![]() And there was plenty of braking power in the 918 Spyder, with its 410mm (front) and 390mm (rear) diameter Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), and six-piston callipers, fitted as standard. For their new hybrid supercar, Porsche engineers developed a new generation of recuperation system that vastly improved existing capabilities. Just like the Formula One cars that, back then, had recently adopted hybrid technology for the first time, the 918 Spyder made use of what was called ‘active recuperation’ – in other words, harvesting energy during braking. The powerful regenerative braking of the 918 Spyder Porsche motorsport legend Walter Röhrl (left) with Michael Macht, then President and CEO of Porsche AG, in the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car at its public reveal in 2010 2. ![]() Here was a Porsche that used this game changing technology to stunning effect. Hybrid technology and electrification has come a long way since 2014, but it’s worth remembering that it wasn’t until the end of 2013 that Formula 1 had adopted hybrid engines for the first time. What does that all mean when you press the accelerator pedal of this four-wheel drive supercar? A top speed of 345km/h and a scintillating 0-100km/h time of 2.6 seconds. With twin electric motors – 115 kW electric motor on the rear axle and a 95 kW one on the front – the 918 Spyder could be powered at the rear axle both individually by the combustion engine or electric motor as well as jointly by both drives. ![]() On its own, the 918 would have been a highly accomplished performer, but it was much more than that. Made almost exclusively of titanium and aluminium and weighing just 135kg, the engine in the 918 Spyder was described at the time by the man who led the project, Frank-Steffen Walliser, as “…the best engine we have ever done”. The main power source is a 4.6-litre V8 that delivers around 578PS of power that was directly derived from the successful RS Spyder, which was good for engine speeds of up to 9,000rpm. At launch, here was a true supercar that just happened to be a plug-in hybrid as well, combining a high-performance combustion engine with cutting-edge electric motors for extraordinary performance. Styling is always important at Porsche, but when it comes to the 918 Spyder, you really have to start with what’s under the bonnet – and what connects to both axles too. The dynamic performance of the Porsche 918 hybrid engine Here’s seven reasons why the 918 Spyder made such a splash. ![]() From its game changing, high-powered hybrid set-up to its exterior design, like its weight-saving Spyder roof set-up, it’s a car that has had a profound effect on the nature of Porsche sportscars and race cars ever since. These are just a few of the comments made by the world’s leading motoring writers after they drove the Porsche Spyder 918 for the first time, just before its launch in 2014. ![]() ‘Possibly the most complete hypercar there’s ever been’. With its lightweight construction, innovative power unit and mind-blowing performance, it left the world reaching for superlatives when launched. Porsche has made many outstanding sportscars – but few, if any, can match this hybrid-powered supercar. How much is a Porsche 918 Spyder? …and six more key facts about the mighty hybrid supercar ![]()
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