Porsche 918 Spyder concept.

[zoiks]

Such a sweet looking car. 0-62 3.2s. Dunno if it'll ever be made but then it just might.

http://www.911spirit.com/porsche-918-spyder-plug-in-hybrid-concept-our-kind-of-green-car/

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/01/porsche-918-spyder-plug-in-hybrid-concept-gets-78-mpg-hits-62-m


Oh yah, it's a hybrid too. Whatever.

 

[jlee]

Porsche hybrid?

That's like a four door Mustang...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

With the way some people are looking at doing hybrids for performance, not really. You have a 200HP engine charging batteries that power a pair of 400HP motors. So you can get 800HP worth of bang from 200HP worth of motor. Which is good provided you don't need more than about 150HP average. Which unless you're doing some long distance high speed driving (eg: Nardo-ring), is good enough since you're not on the throttle the entire time.

Though in the case of that one, it's 500HP+218HP. Which makes for a good AWD system.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Looks like a better looking, hybrid version of the GT. Nice performance numbers.

Environmental impact of batteries anyone?

 

[jlee]

With the way some people are looking at doing hybrids for performance, not really. You have a 200HP engine charging batteries that power a pair of 400HP motors. So you can get 800HP worth of bang from 200HP worth of motor. Which is good provided you don't need more than about 150HP average. Which unless you're doing some long distance high speed driving (eg: Nardo-ring), is good enough since you're not on the throttle the entire time.

Though in the case of that one, it's 500HP+218HP. Which makes for a good AWD system.

Oh I'm not saying it's ineffective - torque from electric motors is insane. However, it's just...weird.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Oh I'm not saying it's ineffective - torque from electric motors is insane. However, it's just...weird.

I can see what you mean. Porsche was kind of a purist's sports car. Now if they could only bring back the 550 Spyder to take on the Elise.

...and no, the Boxster isn't it.

 

[Imported]

I like it.. might not ever be able to afford one, but it looks damn nice.

 

[Demo24]

I've been wondering when they were going to hint at the GT's successor, and I guess this has the possibility of being it. Not too bad, although not really as pretty as the GT.

 

[SearchMaster]

With the way some people are looking at doing hybrids for performance, not really. You have a 200HP engine charging batteries that power a pair of 400HP motors. So you can get 800HP worth of bang from 200HP worth of motor. Which is good provided you don't need more than about 150HP average. Which unless you're doing some long distance high speed driving (eg: Nardo-ring), is good enough since you're not on the throttle the entire time.

Though in the case of that one, it's 500HP+218HP. Which makes for a good AWD system.

It's interesting...the only hybrid I can think of that was virtually worthless economy wise but had a noticeable performance benefit was the Accord hybrid, and it failed miserably.

 

[Imported]

I've been wondering when they were going to hint at the GT's successor, and I guess this has the possibility of being it. Not too bad, although not really as pretty as the GT.

I actually think its prettier than the GT..

 

[darkswordsman17]

I actually think its prettier than the GT..

So do I. Has some quirks, but very nice. Drop the side exhaust, better integrate the rear spoiler and integrate the air intakes (the carbon fiber bits sticking up in the "headrests"), and you'll have a much nicer car. Aside from the exhaust, the side is much better than the GT (I hate the side body work of the GT).

Just noticed the rear wing is integrate pretty nicely, I thought it was fixed in the pic where it's raised. I didn't like how the raised spoiler looked on the GT, so this is an improvement there.

Oh, and absolutely change those wheels. Just awful.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Porsche hybrid?

That's like a four door Mustang...

Well, they do make a couple four door Porsches now so why not?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Why can't they make something like this instead of these hyper-exotic cars nobody can afford?

 

[arcenite]

Why can't they make something like this instead of these hyper-exotic cars nobody can afford?

It's called the Boxster.

 

[JulesMaximus]

It's called the Boxster.

Nah, they need to do it lighter and more affordable than the Boxster...of course then it would probably out perform the Boxster essentially making the Boxster worthless. The Boxster starts at almost $50,000 and weighs almost 3,000 lbs. 255hp and 3,000 lbs...hmm, my Maxima makes 255hp and weighs 3,200 lbs.

 

[exdeath]

Nah, they need to do it lighter and more affordable than the Boxster...of course then it would probably out perform the Boxster essentially making the Boxster worthless. The Boxster starts at almost $50,000 and weighs almost 3,000 lbs. 255hp and 3,000 lbs...hmm, my Maxima makes 255hp and weighs 3,200 lbs.

That's the problem with the Boxster, and the reason the above car will never be made or will be unreasonable.

It's one of their best cars, better than the 911. But it's kept down by "the man" under a glass ceiling. It's arbitrarily crippled due to marketing and brand whoring.

