If the head-turning qualities of our new and used cars are any indication, first impressions go a long way in this industry. Lucky for us here at Porsche of Monterey, our favorite automaker sure knows how to make them. And now that the Porsche 918 Spyder has finally been unveiled, this is one vehicle that you truly won't forget.
If you weren't there to see it take the stage, the 918 Spyder debuted at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show this week. It was a sight to see alright, but that wasn't even the best part. Just days before, the 918 Spyder took to the track at Nürburgring to see how its performance compared to its styling. From there, a team of three drivers got behind the wheel and put the pedal to the metal. Not only did it rocket down the raceway as we fully expected it to, but it set a new world record with a time of 6:57.
That's more than four seconds faster than the previous world record (which was held for two years straight, by the way) and the 918 Spyder averaged a speed of 111 miles per hour. If you're wondering how a hybrid hypercar managed to accomplish a feat such as this, we'll leave that one to its creators.
"The radical hybridization of the 918 Spyder from the very outset is what made this lap record possible," says Dr. Frank Walliser, head of the 918 Spyder project. "Posting a time of 6.57 minutes, we achieved a result of which everyone in the development team and at Porsche as a whole is rightly proud."1
Unfortunately, there's still no word as to when or if this eco-friendly speed demon will be making its way to our dealership here in Seaside, CA. But until we hear more, a good old-fashioned test drive in the 2013 Porsche Panamera Hybrid ought to help with the wait.
Source: 1http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/10/porsche-918-spyder-frankfurt-2013/