mwar99

I was actually curious about the brake durability...

Eduardo, if you could get them to open up on that issue that would be welcome information given the GT3 uses the same PCCB's. It might turn me to put the option on my order if they were durable enough when abused. I don't want to do a few track days and end up with a $20k brake job.

BoostBuggy

or even a $20k brake job?

Z356

Sam thinks it's Jerry's. So those two (Penske & Seinfeld) are the ones already delivered to date to US customers - or at least their dealers!

I will bring the topic up and see how far they are willing to talk about it.

Unlike those that own gt3 and gt3 RS, Porsche probably believes that most buyers of the 918 Spyder will NOT be taking their vehicles to the track! Nevertheless, the braking was just incredible on the 918 Spyder 'Weissach Package' which I drove at The Thermal last November! What the longevity is for those PCCB's at the track over time? I don't think we know and I doubt they'll tell us anything in public or private to make us 'worry' about them prior to the 'sale'.

The fact that Porsche is hosting quite a number of 918 Spyder Driving Events at the Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama from July to December 2014 (as Mike has informed us above) leads me to believe that PAG has not yet come close in selling out the 918 units planned for production! The sold number I heard from a pretty reliable source at the Parade was 700 units. That leaves 218 units that need to find homes. If the European market is currently less-than-robust for luxury automobiles as has been reported, that leaves PCNA with the task & responsibility of finding the bulk of those 218 prospective buyers! That is a tall order for any marketing organization at these elevated prices. I wish them success. Surprisingly, most current deposit holders would prefer them to limit production to 700 or less. So you will not see deposit holders complaining if Porsche falls short of its sale goal!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

heynow

According to PCNA today, they were surprised at the number of people who are going to track the car. There are a few who are planning to race them.

W8MM

For USA customers, it's a no-brainer to assume some track use. How else is one supposed to enjoy the car's potential, if even for a few 20 minute sessions per year?

The 918 is even faster than the Carrera GT, so it is even more limiting for enjoyment on the street.

I live too far from Rodeo Drive to make that sort of driving important to me.

Whoopsy

I have to imagine the actual brake disc isn't stressed much due to the fact that the 918 uses regen braking for the initial 0.5g.

Even on a track compared with a GT3, the usage will be like 1/2 of what the GT3 uses, or maybe less. So it will last twice as long if we go by that thinking.

mwar99

That is a fair point.

Eduardo, thanks for your anticipated effort to find some more info, much appreciated. I would(will) try in Sept, but it might be too late to change my order.

hurwizle

It is a very heavy car, and in my experience with tracking a heavy car, regardless of ceramic or steel, you will wear through brakes. The car is blindingly fast, and based on my short experience with the car so far, I assume I can carry almost +20mph down many of the long straights (Thunderhill, Sonoma, Button Willow) compared to my 997.2 Turbo.

Front ceramic brake rotors- $7,726.80 each
Rear ceramic brake rotors- $7,566.39 each

Note: these are just the rotors, no pads, hardware, sensors, etc.

I have not yet got an answer as to how much the wheel bearing and hubs and other center lock parts will be for the car, but if it priced like everything else, they will be several times what the same part costs for a 911. I am assuming they have the same BS duty cycle as the current centerlocks.

In my ideal world, they would have a steel brake option and my cost per track day would be a bit cheaper.

biko

Drove the 918 today. The only issue was you really couldn't drive the car even close to its potential as it was a lead-follow. I think I was driving at 3/10 or less. Heck, I had to lift mid corner to avoid running into the TurboS that was pacing. No spin of course, we were going that slow relative to grip.

That said, I felt the car was very well balanced. Functionally, I didn't find any part of the car lacking relative to other aspects. Shifting was very impressive, better that what Ferrari is doing these days. Suspension for a road car, felt very good on the track. Better than any other production car, except for P1 or LaF (which I have not driven). Not Cup car or Challenge car levels but very solid feeling. Made the TurboS feel like an SUV.

I liked it enough that I called my dealer and placed a deposit.

Whoopsy

goplay Glad to see you like the 918. I remembered you forgo the 918 to get the P1 before. But after testing driving the final production version you had to be surprised by how good it is.

We have been saying for a long time but not many listen, the 918 is the most complete hypercar right now. There is no compromise.

FlatSix911

Well done!

richk

The red 918 is stunning...that would be my 1st choice.

Z356

So Sam Cabiglio has now confirmed the 'Blue' 918 at Porsche of Beverly Hills is indeed Seinfeld's car (first photo):

"Hi Eduardo,

The blue 918 was indeed Jerry's, and next week he"s coming to LA and we'll take it for the "maiden voyage" through the Santa Monica mountains!

