RE: Chris Harris video: Porsche 918 Spyder
Wednesday 18th December 2013
Many things have been written about the Porsche 918 Spyder by Chris Harris. Usually prompting replies of 'great - now where's the vid?' or similar. Well, we've already had two of course. First time round Chris was wary of Porsche's hybrid monster, asking the obvious question of why didn't they just leave all the electric gubbins behind and make it into a new age Carrera GT.
Chris Harris video: Porsche 918 Spyder
No protoype disguise, no nervous engineer beside him and no need to hold back - Chris on the 918
Second time and Chris got to drive it himself, any cynicism about the hybrid age reaching the supercar world harder to maintain in the face of the irrepressible project leader Dr Frank Walliser.
Since then we've had the Frankfurt unveiling, that lap time at the 'ring and, finally, the first chance to really drive it as intended. Of the three hybrid hypercars the Porsche is the only one you could still feasibly buy and it's the only one the likes of us will get to drive Review get to drive like this and talk about, given that both LaFerrari and the McLaren P1 are all sold out and accounted for.
Enough words though. It's time to enjoy the vid.
Discussion
Poetry in motion...I think the 918 and the LaFerrari perfectly update the curve vs angular poster champions of my childhood, the 959 and the 288GTO. I'm a Porsche fanboy at heart though and this thing looks phenominal....
I think thats because as an even younger boy my dad made his own scalextrix cars and the fastest was a 904, and there is simply so much of that DNA here.
No doubt the Ferrari and McLaren will be faster, I don't care.
I think thats because as an even younger boy my dad made his own scalextrix cars and the fastest was a 904, and there is simply so much of that DNA here.
No doubt the Ferrari and McLaren will be faster, I don't care.
Edited by Agoogy on Wednesday 18th December 20:47
Re the brakes, I will be interested in Chris' reply.
When I drove the car about six weeks ago, I found the brake pedal feel to be not ideal. On light applications the initial feel is a bit woolly. Here you are just using the electric regeneration mode for braking. And then the transition from regen to hydraulic braking at around 0.5g was noticeable - unless one was really standing on the brakes. Absolutely no doubting the stopping power, which was immense, or the lovely balance of the car under brakes to the apex. But overall, I found the calibration to be not quite perfect. To be fair to Porsche, they agreed and said that further calibration work was on-going - perhaps the car Chris drove benefited from this.
As for the overall review, as ever Chris a wonderful video. And the first reviewer to drift the car!
When I drove the car about six weeks ago, I found the brake pedal feel to be not ideal. On light applications the initial feel is a bit woolly. Here you are just using the electric regeneration mode for braking. And then the transition from regen to hydraulic braking at around 0.5g was noticeable - unless one was really standing on the brakes. Absolutely no doubting the stopping power, which was immense, or the lovely balance of the car under brakes to the apex. But overall, I found the calibration to be not quite perfect. To be fair to Porsche, they agreed and said that further calibration work was on-going - perhaps the car Chris drove benefited from this.
As for the overall review, as ever Chris a wonderful video. And the first reviewer to drift the car!
Edited by stefan1 on Wednesday 18th December 21:06
Agoogy said:
harryowl said:
Problem is, once its out of charge you're carrying loads of dead weight...
under what circumstances does that happen if the brakes regenerate it?When I drove the car, from less than 50% charge it took one lap (one lap only) to recharge to 100% in hybrid sport mode - they tell you to drive between 4 and 5k rpm and shift manually.
On the public road, it would never run out of charge.
Cheers
Edited by stefan1 on Wednesday 18th December 21:04
Of the three current hypercars it's the one I would want to own the most.
It's the prettiest by some margin and frankly my capabilities will never explore the outer envelope of any supercar, let alone the three hypercars currently out there.
Frankly, having driven the 12c, and been driven in it close to its limits, there comes a point where the performance is a number and nothing more to most mortals.
Great video as ever monkey!
It's the prettiest by some margin and frankly my capabilities will never explore the outer envelope of any supercar, let alone the three hypercars currently out there.
Frankly, having driven the 12c, and been driven in it close to its limits, there comes a point where the performance is a number and nothing more to most mortals.
Great video as ever monkey!
stefan1 said:
Re the brakes, I will be interested in Chris' reply.
When I drove the car about six weeks ago, I found the brake pedal feel to be not ideal. On light applications the initial feel is a bit woolly. Here you are just using the electric regeneration mode for braking. And then the transition from regen to hydraulic braking at around 0.5g was noticeable - unless one was really standing on the brakes. Absolutely no doubting the stopping power, which was immense, or the lovely balance of the car under brakes to the apex. But overall, I found the calibration to be not quite perfect. To be fair to Porsche, they agreed and said that further calibration work was on-going - perhaps the car Chris drove benefited from this.
As for the overall review, as ever Chris a wonderful video. And the first reviewer to drift the car!
I thought the brakes were fine. May I ask speed did you see down the back St. Also you do know the car we dove was mapped back...When I drove the car about six weeks ago, I found the brake pedal feel to be not ideal. On light applications the initial feel is a bit woolly. Here you are just using the electric regeneration mode for braking. And then the transition from regen to hydraulic braking at around 0.5g was noticeable - unless one was really standing on the brakes. Absolutely no doubting the stopping power, which was immense, or the lovely balance of the car under brakes to the apex. But overall, I found the calibration to be not quite perfect. To be fair to Porsche, they agreed and said that further calibration work was on-going - perhaps the car Chris drove benefited from this.
As for the overall review, as ever Chris a wonderful video. And the first reviewer to drift the car!
Edited by stefan1 on Wednesday 18th December 21:06
Despite all of what Chris said I still believe that if that car went on a 200kg diet and just had that V8 it would be such a more desirable package.
But that's just me though. I can definitely see this car as a landmark vehicle for the future, but part of me doesn't want to accept that yet.
But that's just me though. I can definitely see this car as a landmark vehicle for the future, but part of me doesn't want to accept that yet.
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