918 Spyder Hybrid Concept Premieres in Geneva

[kevingalls]

[caption id="attachment_730" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="The Engineers at Porsche just warmed my heart a little."][/caption] Have you ever wanted to go around the Nurburgring in 7 min, 30 sec? - That's faster than a Porsche Carrera GT. Do you want to do it in a car that can get you 78mpg at cruising speeds? Do you want to do it in a car which is drop-dead gorgeous and features all the stunning looks of an exotic supercar while still earning the kudos head nods from earth-friendly citizens? I thought so.

Porsche's 500+ hp 918 Spyder Hybrid features a mid-mounted 3.4L V8, and liquid-cooled lithium ion battery cells positioned behind the passenger, ahead of the engine. After unplugging the car from your home in Beverly Hills, and with a full charge, your 918 Spyder Hybrid will get to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. Just make sure to do all your drag racing while the batteries are full, because without a serious charge your performance numbers will dwindle.

[caption id="attachment_731" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Drop-dead gorgeous profile"][/caption] Congratulations to Porsche for putting some focus on intending to build a hybrid. At first glance I might overlook the 918, expecting it to never reach production but this time I'm putting my money on it. Porsche have distanced themselves pretty far from the technology of the old air-cooled models from as late as the mid-90's. This new model is very exciting for the future of hybrid technology. The other feature worth mentioning is aerodynamics. It's not like we haven't known flat wheels and undersides, curvy lines, low profiles, and extended rears were all necessary for slip-stream aerodynamics. It's just nice to see car makers are finally finding more solutions to those aerodynamic woes, and inventing ways to make them look good. Now for some more eye candy...

[caption id="attachment_741" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Me likey."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_742" align="alignnone" width="600" caption="Hold me back."][/caption]