Tuesday 25th May 2010

918 Spyder To Become A 'Ring Racer

Porsche hybrid concept heads for 2011 Nurburgring 24 Hours

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The slinky Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar could be heading to the Nurburgring for next year's 24-hour race, according to German car mag Auto Motor und Sport.

The 918 Spyder, which is powered by a 493bhp V8 petrol engine and twin electric motors, can manage a combined maximum power output of 708bhp.

Porsche's engineers are said to be working on a track version with a maximum speed of more than 200mph, though the concept is already pretty feisty - Porsche reckons it could lap the 'Ring at a more-than-respectable 7mins 30secs.

Porsche entered a hybrid racer for the first time at this year's Nurburgring, but failed to win after its 911 GT3 R retired from the lead of the race with an engine fault after 22 hours.

As well as the apparently imminent racing version, a production version of the 918 Spyder could also be close. Porsche says it will make a production version if it gets are more than 1000 expressions of interest; there were already 900 of those at the end of April...

[WCZ]

[willE36]

Is it just me, or does the nose of this car have a somewhat Disney touch to the design? Somehow reminds me of Mickey and Minnie Mouse...

= )

[Craiglamuffin]

Well if anything's going to make a hybrid desirable this is it!

[thehardman07]

Well they can formally add my 'expression of interest' to the rest of them.

I've no hope of being able to pay for it but hopefully this will do the trick of getting it into production as soon as possible!

[Roberty]

Yeah put me down too, again I can't afford to pay for it but i'm still very much interested!

[soad]

Well, car does look like a racer, to be fair.

[dlockhart]

it looks as if someone in the porsche styling department has decided they actually need to style for a living (may be there's a new boss). Apart from the aero hubs this is the most desirable porsche ever - and I speak as an owner

[GravelBen]

soad said:

Well, car does look like a racer, to be fair.

A bit like this racer even (from certain angles, combined with a fair chunk of Carrera GT - not a bad thing!)

Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 25th May 13:29

[nsmith1180]

Oh to have the money to pay for it. And the technical knowledge to de-hybridise it.

Fair play to Porsche but why is it all hybrids. I was well pleased to hear the hybrid didn't make the distance at the ring!

[freedman]

nsmith1180 said:

Oh to have the money to pay for it. And the technical knowledge to de-hybridise it.

Fair play to Porsche but why is it all hybrids. I was well pleased to hear the hybrid didn't make the distance at the ring!

Why would you want to dehybridise it?

[pagani1]

I too will send my expression of interest and hope the wheel design is improved by production.
I notice the paint is the new non-visioning type that prevents cameras and radar getting a good shot.
I hope they put it on the number plate

[Spiritual_Beggar]

willE36 said:

Is it just me, or does the nose of this car have a somewhat Disney touch to the design? Somehow reminds me of Mickey and Minnie Mouse...

= )

Not quite Disney, but I'm sensing a bit of....

Benny the Cab?

Edited by Spiritual_Beggar on Tuesday 25th May 16:14

[parki11]

nsmith1180 said:

Oh to have the money to pay for it. And the technical knowledge to de-hybridise it.

Fair play to Porsche but why is it all hybrids. I was well pleased to hear the hybrid didn't make the distance at the ring!

retired from the lead of the race with an ENGINE FAULT after 22 hours.- no electric motors mentioned. besides what's wrong with a racing hybrid? i'd sooner see hybrids than racing deisels any day of the week! plus this may encourage car companies to build hybrids with some street cred! rid the world of the pruis and get some proper attempts on the road i say.

[snoopdutt1985]

Brilliant, cant wait to see that, hopefully look something along these lines, funnily enough i made these when the car was unveiled.

Andy

www.dutton-design.co.uk

[snoopdutt1985]

They are only rough, only took about an hour or so, just thought i would share!

Andy

www.Dutton-Design.co.uk

Edited by snoopdutt1985 on Tuesday 25th May 21:09

[XitUp]

nsmith1180 said:

Oh to have the money to pay for it. And the technical knowledge to de-hybridise it.

Why?

nsmith1180 said:

Fair play to Porsche but why is it all hybrids. I was well pleased to hear the hybrid didn't make the distance at the ring!

Why?

[treehack]

GravelBen said:

soad said:

Well, car does look like a racer, to be fair.

A bit like this racer even (from certain angles, combined with a fair chunk of Carrera GT - not a bad thing!)

Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 25th May 13:29

oooOOOooo I have a new addition to the lottery winning garage

[dan19evans]

am i the only one that doesn't like this car ?

[mrclav]

dan19evans said:

am i the only one that doesn't like this car ?

So far, yes.

[TU Tuning]

Someone correct me if Im wrong, but wasn't the GT3 R Hybrid comfortably first until its engine problems? There's a significant difference at least in my mind between cars which sell on mass to culture chasing uneducated wkers who buy Priuses and Lexi and a Hypercar with an electronic system that supplies masses of power and torque on demand.

And again correct me if Im wrong but the technologies stumbling block has been battery related for quite some time, this has come on a long way of late and the actual motor technology is pretty simple so I doubt theyll be any underlying technical issues to worry about.

As for the looks, Im happy it doesnt resemble a bloody 911, and its automotive porn to boot. I really hope they can keep the wheels too, like them a lot.

Edited by TU Tuning on Wednesday 26th May 09:18