[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/porsche-918-spyder-hybrid-supercar-defies-weight-with-clever-tech-and-serious-shove\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/porsche-918-spyder-hybrid-supercar-defies-weight-with-clever-tech-and-serious-shove\/","headline":"Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar defies weight with clever tech and serious shove","name":"Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar defies weight with clever tech and serious shove","description":"Colin Chapman, the famed Lotus engineer of old, would design his cars using his now well-oiled mantra: Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere. Wise words indeed and a formula that continues to work well for those little Lotus and Caterham nippers still on sale today. But… …that\u2019s not the way many supercar makers are going lately, with the extra weight of hybrid systems – batteries and motors \u2013 used to back up […]","datePublished":"2013-05-17","dateModified":"2013-05-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/691580_71557por_4.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/691580_71557por_4.jpg","height":381,"width":577},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/porsche-918-spyder-hybrid-supercar-defies-weight-with-clever-tech-and-serious-shove\/","about":["Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS","Sports \/ Performance & Prestige cars","Sports, Performance & Prestige Cars"],"wordCount":663,"keywords":["Carrera GT","Caterham","Colin Chapman","lotus","porsche","Porsche 918","Porsche 918 Spyder"],"articleBody":"Colin Chapman, the famed Lotus engineer of old, would design his cars using his now well-oiled mantra: Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere. Wise words indeed and a formula that continues to work well for those little Lotus and Caterham nippers still on sale today. But… …that\u2019s not the way many supercar makers are going lately, with the extra weight of hybrid systems – batteries and motors \u2013 used to back up already powerful petrol engines; all in search for lower CO2 outputs. The quoted fuel economy figures are never matched in the real world, but it is the benchmark by which all manufacturers must be measured, and so the hybrid research continues.The new Porsche 918 Spyder \u2013 all \u00a3800,000-worth of it \u2013 claims a combined economy figure of 85mpg, with CO2 at 79g\/km. That\u2019s better than many hatchbacks, yet the 918 still turns in some searing performance figures; 62mph in 2.8 seconds and a 211mph top speed. How can this be in a car that in its most expensive, lightest form (\u2018Weissach\u2019 package) weighs a hefty 1,640kg?Well, we all know that the benchmark European test for fuel economy doesn\u2019t translate to the real world, but us motorists understand this now and take the manufacturer figures with a pinch of salt \u2013 your own dealer test drive before you buy will give you a better idea of actual miles-per-gallon. But with this new Porsche it\u2019s surely just a cynical headline-grabbing stunt. Thrash this thing for an hour or two and see what economy you get from its 599bhp, 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine!Publicity stunt aside, the Porsche engineers have spent a great deal of time and knowhow integrating the hybrid system into their supercar; maximising the potential benefits of having a torquey electric motor driving each axle. And it\u2019s these motors, plus a light-as-possible-chassis, torque vectoring cornering assistance, and active suspension that all help to mask the 918\u2019s substantial weight to out perform the petrol-only Porsche mega-models before it, like the comparably-priced V10 Porsche Carrera GT supercar.The Carrera GT has a 605bhp, 5.7-litre V10 petrol engine, and that engine has to carry 1,380kg around with it. On the Nurburgring, the GT laps at 7:34s. The 918 has so far set times some 20 seconds quicker, carrying a weight of at least 1,640kg, with a combined power of 875bhp. So, as the 918\u2019s weight has fattened, so has its power output, and while those hybrid batteries and motors are indeed a juicy weight penalty, the extra instant torque from the motors seriously sharpens immediate acceleration, and allows for cunning digital cornering advantages, like torque vectoring.The GT is rear-wheel drive only, but the 918 makes motion-use of all four corners, with the electric motor up front \u2013 with its own gearbox \u2013 doing some clever things during hard cornering. Torque vectoring uses the independent control of each wheel to best corner the car, like a differential; if the inside wheel is moving slower than the outside wheel, the car will pull through the corner with a tighter line.Electric motors are perfect for this role as they can make noticeable torque instantly; reacting to driver inputs and road conditions to corner the car as hard as possible. Throw in Porsche\u2019s experience in active suspension, and light and stiff chassis tech \u2013 with a carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) monocoque for the 918 \u2013 and you\u2019ve got a very high tech, very expensive, and somewhat overweight supercar, but one that can corner like no Porsche before it.Nifty stuff indeed, but is it a \u2018real\u2019 Porsche? And will we feel the \u2018real\u2019 thrills associated with driving a mechanical machine at ten-tenths speed? Or will the whole driver \/ car \/ road interaction in the 918 be too digital and lifeless? Well that\u2019s still up for debate, but I\u2019m afraid it\u2019s a pretty pointless debate, because the new 918 now sets the template for all Porsche sportscars to come. By Dan Anslow "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar defies weight with clever tech and serious shove","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/porsche-918-spyder-hybrid-supercar-defies-weight-with-clever-tech-and-serious-shove\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]