918 Spyder prototype in vintage Martini Racing design
Atlanta. Driving trials of the Porsche 918 Spyder have entered the next phase. A permanent fixture of the test program for the 918 Spyder – and in the tuning process for all Porsche vehicles – is the 12.92 mile (20.8 km) long Nordschleife of the Nürburgring race course with its many bends and selective passages. A lap time of less than seven minutes and 22 seconds is one of the development goals of the innovative plug-in hybrid drive super sports car.
The 918 Spyder, which is hardly an everyday vehicle, yet is well equipped for everyday tasks, combines a high-performance internal combustion engine with electric drives at the front and rear axles to achieve extraordinary driving performance and excellent efficiency. The system power of all three drives together is greater than 770 hp. The car’s fuel consumption is forecast to be around three liters per 100 km when tested on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), which is equivalent to CO2 emissions of about 70 g/km.
The monocoque, consisting of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), reduces the car’s weight and delivers remarkable rigidity and precision. Other highlights are the car’s variable aerodynamics; adaptive rear axle steering and “top pipes” exhaust system, which routes the pipes upwards. All of this makes the Porsche 918 Spyder a super sports car for the future, even though the styling of the prototype is reminiscent of historical models.
The latest test vehicle is now turning laps in the legendary Martini® Racing look of many historic Porsche racecars, particularly from the 1970s. More
than nearly any other racecar design, the Martini® Racing livery quickly attained cult status and is still in vogue today. Martini® was the official partner of the Porsche factory team between 1973 and 1978.
Back then, the attractively designed “Martini® Porsche” racecars with their numerous victories were a topic of conversation. These victories included finishing first overall at the Targa-Florio in 1973, winning the Sports Car World Championship in 1976 and overall victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1976 and 1977. As early as 1971, a Porsche 917 finished first in the legendary endurance race in Le Mans with the support of Martini®. Whether a Porsche 908, 917, 935 or 936 or one of various 911 RS or RSR models, common to all of these race cars was the memorable Martini® Racing livery implemented in a wide variety of designs.
Porsche AG and the Martini® brand, represented by Bacardi Company Limited of Switzerland, have signed a new partnership agreement to create a modern Martini® Racing design to be exclusively available on the innovative 918 Spyder.
Specifications of the Porsche 918 Spyder*
Body:
Two-seater Spyder; carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque interlocked with CFRP unit carrier; two-piece Targa roof; fixed roll-over protection system.
Drivetrain:
Parallel full hybrid; 4.6-litre V8 mid-engine with dry-sump lubrication; hybrid module with electric motor and decoupler; electric motor with decoupler and gear unit on front axle; electrical system recuperation; four cooling circuits for motors, transmission and battery; thermal management.
Engine Power:
570 hp (V8 engine)
~ 90 kW (hybrid module on rear axle)
~ 80 kW (electric motor on front axle)
770 hp (combined)
Suspension:
Double-wishbone front axle; electro-mechanical power steering; multi-link rear axle with adaptive electro-mechanical system for individual rear wheel steering; optional electro-pneumatic lift system on front axle.
Brake system:
High-performance hybrid brake system with adaptive recuperation; ceramic brake discs (PCCB).
Energy supply:
Lithium-ion battery with 6.8 kWh capacity (BOL nominal), 202 kW maximum power and mains-compatible plug-in charger.
Performance:
Top speed 325 km/h
purely electric 150 km/h
Acceleration: 0 – 100 km/h
Consumption (NEDC):
Total ~ 3.0 l/100 km
CO2 emissions:
Total ~ 70 g/km
Range:
Purely electric 25 km
About Porsche Cars North America
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, Ga. is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche sports cars, the Cayenne SUV and Panamera sports sedan. Established in 1984, it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and employs approximately 220 people who provide parts, service, marketing and training for 194 dealers. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand’s 63-year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency.
At the core of this success is Porsche’s proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000 motorsport wins to date.
For Porsche apps: http://www.porsche.com/usa/entertainment/apps/
Note: Photos and video footage are available to accredited journalists on the Porsche Press Database at http://press.porsche.com/.
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