Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid headed for production
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 28th 2010 6:26PM
posted July 28th 2010 6:26PM
Green Light for Series Development of the 918 Spyder
Stuttgart. In its session today, the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, gave the green light for series development of the Porsche 918 Spyder. Reflecting the overwhelming response from the public and customers to the Concept Study, the Supervisory Board gave Porsche's Board of Management the mission to develop a production model based on the car already presented. This concept version of an ultra-high-performance mid-engined sports car with plug-in hybrid technology made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and at Auto China in Bejing, hitting the headlines worldwide.
Michael Macht, President and Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG: "Production of the 918 Spyder in a limited series proves that we are taking the right approach with Porsche Intelligent Performance featuring the combination of supreme performance and efficient drivetrain concepts. We will develop the 918 Spyder in Weissach and assemble it in Zuffenhausen. This is also a very important commitment to Germany as a manufacturing base."
The Concept Study of the 918 Spyder allows CO2 emissions of just 70 g/km, corresponding to fuel consumption of 3.0 litre/100 km (94.1 mpg imp) in the NEDC, on the one hand, and the performance of a super-sports car, on the other. This extremely efficient drivetrain technology then forms a symbiosis in the 918 Spyder with truly outstanding design and high-tech motorsport achievements. Further product details of the 918 Spyder will be disclosed in the months to come.
Stuttgart. In its session today, the Supervisory Board of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, gave the green light for series development of the Porsche 918 Spyder. Reflecting the overwhelming response from the public and customers to the Concept Study, the Supervisory Board gave Porsche's Board of Management the mission to develop a production model based on the car already presented. This concept version of an ultra-high-performance mid-engined sports car with plug-in hybrid technology made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and at Auto China in Bejing, hitting the headlines worldwide.
Michael Macht, President and Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG: "Production of the 918 Spyder in a limited series proves that we are taking the right approach with Porsche Intelligent Performance featuring the combination of supreme performance and efficient drivetrain concepts. We will develop the 918 Spyder in Weissach and assemble it in Zuffenhausen. This is also a very important commitment to Germany as a manufacturing base."
The Concept Study of the 918 Spyder allows CO2 emissions of just 70 g/km, corresponding to fuel consumption of 3.0 litre/100 km (94.1 mpg imp) in the NEDC, on the one hand, and the performance of a super-sports car, on the other. This extremely efficient drivetrain technology then forms a symbiosis in the 918 Spyder with truly outstanding design and high-tech motorsport achievements. Further product details of the 918 Spyder will be disclosed in the months to come.
let me just sell my house..
what's that? more than that?
**come here junior, "But dad!"**
MORE THAN THAT!
**goes to Canada**
MORE THAN MY FUCKING KIDNEYS TOO!
@rmbrown09 http://cl.ly/7066aa68610612f945c4
@rmbrown09 Potty mouth! Not to mention NOT funny you clown!
@rmbrown09 Just imagine how much and electric Veyron would cost!
@Juggernaut408 I'd rather not, especially to some scum troll like you, here lets look at your recent posts
Sprint reports $760 million net loss for Q2, slightly less than expected
Jul 28th 2010 4:12PM on Engadget
@iPhone3GS STHU AT&T Fanboy - you with your tons of dropped calls.
Sprint reports $760 million net loss for Q2, slightly less than expected
Jul 28th 2010 4:11PM on Engadget
@Leindurstit STHU AT&T fanboy
Time Inc. execs said to be frustrated over lack of iPad magazine subcriptions
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@ChazClout OH STHU Apple fanboy
Sprint reports $760 million net loss for Q2, slightly less than expected
Jul 28th 2010 4:04PM on Engadget
Sad isn't it?
Especially when their network is 1,000 times better than At&T's.
Best Buy to offer free invisibleSHIELD 4fix to aggravated iPhone 4 owners
Jul 28th 2010 11:05AM on Engadget
@Nanosman1994 BEST BUY IS A RIPOFF!
Best Buy to offer free invisibleSHIELD 4fix to aggravated iPhone 4 owners
Jul 28th 2010 11:04AM on Engadget
Nice You are SOOOOOO gernerous for you to give us a shield you paid 10 cents bulk for. Very kind of you.
NOT!
Is it going to go 'vroom vroom' or 'pew pew pew'?
@rmbrown09 - .....what?..
@rmbrown09
What surprises me about this isn't so much the cost as it is the design.
I think this is the first substantially-revised front end I've seen on a Porsche in the last decade.
@rmbrown09
And I said the iPad was a gross waste of money. Well, I showed me!
@Bryant
Then you haven't seen the Carrera GT, I guess.
http://arabgarage.com/flv/PorscheCarreraGT911012.jpg
@flett Im confused too? I thought this was about a car
@SeeKo
...that's the same front end porsche has been using for years. If you want an example of one that is different, try this one http://indianautosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/porsche_cayenne_diesel_main630_01-1120-636x360.jpg
and a pair of eyes next time.
@SeeKo The Carrera GT really doesn't look much different from the front end on the Boxster and the 911, despite their changes over the years. The changes here are far more substantial.
