Porsche 918 Spyder: Laguna Seca in a 887-hp hybrid
What would you say to rising before the sun and hopping on a six-hour flight to the other side of the continent just to do two laps in a car? If you’re anything like us, you’d be out of bed at 2 a.m. and fly for twice as long if the car in question were the Porsche 918 Spyder—especially if you’d been invited to take it for a ride on California’s Laguna Seca circuit!
If you’re not familiar with the 918 Spyder, here’s the low-down: It is one of three divas that currently rein the automotive world. The two others are the Ferrari LaFerrari and the McLaren P1. Three hyper-, mega-, ultra-sporty machines with hybrid drivetrains. Three vehicles limited to just a few hundred units and sold for at least $1 million apiece.
A thoroughbred mid-engine
Porsche plans on producing 918 copies of this new speedster, which succeeds the Carrera GT (2004-2007) in this super exclusive segment of its product line. Like the GT, the 918 Spyder uses a carbon-fibre chassis and a mid-engine layout. Rather than a hunky 5.7-litre V10 like the one in the Carrera GT, this engine is a 4.6-litre V8 closely derived from the mill that earned Porsche three titles in the ALMS Series, a victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and three wins in the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the RS Spyder.
This thoroughbred heart sends 608 ponies flying in the 918 Spyder at an impressive 9,150 rpm. This almost matches the GT’s 612 horsepower. However, the Spyder’s mill is assisted by a 156-hp electric motor that powers the rear wheels and another 129-horsepower electric motor that delivers power to the front wheels separately. Add it all up and it comes to 887 horsepower when everything is fully engaged. It’s still less than the McLaren P1’s 903 horses or the Italian LaFerrari’s 950 horses, but the 918 Spyder is the only one of the three to offer four-wheel drive.
This awesome chance to drive the 918 Spyder, however briefly, was part of a larger effort to showcase Porsche’s mid-engine cars. You know, the ones that are all-too-often in the shadow of the rear-engine 911. The event gave us the chance to discover and drive the all-new GTS versions of the Boxster and Cayman (which we’ll discuss at length in another article).
Porsche also had the brilliant idea of bringing along some of its most illustrious mid-engine sports cars from years gone by. There were some magnificent examples of the 550 RSK (or 718), the 914-6 GT and even the sacred beast of the racetrack, the 917. This one stole the spotlight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and dominated the spectacular Can-Am Series in the early 70s. We were also treated to the new 919 Hybrid, which almost beat its Audi rival at its first run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this year.
It’s really something to see the 917, 918 Spyder and 919 Hybrid all lined up. And I’m not just talking about their numerical sequence here. The 918 Spyder can hold its head high as its stands next to its two siblings, thanks to Porsche’s skillful development of its design. First, there’s its entirely carbon-fibre body. Then there are the massive ceramic-composite brakes, all-aluminum suspension with rear-axle steering and large, ultra-light magnesium wheels.
Supreme sport and sustainability
The 918 Spyder is nonetheless a rechargeable hybrid with about 30 kilometres of electric range after being plugged into a normal 110-volt outlet for seven hours or a 220/240 outlet for just 2.5 hours. This is better than a rechargeable Prius, but a touch more expensive. Specifically, it costs US$845,000 for the regular version and US$929,000 for the Weissach version, which weighs 41 kilograms less. So, in Canadian dollars you’re looking at $889,000 and $977,000, but with taxes it will be well over a million.
A Prius can definitely not reach 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds and blast up to 150 km/h in all-electric mode, but the Spyder can. Meanwhile, the Weissach clocked 6 minutes 57 seconds on Nürburgring’s famous north loop—that’s a cool 37 seconds faster than the Carrera GT.
The Laguna Seca circuit is not the same as the Nürburgring, but one comparable aspect is its corkscrew section, which includes very tight left-right manoeuvres and a three-storey descent. In all, the Californian circuit has just 11 corners and covers a mere 3.6 kilometres—a far cry from the 154 corners and 20.8 kilometres at the Nordschleife—but it’s still a lot of fun to drive, with its fast and slow corners, inclines, descents and the ever-exciting corkscrew drop.
