a percentage of the MSRP of the 918, is less than what PTS represents in a 991. And much less as a percentage of what PTS's $5,500 is relative to the price of a 981. But $20+K is, regardless, a large number to pay for PTS. But in my opinion, it is worth it to achieve the rare distinction, as a 918 owner, of having the only one done in that color in this very limited (918 in total) production run! Besides, a distinctive & attractive PTS color - like 'Signal Green', 'Signal Yellow', 'Gulf Orange', 'Birch Green' (is it same as Acid Green?) - will look terrific on the sculpted body shape of the 918!

We could have used your photographic skills for this shoot, Aaron. I took my Sony DSC-HX7V that I got at Costco and I am using it's 'intelligent auto' setting since I am clueless in this field.

Saludos,
Eduardo

neanicu

Is it true what I've read,that they've designed the exhaust system so that the gas flow coming out of the tailpipes at speed would " hit " the rear wing thus creating downforce?

Z356

I haven't heard that one. But yesterday one of the Porsche minders at the temporary Zentrum told me that the exterior rear view mirror are designed to throw air flow into the side intakes in the back! So the mirror and stem are sculpted to push air around BELOW it, and not push it up & away, and thus miss the side intakes in the lower back! The last photo also shows an opening in the back & top of the front wheel well to remove air (pressure) from that front well area. It also helps direct air flow to the side intakes in the back. This 'revision' was decided late in the development of the 918 and was recently incorporated into the final pre-production models.

Saludos,
Eduardo

neanicu

Clever!

Zeus

Many, many thanks for your response Eduardo!

Maybe if it was something other than "just" silver, something that would have made it a little more "special" in a way.

I would love to see Porsche come out with more special paint options like these. Maybe an option if for example, you ordered PTS Signal Green or Gulf Orange and it was done with the same 10+ coat hand-finished care that the Liqiud Chrome paints were accustomed to. Although I do understand that the base material for the $63K paints are more expensive to produce as well.

I would imagine, after a certain amount of multiple paint coats, that the actual weight of the paint would start to become a factor.

Not sure what I'm trying to say here exactly. Thanks to all for reading my "ideas" though...even if they are a bit eccentric.

Plastique999

Thank you both for the detailed review.

Can any of you compare the 918 test drive to the CGT?

Z356

Although I have been driven in my friend's (the 918 deposit holder's) Carrera GT, I have not. But I will ask him to compare them since he got to drive three laps on the 918, as opposed to my two, on Thursday.

Saludos,
Eduardo

Maltese Falcon

My test laps in the 918 is new territory for me, and I was lucky enough to have the factory trained instructor (Nick ) get me in the know, all within a 20 minute stint. Still with basic 918 knowledge, this car is totally non comparable to any Porsche I have ever spiritedly driven. Your only connection to an analog type of high performance road race car is if you hit "M" on the lower left of the 918 steering wheel. This takes the pdk out of the auto mode and puts you in charge of shifting via paddles. I've driven all sorts of Porsches, single +twin turbos, n/a, engines in the middle, front + rear.The 918 experience is unlike anything I have ever strapped into...but compared to the CGT ? Perhaps Eduardo will chime in here.
Marty