2014 Porsche 918 Spyder closer to becoming a reality

Porsche has just revealed the 2014 918 Spyder decked out in vintage Martini racing livery. The German automaker has announced that the innovative plug-in hybrid has a development goal of running a lap time of less than 7:22 at the Nurburgring-Nordschleife. Porsche says the super sports car which made it’s debut at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show is entering “the next phase” of driving trials and engineers have some ambitious goals for the futuristic supercar.

The Porsche 918 Spyder uses an advanced plug-in hybrid drivetrain consisting of a mid-mounted 4.6-liter V8 engine, two electric motors and seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox. The combined output produces a whopping 770 horsepower. Porsche is predicting zero-60 mph times of under 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph.

Porsche says the supercar will get a fuel-sipping 78 mpg and has an electric-only driving range of about 15 miles. By using a brake-energy recovery system that works in conjunction with the standard carbon ceramic brake discs, the driving range will be able to be increased. The 918 Spyder will be ultra light-weight and uses a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) which is super rigid for added strength. The supercar will be aerodynamic and will come with adaptive rear axle steering and “top pipes” exhaust system, which routes the pipes upwards and away from the vehicle.

Martini was the official race partner of Porsche factory team between 1973 and 1978 and the new design on the 918 Spyder is said to be inspired by the Porsche 917. The Martini Porsche team has numerous victories including finishing first overall at the Targa-Florio in 1973, winning the Sports Car World Championship in 1976 and overall victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1976 and 1977. A Martini supported Porsche 917 finished first in the legendary endurance race in Le Mans in 1971. Porsche implemented a wide variety of Martini Racing livery designs over the years and the vintage Martini Racing design will be made "exclusively available" for the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder.

The production number will be limited to just 918, and the supercar will have a projected price of $850,000. The 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder is expected to enter production in September 2013 and will be available soon after later next year. We’ll keep you updated on the Nurburgring-Nordschleife lap time and see if Porsche can reach their goal of running less than 7:22 at the famed track.

Source: Porsche