Tuesday 31st July 2012

918 Spyder shows off Martini livery

Hybrid supercar heads off for 'ring testing and gets a lick of paint to celebrate

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Testing for the 918 Spyder is well under way and having driven it for as long as possible sans bodywork and looking like some Mad Max special Porsche has had to attach the panels. And taken an innovative approach to the usual prototype camouflage.

As in, there is none.

Second in a series of classic liveries

What it's doing instead is celebrating past racing glories with a number of motorsport related liveries intended to distract us from looking too hard at the 918's form. Which is a bold approach, it has to be said, but given that testing at the 'ring is about to start and every spy snapper in the world will be out lurking in the woods there's little point trying too hard with the conventional bin bags and Gaffa tape approach.

And so as it heads off to the 'ring the Spyder's latest livery evokes memories of classic Martini Porsches of the 70s. Though the sponsorship only lasted from 1973-1978 and the colours are equally associated with rallying Lancias, iconic cars like the 917, 908, 935 and various RS and RSR 911s mean Porsche still stakes an emotional claim.

Cue the 'super sports car for the future' that celebrates racing cars of the past PR guff. Which we'll fall for every time when supplied with pictures like this!

But will you be able to spec this as an option?

Taking a more hard-headed look at what Porsche is out to achieve with the 918 Spyder, it has officially declared a target Nordschleife lap time of 7min 22sec. That's six seconds faster than the Carrera GT (the 918 Spyder's spiritual predecessor), but still four seconds slower than a 911 GT2 RS, showing there's life in the old tech yet.

There's certainly more to hitting that target lap time than a 911 with two big turbos and two bigger balls, the Spyder combining, as previously discussed, a 570hp 4.6-litre V8 with a hybrid module on the rear axle and additional electric motors on the front for a combined 770hp. At least. Other development goals include a top speed of over 203mph, 0-62mph in less than three seconds, at least 15 miles of electric-only range, CO2 of around 70g/km and combined fuel consumption of around 84mpg.

So, when do we get to see one in Gulf colours?

[Zed Ed]

Phwooar

[7tastic]

That looks fantastic

[Stew2000]

I love it!

[Watchman]

Dump all the electric kit Porsche. Reduce weight and concentrate on the essentials.

[thewheelman]

That livery just does not suit that car. It' s hideous! I wish car makers would move on from this retro livery crap, or have they just ran out of ideas.

Just as I thought Porsche couldn't make their cars look worse than the new Boxster.

Edited by thewheelman on Tuesday 31st July 10:56

[Vilhelm]

New Porsches are looking gorgeous. The new Boxter is very pretty, but this is on a whole new level. I think I'll take mine in gulf blue.

[toppstuff]

Bloody hell.

" a 570hp 4.6-litre V8 with a hybrid module on the rear axle and additional electric motors on the front for a combined 770hp. At least. Other development goals include a top speed of over 203mph, 0-62mph in less than three seconds, at least 15 miles of electric-only range, CO2 of around 70g/km and combined fuel consumption of around 84mpg"


Call me cynical, but we live in a world where the esteemed, revered, nee deified appliance that is the PH Golf GTI, could only do 26mpg. How on earth is this 570bhp V8 engined car going to do 84mpg on the combined cycle without freewheeling downhill everywhere?

I know Porsche have some clever boffins, but come on, really?

Is it powered by fairy dust maybe?

[GTRene]

MMM jummie

[Beefmeister]

That is utterly, absurdly, ridiculously, bonkers-ly, gorgeous.

[Rawwr]

Amazing! I'd rape a cow for that.

[WMP]

toppstuff said:

Bloody hell.

" a 570hp 4.6-litre V8 with a hybrid module on the rear axle and additional electric motors on the front for a combined 770hp. At least. Other development goals include a top speed of over 203mph, 0-62mph in less than three seconds, at least 15 miles of electric-only range, CO2 of around 70g/km and combined fuel consumption of around 84mpg"


Call me cynical, but we live in a world where the esteemed, revered, nee deified appliance that is the PH Golf GTI, could only do 26mpg. How on earth is this 570bhp V8 engined car going to do 84mpg on the combined cycle without freewheeling downhill everywhere?

I know Porsche have some clever boffins, but come on, really?

Is it powered by fairy dust maybe?

They can quote these figures by working within the EU emissions regulations. In reality it will probably do 40mpg on a run and 10mpg on a circuit. Obviously all this electric/hybrid stuff is not ideal but if it means they can continue to produce these cars its got to be good?

[GroundEffect]

It isn't perfect aesthetically, like the Carrera GT is. That just looks right. Still, a very pretty car.

Surprised at the 'low' top speed. I presume the full 770BHP is only available for short durations?

[Captain Muppet]

Rawwr said:

Amazing! I'd rape a cow for that.

You clearly don't live anywhere rural.

[Munich]

Wow that looks good.

I was going to mentioned something negative about one part of the car, but I don't think now is the time.

[ZOLLAR]

Rawwr said:

Amazing! I'd rape a cow for that.

That had me in stitches!

[thewheelman]

ZOLLAR said:

Rawwr said:

Amazing! I'd rape a cow for that.

That had me in stitches!

I just thought he was an idiot. Unless he's one of those types that likes to mess with animals........weird!

[toppstuff]

GroundEffect said:

I presume the full 770BHP is only available for short durations?

If the MPG and Co2 numbers are to be achieved, the full beans on this car will only be available by pushing a "power" button on the steering wheel, whereby all the horses are unleashed for a period that will amaze you. It may even extend to more than 10 seconds...

Awesome.

[Rawwr]

thewheelman said:

I just thought he was an idiot.

The feeling's mutual

[ZOLLAR]

thewheelman said:

ZOLLAR said:

Rawwr said:

Amazing! I'd rape a cow for that.

That had me in stitches!

I just thought he was an idiot. Unless he's one of those types that likes to mess with animals........weird!

I'm Welsh so I must have a somewhat mutual connection to him..

[thewheelman]

Rawwr said:

thewheelman said:

I just thought he was an idiot.

The feeling's mutual

Get back to fking cows you sad little man.