Porsche 918 Spyder: The Shape of Supercars to Come

Driving down the pit lane of Porsche's test track outside the company's Leipzig, Germany, factory, 918 Spyder prototype No. 25 is nearly silent as its runs on electric power. Exiting onto the track, the faint whine of the electric motors grows louder as we approach 94 miles per hour, the electric-mode limit. Finally, the midmounted 4.6-liter V-8 engine roars to life, the exhaust pipes booming inches behind my head.

The 918 Spyder is Porsche's next supercar, following in the footsteps of the Carrera GT, the 911 GT1, and the 959. It's an 887-hp plug-in electric hybrid that proves performance and efficiency are not mutually exclusive. As project leader Frank-Steffan Walliser explains: "For the first time, the technical solutions support both lap time and fuel consumption."

After several laps behind the wheel and a full day investigating what makes it work, we're convinced that the 918 points the way to a bright future for sports cars despite ever-tightening fuel-economy and emissions standards. And while this $845,000 car is out of reach even for rich people, the lessons learned will make their way down to more affordable rides.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/hybrid-electric/porsche-918-spyder-the-shape-of-supercars-to-come?src=rss

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