Porsche, maker of some of the best luxury cars in the world, are highly anticipating the release of the Porsche 918 Spyder now that the initial prototypes have been recently completed. The new model hopes to remind drivers of the company’s historical racing routes, and draws inspiration from the Porsche 917. Designers strove to incorporate an arrangement of sophisticated drive components, including a combination combustion engine and independent electric motors. Wolfgang Hatz, an executive member of the Board Research and Development of Porsche AG, said in their latest newsletter, “What we are doing with the 918 Spyder is redefining driving, fun, efficiency and performance.”
The combustion engine’s interplay with the electric motors are part of a design plan to make this luxury super sports car a “plug-in hybrid vehicle.” However, unlike many hybrid cars, the Porsche Spyder 918 is crossing over into new territory with its astounding power. The new vehicle will boast more than 770 horsepower and contain a fuel efficiency in the range of .8 gallons per 62 miles. Other features will include a full carbon fiber reinforced plastic monocoque with unit carrier, adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and upward-venting exhaust system.
While all the additions to the new Spyder are spectacular, engineers and drivers alike feel this may simply foreshadow the technological advancements the company may be able to explore in the future. Internal software developments are enabling vehicles to become more intelligent than ever, and as Hatz commented, “They are a critical component in this vehicle into which we have put all of our expertise and capacity for innovation.” The Porsche Spyder 918 is slated to go into production at the end of September 2013 and the first customers are expected to receive the finished product before the end of the year.

To learn more visit Porsche.com.