Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package: driving test and video
Posted on 16-06-2014 at 16:00 by CasperH – 69 Comments”
It seemed impossible, but we managed anyway: we drove with the Porsche 918 Spyder. And we have of course captured on video!
[ First look, then read? Watch the video HERE! ]
“No” was the answer we got when we at Porsche were asked whether we with the 918 could drive. Not that Porsche the Netherlands there’s quite a lot to do, the tickets for testritjes were just in a very limited extent distributed by the bobo’s in Stuttgart. We have begged, prayed, and sneak the car of Autoblogger sold to get money for a Porsche employee to buy, but to no avail. The Porsche 918 Spyder drive was not an option. At least, until we contact laid with Porsche Centrum Gelderland. We were there for more cool and exclusive stuff to borrow. Although I was not a second the illusion was that it would succeed, I have it still but on a risky and a while ago the question of questions: “If one comes, may we ride?” The answer was simple: “There are two, one number plate is that not a problem, provided that you there are not too many kilometres.”
The big thumbs could begin. There went what time over but a few weeks ago came the first Spyder. A white, beautiful car. Not much later, a gray 918, equipped with the Weissach Package. And when eventually it became clear that the last 918 plate set was going to be-I could lol. There was an afternoon set, Wouter asked for the security or I really had nothing else to do. But then in the morning, I woke up, turned out the outside of the rain like a silly. Shit. A morning long, I was a Radar and other weerapps to check out but it was bad. A big disappointment, but luckily it was no problem for a couple of days later. Days in which I hard was to keep our fingers crossed that in any case no one would buy it, because in that case it was the drive of my nose over.
But eventually, I got a few days later on a sunny morning, with the cameraman Martijn out of the car at Porsche Centre Gelderland in Heteren. The car is ready, but I decide not as an enthusiastic puppy immediately around the thing to run. First, take to within. After a nice cup of coffee and a signature on a piece of paper which says that I m’n fines to pay, we walk to the car.
Now I’m the past few years, quite a spoiled hit in terms of cars, but the 918 has such a huge impact as he has to my nose. This is already the sixth or seventh time that I one can touch me, and I have also previously sitting in, when this car left in the showroom, but it’s just a brutal thing. So low, so wide, functional, yet very nice. And here I ride, I note the key in my hand!
A press of a button, the car is the lock, we can board the plane. Cameraman Martijn has an idea. “Place him but front of the building, nice place to bring the static images to shoot.” That is a short ride then! I put the key in the ignition and put my foot on the brake. A turn the key and you expect a huge roar from the 4.6 litre V8 that comes to life. Instead, you hear what electric circuits and a light buzzing sound. I take my foot of the brake and the car begins to roll, the 918 Spyder moves electrically. I step on the “gas”pedal a little and the buzzing swells further on while the car slightly accelerates. To keep the car on the right place for the pictures I need a piece in the back, we keep that I’m glad that there is a reversing camera on the 918.
While Martijn is busy with the shoot of the images I take a few photos and I can still get a good look at the car look. The front wings are inspired by the Porsche 917 and the B-style on that of the RS Spyder, says Porsche. I think it’s all fine, I think the 918 is simply a very finely on the retina lying brutally. And the interior should also being, by the way. The seating position is 4 inches lower than in the Carrera GT and you are sitting in lightweight bucket seats that are a bit forward or backward, but that’s it. The handlebar is adjustable and there is actually quite a lot of comfort on board: a lot of leather, Burmester stereo, 2x usb, wi-fi, an 8-inch display plus additional touchscreen in the centre console and air conditioning, also in this Weissach copy that actually no air conditioning and radio should have. What is typical for this Weissach version is that all the aluminum in the interior is replaced by carbon. Also are the lists of the windshield, the mirrors, and the roof panels of carbon fiber. For luggage is also a little spot in the nose: there is 107 litres of luggage space available.
The electric motors are good for 286 hp, the front delivers 129 hp and stops his assistance at 265 kilometres per hour. At that moment only does the electric motor on the rear axle yet, it produces 156 hp. The prick comes from a lithium-ion battery pack that is liquid-cooled and a 6.8 kWh capacity. The ePTM (electric Porsche Traction Management) distributes the power to all these motors between the four wheels. Finally there is the 4.6 liter V8. This delivers 608 hp at 6800 revs per minute and has its redline at a diseased 9150 revolutions per minute. The block originates from the LMP2 power Porsche in racing cars stops and weighs 135 pounds. The exhausts on the upper deck are not only cool, they’re there also to be as fast as possible heat.