The day’s program was simple. First there was a technical presentation during which we discovered, on the edge of the circuit, the 918 Spyder’s main controls. Especially the little dial between the spokes of the steering wheel used to select the five different running modes. Like Ferrari’s mannetino.
Once on the circuit, we are asked to follow a 911 Turbo S for two laps. A hefty 550-hp sports car with all-wheel drive, driven in my case by Hurley Haywood (three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and record-holder at the 24 Hours of Daytona with five victories). Another 911 Turbo was driven by David Donohue, son of the legendary Mark Donohue and a champion driver in his own right.
No denying what’s in your blood
The first thing, though, is climbing aboard. The 918 Spyder is long, wide and low. (And pretty, too.) Its exterior is a cross between the 911 and Carrera GT. When the door is open, it reminds me of the GT I drove on the Waterford Hills circuit a few years ago. The console is high and clean-looking, with just the essential instruments. The threshold is pretty wide and you have to slide the seat (shaped like a race car’s bucket seat) back—manually, in a car that costs $1 million—in order to get in. The cockpit is narrow but the alcantara steering wheel is superb and the driving position is impeccable.
They recommend that we start in E-Power mode to get a taste of the car's electric power. I try my best, but the 918’s little lever on the right refuses to slide into D. It has something to do with the electronics. The 918 has tons of computer systems and I’m forced to cut the power and restart the vehicle in the same way I reboot my computer sometimes. I press the brake, then the button for the electric parking brake, I pull the gear selector to D and . . . we’re off!
By the time I catch up to the 911 Turbo, the loud whistle of the large electric motor that powers the front wheels fills my ears. The relative silence is soon pierced by the roar of the V8. It seems that the 6.8 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, which adds nearly two tonnes to the 918 Spyder (1,797 kg to be exact), has surrendered its last electrons for the time being.
This doesn’t bother me. I ditch Hybrid mode and turn the black dial to S for Sport. In this mode, the V8 runs continuously and the electric motors kick in as needed. I step on my right foot and within two seconds I’m riding the tail of the 911 Turbo as it heads into the third corner. A short straight and I’m this close to ramming into Haywood’s bumper, even though he’s pushing the 911 Turbo to the max.
After the fourth corner, I accelerate again and the Spyder leaps forward with a loud cry. The 918 is the only production vehicle whose exhaust tips spew heat upward, onto the rear hood over the engine. This design helps reduce the amount of heat in the engine compartment and keeps the large lithium-ion battery cool. The sound of the V8 is raw, almost untamed. Its thoroughbred DNA is unquestionable. As for my blood, it runs cold.
Release the electrons
The 918 would swallow the poor 911 Turbo whole if it weren’t for its brakes, featuring six-piston calipers in front and four-piston calipers in back. I only remembered later that the V8 is naturally aspirated and its irresistible zest is thanks to two electric motors and not a pair of turbos. The motors have a maximum combined torque of 944 lbs.-ft. The sound and feel remind me of the McLaren Can-Am Edition, a real twin-turbo V8 race car that I tested on a track a few months ago. Even in corners, where the 918 Spyder is unshakeable and still far from reaching its limits.
For my second lap, I turn the black dial to Race and it’s as though the 918 wakes up all over again with another roar. The rear spoiler raises even higher for maximum support and the dual-clutch PDK gearbox’s seven speeds become even crisper, with or without the paddles. And what about Hot Lap mode, which is activated using the red button in the centre of the black dial and pushes all the motors to their max? Well, since I was already riding the 911 Turbo’s bumper, I didn’t dare touch it.
In any case, the 911 Turbo’s left indicator started flashing right after the Rainey curve. It was already time to bring the beast back. After letting it recharge for a few hours, I would have loved to discreetly slip away with it in all-electric mode to take it down legendary Route 1. Or in Hybrid mode to obtain a fuel consumption rate less than that of a Honda Fit. But they wouldn’t let me.
