Sales of the Porsche 918 Spyder start today

Today Porsche is launching to the market its super sports car with its innovative plug-in hybrid drive, the Porsche 918 Spyder. With a tremendous success and customer acceptance during its’ unveiling at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, a production series now comes to life. The 918 Spyder features unique hybrid technology, which gives the super sports car an estimated fuel consumption of three litres of fuel per 100 kilometres. Its drivetrain composed by a V8 engine and two electric motors delivers a combined total of 718hp (500+160hp). The 918 Spyder will be available for order at a price starting at €645,000.

Porsche has decided to keep the 918 Spyder as an exclusive model, so its’ production has been limited to 918 units. The orders are now starting, with Porsche warning that the production will be initialised in the same sequence in which orders are received. Still the production is still a little bit far as it will only start on 18 September 2013, with the delivery of the first vehicles starting in November 2013.

With the design being inspired on the Carrera GT and Porsche 917 sports car as well as the RS Spyder, the production model series of the 918 Spyder is very similar to the concept car shown in 2010. Differences to the production version include a manual roof system with removable roof panels that can be stowed in the front luggage compartment.

The 918 Spyder features a plug-in hybrid system that is combines a high-revving V8 engine with an output of more than 368 kW (500 hp) and two electric motors – one each on the front and rear axle – with a joint mechanical output of at least 160 kW (218 hp).

The power source of the two electric engines is a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a conventional domestic power socket, delivering a range in excess of 25 km on purely electric power.

With a combined fuel consumption expected to be fixed at 3.0 l/100 km, with equivalent CO2 emissions of 70g/km the 918 Spyder will still be offering high performance. In fact it is expected to break the 100 km/h mark within just 3.2 seconfs and reach a top speed of 320 km/h.

Because customers will still have to wait some time for the opportunity of putting their hands on the 918 Spyder, Porsche is offering the opportunity to those who order the model to acquire an exclusive 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder”, also limited to no more than 918 units.

Inspired on the 918 Spyder's characteristic individual features, this special edition includes the acid green features such as the specific and part-embroidered model logos and seams, the instrument cluster needles, the specific PCM screen and illuminated door entry guards. A limited edition badge has been placed on the glove compartment and bears the same number as the 918 Spyder the customer has ordered.

The new 911 Turbo S “Edition 918 Spyder” is based on the 530 hp (295 kW) 911 Turbo S and will be available from today in both the coupe and cabriolet version.