The short exhaust gives you less back pressure resulting in less power consumption and better performance. And with performance is not much wrong, if we all together we come to a combined power of 887 hp and more than 800 Nm of torque between 800 and 5000 rpm and a peak power output of 1280 Nm to the crankshaft in seventh gear.
After the recording of the shots and a little bit of introduction, then, is it finally so far: we are going to really drive. I start the car and drive off-site, still electric. First, the industrial estate behind us before we noise going to kick, say. In the E-Power mode, I have already the availability of a top speed of 150 kilometers per hour and 450 Nm of torque. We can be up to 30 km electric drive, and only if we have to use kickdown to use the V8 join.
After a short drive in the direction of a few roads we have been advised by people of PCG we switch to the mode Hybrid, which we can also “calm” driving. That makes the car electric where possible, the V8 does just as it should. However, We have little time, so we turn immediately to the Sports Hybrid: now is the V8 always. The electric motors jump in if needed but not at full power. In Race Hybrid, the V8 is also always on but do the electric motors on full power. Toggle the seven-speed automatic transmission is even faster and the wing is a little to the outside for more downforce. And then there is the mode “Hot Lap” with the red button in to switch from Race mode, the batteries provide slightly more power, which on the Nordschleife would result in four seconds of time savings per lap. The fastest geklokte time with a Porsche 918 Spyder at the ‘Ring, incidentally, is 6:57.
The dead straight country road in front of me is empty, Race Hybrid is the selected mode. I put the 918 quiet, time for the acceleration to be experienced. Foot on the brake and accelerator to the bottom, we go. Wow, we go! The acceleration is so intense that I really only with a couple of big out expletives would be able to illustrate. I leave it here for keeping an orderly and freely translate to allememaggies, nondeju, thunder, allememaggies, scot! Nondeju! This is bizarre, within 2,6 seconds to 100 and within a 7.2 to 200 is possible with this car. The 19.9 seconds to the 300 also seems to be possible, but since I have the space and the guts not for this moment, not with all kinds of beautiful devices like the PTV Plus (Porsche Torque Vectoring) that is fully variable and electrical differential drives. Or with the magic of PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) that the suspension adjusts to road conditions and driving style. Incidentally, you notice little of those systems, they do their job no doubt super but I’m especially impressed by how direct and pure the whole experience is.
The only thing slightly less direct feel of the steering wheel. Not even a little bit of precision or sharpness is lacking, but you feel less of the road through the steering wheel than by your seat or your feet. And feet are spoken of: the brake pedal does its job fine, there is a lot of stopping power available, due to the ceramic brakes with discs 410mm front and 390mm rear. Those drives are hidden behind wheels in size 20 inch front and 21 inch at the rear. All four wheels are steering (the rear wheels of course much more subtle than the front wheels) and are equipped with a central wheel nut. Magnesium wheels are optional, they belong to the Weissach Package and save 14,9 kg around. Porsche Centrum Gelderland has, however, other wheels are fitted. The braking force of the electric motors will also be used to the batteries to recharge at remacties. Sometimes, you will notice that in the pedal when you are very slightly inhibits but annoyingly it is not, it is one of the small details that confirm that there is more happening in the car than you can contain.
In the limited time I have with the car I can tell a number of smooth curves. I am sure I have the chassis, a monocoque of CFRP (Carbonfibre Reinforced Polymer), with less than half of the sample to the set am. I have also noticed that very little of the weight of the car in a distribution of 43% and 57%, respectively, the front and the rear axle is hanging. Oh, what would I like to try to be on a circuit or something like that towards the limit with this car, to the limits of grip, and the active aerodynamics are really to use. Unfortunately, there is no time for now. To all the performance really to be able to test, such as the sprint to 300 in 19,9 seconds, the top speed of 345 kilometers per hour or the intermediate sprint from 80 to 120 in the 1.2 seconds I have a real time circuit and/or a piece of autobahn is needed. Then of course, I am also the single most important test to perform: THE important difference between the Weissach 918 and the non-Weissach 918: the CO2 emission and the consumption. The Weissach used namely, 3.0 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers and emits it 70 grams of CO2 per kilometre. And that is considerably less polluting than the regular 918. Which is heavier, and therefore by that car, 3.1 liter of fuel consumed to 72 grams per kilometre emitted. That we must of course be a real test. And I suggest that we through endurance test, and we also look at what the impact is on trees, and butterflies in the area. The longer I was with those two cars let drive how reliable the research is. Let’s start with a year. Or two. Yes, that seems like a good plan.
I want Porsche Centre Gelderland very thank for this chance to be with their Porsche 918 to drive. Now I hope only that I could ever again sit behind the wheel of this incredible machine to make the thing really on the test. So I have what to dream, that is also beautiful. Movie!
Gallery: Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Netherlands
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