I was in the market for a Boxster S in 2003 before I got my 03 Cobra. I test drove it three times and loved it to death. I couldn't get over the idea of spending $50k+ on a car with only 260 HP and no real performance aftermarket to speak of that didn't require tons of custom fabrication, labor, and money.

This was at the time that the potential of the 03 Cobra was being discovered and people were getting 500+ WHP with < $3k in bolt on mods and pretty much owning anything on the streets.

Yeah they are completely different cars blah blah blah, but you still don't spend $50k on a Porsche to get spanked at red lights and merges by 4 door sedans.

 

[Aharami]

i think i just came in my pants

 

[Excelsior]

Yeah they are completely different cars blah blah blah, but you still don't spend $50k on a Porsche to get spanked at red lights and merges by 4 door sedans.

Come on. Which run of the mill 4 door sedans are faster than 5.7 seconds 0-60?

 

[JulesMaximus]

That's the problem with the Boxster, and the reason the above car will never be made or will be unreasonable.

It's one of their best cars, better than the 911. But it's kept down by "the man" under a glass ceiling. It's arbitrarily crippled due to marketing and brand whoring.

I was in the market for a Boxster S in 2003 before I got my 03 Cobra. I test drove it three times and loved it to death. I couldn't get over the idea of spending $50k+ on a car with only 260 HP and no real performance aftermarket to speak of that didn't require tons of custom fabrication, labor, and money.

This was at the time that the potential of the 03 Cobra was being discovered and people were getting 500+ WHP with < $3k in bolt on mods and pretty much owning anything on the streets.

Yeah they are completely different cars blah blah blah, but you still don't spend $50k on a Porsche to get spanked at red lights and merges by 4 door sedans.

Then Porsche came up with the Cayman, another crippled 911 variant priced right in between the Boxster and the 911 that falls right in the middle as far as performance goes too.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Come on. Which run of the mill 4 door sedans are faster than 5.7 seconds 0-60?

The WRX STi & the Mitsubishi Evo come to mind. Any E46 M3 would spank the Boxster and could be had for a lot less money too.

 

[alimoalem]

If this were to go into production, my vote would be for the GT. The 918 just doesn't do it for me. It's too un-porschelike. Too futuristic. Too "look at me". They did a good job with the front, but everywhere else looks, to me, like it was designed by one of those random companies that ends up making a hyper car.

In all honesty, this looks like something that belongs on the wall of a high school kid.

 

[Excelsior]

The WRX STi & the Mitsubishi Evo come to mind. Any E46 M3 would spank the Boxster and could be had for a lot less money too.

Sorry, I thought he might be referring to family sedans not semi-compact boy racer types.

Still, who seriously purchases those instead of a roadster of some kind jusr because they are faster? No one really cross shops those areas.

 

[exdeath]

Sorry, I thought he might be referring to family sedans not semi-compact boy racer types.

Still, who seriously purchases those instead of a roadster of some kind jusr because they are faster? No one really cross shops those areas.

91 MR2 Turbo.

Handles just as good and way more power potential.

$8,000

Why buy the $50,000 Porche other than the name and to say you have a newer car?

Also, Accords, Camrys, Avalons, Maximas, Altimas, etc, all coming out with more power than the Boxster these days with 280+ HP. Not to mention every other car like Mustangs, Eclipses, 350Zs will all smoke, a Boxster from a stop or on a straight line, or at least keep up well enough to deny a pass.

Who buys a Camry instead of a Boxster? Someone who doesn't want to be embarrased being smoked by everything on the road in a $50,000 Porsche.

What law or rule says that if you are in the market for a roadster you can't have a fast car too? "Roadster" and "horsepower" are not mutually exclusive, but companies making such roadsters keep them artifically limited because they are marketed as smaller cheaper "entry level" models.

I love the Boxster, but give it the power it deserves without jacking the price.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Sorry, I thought he might be referring to family sedans not semi-compact boy racer types.

Still, who seriously purchases those instead of a roadster of some kind jusr because they are faster? No one really cross shops those areas.

Of course nobody cross shops those. The fact remains however that the guy who just dropped $50,000+ on his new Boxster can get his ass handed to him by a $30,000 boy racer 4 door sedan.

 

[sactwnguy]

HP is not everything. How well do those sedans handle at higher speeds or cornering? I currently drive a 2008 Boxster, I had a 2004 350Z Roadster before it and I am more than willing to sacrifice that imaginary time I might get beat in a race for a higher quality car. The 350Z was junk that just happened to have a nice engine. Porsche has its problems and can be expensive to maintain but I dont regret my purchase. Also the best way to buy a new Porsche is to get the previous years model, mine was only $37k fully loaded.