Ciao,
Sam"

I'll ask Sam to confirm also if that exterior is 'Dark Blue Metallic' which is one of the six 'regular' metallic colors offered as standard (n/c) on the 918.

And Melissa Witek also confirmed to me today at Infineon/Sears Point that only those two cars have been delivered to customers in the US.

More on my visit to the 918 event at Infineon shortly. Including an 'addition' which, although I didn't anticipate it, is indeed a welcomed surprise!

Tim: You are on top of this. Good for you! Yes, a 'Henry Ford' type option...$2,800 for any other color you want on your 918's brake calipers as long as that color is 'Silver'! This option does not appear in either of the two official hardback 918 Spyder sales book in my possession. Any option with 'CXX' means that it is a customized 'Porsche Exclusive' request by the has been granted (for a price) to the person ordering his/her Porsche! 'CXX', for example, would be needed for the factory to paint your rear view mirrors or front hood 'Gloss Black' on your 991 (photo 2), which is something not offered via the regular configurator!

I happen to like 'Acid Green' and it's the official color of Porsche's Hybrid 'technology' (photo 3 & 4). I can't see paying $2800 for this option to have just the calipers in the color 'Silver'...even as fastidious & persnickety as I am about small details in my vehicles!

Ditto!

That is what they are looking for...turning prospects into actual deposit holders & eventual buyers! Good for you, Biko! I hope you went for a 'Weissach Package' (photo 5 taken by me last November at The Thermal)!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel

Z356

To me the biggest surprise of the day was seeing David Donohue as the newly hired '918 Client Relationship Manager' on his second week of his job at PCNA! David is the son of Mark Donohue, the legendary driver who had a very close relationship with Porsche before his untimely death on August 19, 1975 after suffering a crash during a practice run for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Österreichring!

David is 47 years old and also has a distinguished career in racing! He won the 2009 '24 Hours of Daytona' in a Brumos-sponsored Riley-Porsche and the gt2 class in 1998 at the '24 Heures du Mans' in a Team Oreca Viper! More recently in 2013, David won the GX Class at the '24 Hours of Daytona' driving a Napleton-sponsored Porsche Cayman S!

http://blogs.motortrend.com/porsche-...?__federated=1

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?...uto&id=3450490

http://www.westmontporsche.com/2013-...na-victory.htm

http://www.racing-reference.info/driver/David_Donohue

David Donohue has previously worked for PAG & PCNA as a consultant & brand ambassador, usually in a public relations role dealing with automotive media on behalf of Porsche. He will continue to live with his family in West Chester, Pennsylvania and commute to 918 events & PCNA's headquarters in Atlanta. He is the permanent replacement for Daniel Eastman, the former '918 Client Relationship Manager', who left PCNA in March to pursue other interests. Melissa Witek, a 'Personal Design Specialist' with 'Porsche Exclusive' at PCNA, ably filled in for Daniel until his replacement was found. Melissa continues to be the 'Design Specialist' for 918 customers in the US, but now resumes her responsibilities for the full range of other Porsche models that require design expertise via 'Porsche Exclusive'. She will be moving from NY to Atlanta and will be based at PCNA's headquarters.

Because of start-up delays, Porsche now expects 918 production to continue until approximately the summer of 2015, with deliveries scheduled until the Fall of 2015 here in the US. David is expected to continue in his role as '918 Client Relationship Manager' until the 918 production phase is completed at Zuffenhausen and all vehicles are sold & delivered to North American customers! This is all scheduled to take place by year-end 2015. Although not an engineer like his father (Brown, Class of 1959), David is an accomplished driver whose experience in professional racing will resonate with the customers that Porsche has targeted for this very special sports car, perhaps the most daring & technologically advanced vehicle that Porsche has produced to date! We wish David success in this new position at Porsche. And I am sure the 918 clientele in North America will appreciate his involvement with this model & its marketing program in particular!

Saludos,
Eduardo
Carmel


In the photo, David Donohue is wearing the 918 'Acid Green' Polo Shirt!
.

Stephen Pitts

Glad to hear about the successful experiences with the 918; I do think W8MM makes a very good point about how limiting the US can be for persons to truly enjoy their cars since it is so "anti-speed". Top Gear makes fun of it all of the time. So, yes, Porsche probably should emphasise the "track-ability" (a newly combined term) of the 918 for US. I have enough of a challenge using my CGT in Europe (got a nice little ticket from the French police on my way down the A6 to Puligny-Montrachet never mind that everyone was going at a pretty fast pace) -- but the equivalent of a 100-110mph is pretty common here. Cheers, Steve