Video: Chris Harris rides in the Porsche 918 Spyder

[Giannis]

[youtube]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

When it comes to Chris Harris, usually no explanation is needed. He's, by far, our most favourite automotive journalist with a known affection with everything with a Porsche badge on it. With the only exception being the Cayenne, we were eagerly waiting to hear his opinion on the Porsche 918, the Carrera GT's successor. A hybrid supercar with a combined output of over 700hp and enough torque to make the earth spin the other way around.

Even though he's not driving, rather than riding in the passenger seat, CH gives us many interesting details on the development and technology behind the 918. He even compares it to the groundbreaking (for its time) 959. As shocking as it may here, Mr Harris has arguments to back this up. Check the above video for more!

Source: [YouTube]

View the Post on the Blog

 

[Cashmere]

Gotta love how the car just switches from electric to beast on the fly with a mere bush of a button.

 

[MarcinM]

Still it is a shame that the car will weight 1700 kg insted of 1200kg just because of the batterries (giving it 25km range and low homolagation Co2 emmission) and the additional electric motor/generator

 

[Bruce]

What a car. An amazing technological showcase of what is possible these days. I'm afraid though, I share similar feelings to Chris Harris. Amazing car, yeah. Gorgeous design, well put-together (haven't any doubts about this) and it'll have amazing performance. Undisputedly. That all said, I just don't love this car the way I feel I should. I think it's the whole stigma of the hybrid motors. I dunno. It's big, it's heavy. It's a giant racing laptop. I miss the days of the basic sports car. I'm a pretty basic guy. As far as I'm concerned, we've already peaked with the nirvana of sports cars. The 918,,amazing car. But I don't love it the way I love the Carrera GT.

 

[MarcinM]

The whole idea of hybridizing it is pointless, it gives the car about 20% real life fuel efficiency advantage and probably a 60% homologation efficiency advantage (as a plug in hybrid it will travel the first several kilometers without any direct Co2 admissions) however a 500 kg weight of the electric battery/engine/generator unit will completely destroy the sport car experience.

Porsche should wait before the weight of available batteries come down not by mere 10-20% but by at least 90%. it will take years for sure, but before that happens a plug in hybrid is pointless.

A non plug in hybrid with light battery unit could make sense even now, however it would only provide the car with a 20% homologation gain in fuel efficiency rather than the 60% or so gain as offered by a plug in hybrid.

 

[Bruce]

Totally. I understand what you are saying MarcinM. Evidently its all about marketing. It started with the Prius and now It'll be leaking into the top of the line sports cars. A shame really.

 

[Cashmere]

Still it is a shame that the car will weight 1700 kg insted of 1200kg just because of the batterries (giving it 25km range and low homolagation Co2 emmission) and the additional electric motor/generator

Yet despite, weighing 1700 KG (which is about 300KG's heavier than the Carrera GT) it laps the ring (in prototype mode) at a swooshing 7:14 compared to the lighter Carrera GT which lapped it in 7:28. It might be heavy, but clearly it is still a very capable super car.

The whole idea of hybridizing it is pointless, it gives the car about 20% real life fuel efficiency advantage and probably a 60% homologation efficiency advantage (as a plug in hybrid it will travel the first several kilometers without any direct Co2 admissions) however a 500 kg weight of the electric battery/engine/generator unit will completely destroy the sport car experience.

I understand how many people feel about cars going Hybrid in their present state but we must remember that we are an evolutionary and innovative race.

Take for instance, the first computer:

And compare that with a pocket calculator which runs off solar power and can compute comparative figures:

Reality of the matter is that we are entering a new era. Instead of looking at the hybrid 918 as the Antichrist of supercars, rather look at it as a stepping stone, a foundation of what is to come. The only way we're going to get improved charging efficiency/battery technology is for such technology to go mainstream. Greedy oil lobbyists have already delayed innovation in this sector long enough. I for one, welcome cars such as the 918 with open arms.

 

[paxah]

Yet despite, weighing 1700 KG (which is about 300KG's heavier than the Carrera GT) it laps the ring (in prototype mode) at a swooshing 7:14 compared to the lighter Carrera GT which lapped it in 7:28. It might be heavy, but clearly it is still a very capable super car.

Porsche Shooting For Sub-7-Minute Time Around The Nürburgring For The 918 Spyder @ Top Speed
Do you think it is possible ? I certainly hope so :3

 

[MarcinM]

The problem is that unlike computers for the last 60 odd years for some reason the battery technology has been relatively stagnant.

The new car may be good and lap the ring in 7:14 but if it was 450 kg lighter and rather than 400 kg battery and 100 kg electric engine/generator had a set of 50 kg turbochargers giving it the same power it would lap the ring in 6:50 no problem.