2013 will be remembered as the year of the hi-tech hybrid supercar: first LaFerrari, then McLaren P1 and now officially the Porsche 918 Spyder. We’ve heard many claimed figures and rumoured details for the 918 Spyder prototype but now official figures are on the table. And these figures seem to suggest the hi-tech Porsche is lagging a bit behind its Italian and British competition.
The 918 Spyder’s naturally aspirated 4.6-litre V8 engine develops 447 kW and revs to 9 150 r/min. It is the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Porsche make and is more powerful per litre than even the old Carrera GT’s V10 engine. The electric motor is worthy of 115 kW. The parallel hybrid configuration allows the rear axle to be powered by either the combustion engine or electric motor or via both drives jointly.
The front axle is powered by another independent electric motor developing 95 kW, with energy coming from a 7 kWh liquid cooled lithium-ion battery. The battery can be recharged in four hours using the supplied Porsche Universal Charger (AC) or in 25 minutes using the optional Porsche Speed Charging Station (DC).
With a combined output of over 647 kW, the 918 Spyder can average 3.0 L/100 km when used on the electric motor alone. In its lightest iteration with the ‘Weissach Package’ it weighs approximately 1640 kg.
Porsche say the 918 Spyder benefits from all sorts of development garnered from racing. The rolling chassis is the core of the 918 Spyder and can theoretically be fitted with any type of body on top of it, just like the race cars that will compete in the 24 hours race in Le Mans LMP2 class in 2014. It is a shame then that the body they have fitted looks so muted against the aggressive P1 and LaFerrari. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder we guess.
Seen effectively as 2004 Carrera GT replacement, the current lap time for the Nurburgring is 7:14 minutes, a time set back in 2012 and a time only a few seconds faster than a far more affordable Nissan GT-R. With the prototype being already 20 seconds quicker than the Carrera GT, the final production model is expected to lap the even faster and we look forward to discovering what that time is.
The lap time should be good because Porsche have gone to typically focussed lengths to ensure the weighty body is well contained on track. The centre of gravity is approximately only the height of the wheel hubs. All drivetrain components weighing over 50 kg (they’re undoubtedly talking about the batteries here) are located as low down and as centrally as possible. Weight distribution is rear end biased, with 57% on the rear and 43% on the front.
The 918 Spyder has the assistance of systems such as the PASM, adaptive shock-absorber system and rear wheel steering as is now available on the GT3 and Turbo models. There is also a Porsche system called Porsche Active Aerodynamics that operates in three modes with help of a front spoiler, rear diffuser and rear spoiler that alter their angles of attack for the best downforce.
In terms of the drivetrain, ‘E-Power’ mode provides a range of over 30 km on pure electric power. 0 – 100 km/h is covered in less than 7 seconds and top speed is 150 km/h. When the battery level drops, the system automatically switches to hybrid mode. In ‘Hybrid’ mode, the electric motors and combustion engine work alternately with a focus on maximum efficiency and minimum fuel consumption. In ‘Sport Hybrid’ mode, the combustion engine operates continuously and provides the main propulsive force. In ‘Race Hybrid’ mode maximum performance is harnessed from both power sources. A 7-speed PDK transmission helps send all the complex power from its source to where it needs to be.
That sounds great but as we all know now, both the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari make well over 670 kW in lighter bodies, and as a result they are much quicker than the 918. All three will do 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds, and again the Nissan GT-R will do exactly that for a fraction of the price, but the Brit and the Italian are 5 seconds faster than the German to 300 km/h. Surely that’s all that matters with hi-tech hyper cars like these?