@rmbrown09
You do get the tax credit though! Can't beat that. ;)
Now, if they priced it at 1/6 the estimate I would consider it. :p oh, as long as I get the tax credit!
@a dumb cat
lmfao!;D man you are funny as fuck
@rmbrown09 LMAO!!!
All for amere $600,000 US.
Still Very Cool Though...
@DaHarder
Completely and entirely pointless.
Exotic cars do not even remotely count for statistically significant number of miles on our roads. Thus they do not need to be efficient or environmentally friendly. They could run on freshly squeezed baby seals, and it really wouldn't make a difference.
Its the mainstream everyday Joe and Jane that need EVs, and $20-30K is the right price point to change the world.
In short, if some rich douche like Al Gore drives up in one of these with a smug look on his face, I will Super Saiyan RAGE and go all Mike Tyson on his ears! >:O
@Ducman69 I gotta admit, you had me ROFL with that line "They could run on freshly squeezed baby seals"!!!!!
@Ducman69
Dude... Freshly squeezed baby seals?
What the hell is wrong with you man!?!?
@Firewave
Nice source of protein. What the hell do you think is in McDonald's food?
@Ducman69 You are looking at it the wrong way. Sure it is a tiny fraction of miles on our roads. But what is actually exciting/promising is the technology being developed here. We have to start somewhere - and we need those rich a-holes to buy this type of technology so it gets further developed, and eventually reaches the mainstream.
@Ducman69
Yes, there will be only "three" of these ever built, but this is how it has to be. The first cars to use new tech are not vws or Fords, it's the merc s class, exotic cars and formula 1 cars that introduce this stuff..
@Noggie Exactly! So just be happy that someone will buy this now, effectively investing in the technology to be developed!
@Noggie
Actually, the E class is starting to be the showcase for some of the new MB technology. Case in point: blind spot assist, attention assist, and adaptive high-beam assist were rolled out on the 2010 E class...
@Ducman69
What are you on about?
This is a halo car. It's not supposed to be mass-produced. It's going to provide inspiration for future cars that will be mass-produced and will need to be environmentally friendly.
@Scrubs
Plastic, cardboard, and oil. Why do you ask?
@Ducman69
I think thats exactly who the car is aimed at. Super-ultra rich people who want a really fast car, and have a shred of "guilt" related to the environment. Damn though, Id be ecstatic if I could afford a Tesla Model S. Those things are sexy!
@Ducman69
It has a 500 horsepower V8. I don't think it is meant to be eco friendly. The Electric motors will provide an acceleration advantage because they have 100% power the entire time.
@Scrubs
McSeal Sanmich...?
Nice mate!! (in austrailian accent)
Yes, but can you put a 1000 CPU Oriental rug in the trunk?
>electric motors that should let you get about 78 miles per gallon
That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever
@HansImGlueck
IIRC the industry has some sorta equilivant scale to convert electrical/hybrid cars to miles/gallon, not sure if its standardized though.
@joshky nonsense standardized is still nonsense
@joshky
Which I'm sure has no correlation to real world numbers either. So you have a 500hp V8 that normally would get, eh, maybe 10mpg avg we'll say. You add 200hp worth of electric motors and it goes to 78 mpg. I highly doubt that. Of course this would make sense for an American car company. Porsche probably does alittle more R&D and testing. However I'll believe the 78 mpg when I see it. Which, will also be never.
@HansImGlueck
The electric motors aid the gas motor ala F1.
@HansImGlueck
Don't you know what a hybrid is?
@csmitty
I have a 550+ RWHP supercharged V8 that averages over 18.5 MPG on a short 26-mile trip (if I don't get on it too much). If I really baby it, I can average over 20 MPG on the same trip. On a long trip, I can easily average over 22 MPG... Although these aren't great numbers when looking at merely the numbers, considering the performance, it is very good... This is on an 06 E55. Now, of course, if I really want to have fun and do some great 0-60 launches, and just push it hard, I can get that number down to the 13 or 14 range pretty easily, but again, considering the performance, this isn't bad either...
@SeeKo I'm not even going to ignore that
Nice mate !!( in austrailian accent) ... And I think this double commented crap
a 500hp v8 sort of defeats the purpose of an environmentally-focused vehicle.
@NoOrdinaryMSFT
Yep - it's like put an electric motor in it and call it green.
Reminds me of the late 50's when cars came out with padded dashboards for "safety". Yeah - that 1/4" of foam over steel will save your life.
It's all marketing BS.
@edf
no one said this is an environmentally focused vehicle
Will this ever be an Engadget giveaway.
The rims are class. But not sure I get the 78 miles to the gallon bit, is it a hybrid then or straight electric?
@Greg Ah it's a hybrid like it says in the title and first line of the post. I think I need a recharge myself.
@Greg
I'm pretty sure that's just a gas car with intentionally added weight.
@bravokiloromeo
Ah see that's where you're wrong, it appears they had to strip some weight off in order to compensate for the batteries...
"Mirrors? We don't need mirrors!"
"What about a top sir?"
"Absolutely not! We will sell a rain jacket with the car!"
"Y-Yes, of course."
Nice, I'll take TWO!