Thursday 29th July 2010

Porsche 918 Spyder Is Go

Green supercar gets green light from Porsche

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Porsche has finally given the official green light to the 918 Spyder hybrid supercar.

It is perhaps the most widely expected 'surprise' of 2010, given the amount of media and customer interest the Geneva show star has generated since it was unveiled in March, but yesterday the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG gave the nod to develop the 918 Spyder concept for the road.

The Spyder, which is capable of hitting 198mph and yet can manage 94mpg on a combined cycle, will be produced in limited numbers, with development at Weissach and manufacture in the makers Zuffenhausen plant.

"Production of the 918 Spyder in a limited series proves that we are taking the right approach with Porsche Intelligent Performance featuring the combination of supreme performance and efficient drivetrain concepts," says Porsche chairman Michael Macht. "We will develop the 918 Spyder in Weissach and assemble it in Zuffenhausen. This is also a very important commitment to Germany as a manufacturing base."

Expect full technical details of the 918 Spyder to be revealed over the next few months.

[Nickellarse]

That's the business.

[Buzzkill]

94mpg and porsche just doesn't sound right...yet.

[soad]

I knew it all along - they were going to make it.

[anonymous-user]

Very excited about this. I love it when car makers take a gamble with a design or engine, so much more interesting.

[theyoungupstart]

I've found some of Porsche's styling to be a little bland of late, but this is the sex.

[no-worries88]

Got a bit of an R8 arse on it.

[Ash From Flux]

That looks amazing, I bet it will look better in the flesh. Is it a Hybrid?

[Maxf]

It looks like a Carerra GT crossed with an Exige!

for complete clarity... awesome!

[leon9191]

Looks really good but I bet there are alot of smoke and mirror tricks involved in that 94mpg.

[McAndy]

They could hardly not make it given the level of interest it generated! Massive kudos to Porsche on this one. It would have been very easy to tart up a Polo as per the 'Aston Martin' Cygnet. I look forward to seeing it in the flesh too...looks awesome!

[Curry Burns]

It's got pew-pew lazersssss!!!!

[unpc]

I quite like the look of this and I can't say I've that about many Porsches in the last 15 years. But, 94mpg? What do they know that no one else in the auto industry doesn't? If gets anywhere near that in the real world I'll eat my hat. No fking way!

[anonymous-user]

Why does the original article state 78mpg but this one 94mpg?

78mpg sounds more realistic but who knows, maybe they can get 94mpg from it.

[10JH]

Wonder if those cool wing mirrors will make it?

[PompeyM3]

Nice...... Hope most of that design makes it into production.

[FWDRacer]

10JH said:

Wonder if those cool wing mirrors most of it will make it?

edited for accuracy.

420K?

[LukeBird]

I'm not too keen on the back, but other than that it is a very nice looking car!

[fido]

It looks like a Lotus Elise with a couple of Porsche cues.

[Greg_D]

i think that the front is beautiful but the back end is a complete dog's dinner, it may be functional, but good god, it's a visual mess

Greg

[PhantomPH]

The irony being that ost people I know who could afford one, couldn't give a monkey's about the MPG! Ha ha.

It may be a generalism, but I find that the people who can afford a £400k supercar, don't tend to worry about it doing 8MPG.