We may be more than two years ahead of the production launch of Porsche�s new 918 Spyder, but that isn�t stopping the Stuttgart automaker from putting up a price tag and at the same time, begin accepting orders on its upcoming plug-in hybrid supercar.
The 918 Spyder will be Porsche�s most expensive model ever with prices in the USA, excluding destination and handling charge?, starting at $845,000 (�598,000), and in Europe from �645,000 ($911,400) subject to VAT and country-specific charges.
As an extra treat, those who place an order for the 918 Spyder will also be eligible to buy a new special edition version of the 911 Turbo S series, more of which we�ll tell you about in our next post.
Production of the 918 Spyder will take place at Porsche�s Zuffenhausen plant in Germany starting from September 18, 2013, with delivery of the first vehicles to commence in November 2013. Porsche plans to limit production of the two-seater model to no more than 918 units worldwide. According to Porsche, �the earlier a customer orders his vehicle, the earlier it will be delivered, as production is initialized in the same sequence in which orders are received�.
The 918 Spyder is closely modeled after the concept study seen at last year�s Geneva Motor Show. However, the production version of the two-seater ditches the full open-top treatment for a manual roof system with removable roof panels that can be stowed in the front luggage compartment. Other changes visible from the official sketches include the addition of exterior mirrors and the elimination of the side exhaust tail pipes.
The flagship Porsche supercar is built around a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic monocoque and features a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that comprises of a V8 gasoline engine with a displacement exceeding four liters and output of more than 500HP plus two electric motors � one each on the front and rear axle � with a joint output of at least 218HP.
The V8 engine transfers its power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.
The electric motors are fed via a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery that can be charged from a conventional domestic power socket, delivering a range in excess of 25 km (16 miles) in the NEDC on purely electric power. Porsche said the charging time depends on the country-specific mains network, being approximately three hours in Germany. The automaker added that a quick charging option is planned to reduce charging time yet further.
According to Porsche, the 918 Spyder�s combined total fuel consumption in the European driving cycle is estimated at 3.0 lt/100 km (94 mpg UK / 78.4 mpg US.), equating to CO2 emissions of 70 g/km (112 g/mile). Porsche said official EPA fuel economy figures for the US model will be announced just before the first customer cars begin arriving near the end of 2013.
The 918 Spyder can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of more than 320 km/h (199 mph). Porsche said the Spyder will be able to manage a lap of the N�rburgring in �less than seven minutes and 30 seconds�, compared to the Carrera GT which needs seven minutes and 32 seconds. The top speed on purely electric power is 150 km/h (94 mph).
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