Porsche 918 Spyder makes driving debut

Last week the Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid made its driving debut on a closed road in Monterey California, days before it made its public appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The Porsche 918 Spyder was shipped over from Germany by plane, and the keys were handed over to Porsche AG Design Chief Michael Mauer. The mid mounted 3.4-litre V8 and all electric mode powered the car on its test drive.

According to a source who attended a private showing at Pebble beach, we can expect the 918 Spyder to have a bigger engine than the 493hp (368kW) 3.4-liter V8 engine currently in use. Both the displacement and the horsepower could get bumped up, which would combine with three 40kW electric motors for more than the reported 708hp (528 kW).

The production model will only be sold with a PDK transmission. Although currently all carbon fiber, the consumer model will have improved crash safety thanks to aluminum at the front end.

The car will reportedly be sold with both hard and soft tops, but no RS version is being planned. Side mirrors could be replaced with cameras, relaying a video image to a built-in display at the instrument cluster. Also inside, the driver will control the infotainment system via a touch screen.

According to sources, the Porsche 918 Spyder is currently being tested in the form of several mules wearing the Boxster/Cayman body. Production will be limited to 1200 units.

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