2015 Porsche 918 Spyder in Riverside

Top pipes are not only new to the road, they are new for Porsche. The concept comes from the racetrack and proves unequivocally where the 918 Spyder feels at home.

During the series production development process, our engineers were unhappy to accept that the particularly effective exhaust concept used in motorsport could not be transferred to a road vehicle, or at least to a super sports car.

So they adopted a completely new approach, resulting in a new type of thermodynamic air routing concept that has enabled the use of extremely short exhaust gas channels: the gases are expelled from the car through the top pipes directly above the engine. The associated reduction in exhaust backpressure has a positive impact on power output and fuel economy. The audible effect is heard in the resonant Porsche sound that reveals the motorsport genes of the 918 Spyder.

Another welcome advantage in terms of the technical requirements of a plug-in hybrid is that the heat of the combustion engine is dissipated more rapidly from the vehicle. Last, but not least, the top pipes on the 918 Spyder also serve to emphasise its pure racing character. Let’s just call it a pleasant side effect.

For the refined version of Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) shift times and shift programmes have been further optimised. PDK changes gear automatically, but you can still take manual control using the gearshift paddles on the sports steering wheel. Gear changes take place in milliseconds with no interruption in the flow of power. Just like in motorsport.

Thanks to a power output of more than 447 kW (608 hp), the high-performance unit attains the level of a racing engine. That’s what we call motorsport DNA. Its low weight of around only 135 kg and its low position provide the optimum prerequisites to extremely dynamic driving performance and ultra precise power delivery – on the racetrack and on the road.

The unit is also equipped with drysump lubrication with a separate oil tank, scavenge pumps in aluminium and connecting rods in titanium. Not to

mention a flat, lightweight crankshaft. All of which means weight down, power up.

Fuel consumption* 918 Spyder (combined): 3.1 l/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined) 72 g/km. Electricity consumption 12.7 kWh/100 km.

Fuel consumption* 918 Spyder with Weissach package (combined): 3.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined) 70 g/km. Electricity consumption 12.7 kWh/100 km.

* These data were obtained using the Euro 5 measurement method (715/2007/EC and 692/2008/EC) in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) with standard equipment. The information does not refer to an individual vehicle and is not part of the offer, but is simply provided so that comparisons can be made between different types of vehicle. Further, up to date information on the individual vehicles can be obtained from your Porsche Centre.

Consumption figures were obtained on the basis of standard equipment. Special equipment may affect consumption and performance.

The high-performance hybrid braking system uniquely combines excellent recuperation performance with an authentic brake pedal feel.

The intelligent hydraulic system fades between the electric brakes and the hydraulic brakes of the PCCB brake system – a process imperceptible to the driver – and ensures constant feedback in the brake pedal in every driving situation as you would rightly expect from any Porsche.

Torque is distributed between the front and rear axles actively and extremely quickly by control of the electric machine at the front axle. Sensors check, among other variables, the rotation speeds of all four wheels, the longitudinal and lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and the steering angle. By evaluating all data, the system can quickly adjust the distribution of drive force between the front and rear axles in order to achieve optimum balance.

In this way, ePTM, in conjunction with Porsche Stability Management (PSM) and anti-slip regulation (ASR), ensures that forces are distributed appropriately in every driving situation to provide excellent acceleration. The results are a high degree of safety and outstanding performance combined with exemplary balance.

At the press of a button, you can select between two different modes: ‘Normal’ and ‘Sport’. ‘Normal’ mode is designed for sporty driving on public roads and on wet racetracks. ‘Sport’ mode is specially tuned for maximum lateral acceleration and offers the best possible traction on the track.

Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) enhances driving dynamics and stability. The system works by intelligently braking the rear wheels and operates in conjunction with a fully variable and electronically regulated rear differential lock.

For the driver, this means remarkable lateral stability and outstanding traction as well as greater agility at every speed – attributes that are essential at the limits of sporty performance, not least because they are key to sustaining increased driving pleasure.

The 918 Spyder has a front-to-rear axle load distribution optimised for dynamic performance (43 % front, 57 % rear). Consistent lightweight construction keeps the overall weight low. Together, these characteristics help to provide extraordinary agility, a high level of driving safety and stable handling, especially when cornering.

A double-wishbone axle is installed at the front. At the rear is a multilink axle designed in accordance with our refined version of the LSA concept (Lightweight, Stable, Agile) and equipped with electric rear-axle steering. Both axles incorporate a race-proven wheel bearing concept with a weight- and performanceoriented wheel location arrangement derived directly from the RS Spyder.

The connection established between chassis parts and the monocoque and unit carrier is particularly stiff thanks to the use of uniball joints from motorsport. In the 918 Spyder, these high-precision links are fitted to all steering arms on the front and rear axles to ensure a sensitive and direct response of chassis components, including the steering, and to deliver superior driving precision.

Our engineers found the solution with the three-stage extendable rear wing, active diffusers in the front part of the underbody and active cooling air flaps in the front air intakes. It’s a system that combines low drag with high downforce in the interests of even greater dynamic performance. At the front, this job is performed by the particularly wide double-profile carbon front spoiler and slat-like cooling air flaps, which open and close according to the driving situation and demand for cooling.

At the rear, aerodynamic performance is enhanced by the threestage extendable rear wing. In Race mode, the already fully extended wing is lifted a little further to ensure maximum downforce at the rear axle. At the same time, the front diffusers in the forward part of the underbody are fully opened. The negative pressure produced increases downforce at the front axle and thereby also acts to correct the balance of the vehicle on the racetrack.

All in all, these measures deliver a huge amount of downforce, a low drag coefficient and perhaps even a new personal best for you on the track.

A high-end drive system meets a high-end lightweight construction. The chassis of the 918 Spyder is built in two parts, with a monocoque and unit carrier in carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). As is conventional in motorsport, the vehicle structure remains drivable without an outer skin. That is why it is known as a rolling chassis concept. It has the advantage that all components can be optimally designed separately from each other: the load-bearing parts in terms of stiffness and weight, and cladding parts in terms of aerodynamics and visual appeal.

The monocoque and the unit carrier are formed from a multitude of made-to-measure cuts of carbon-fibre cloth, the quantity and arrangement of which have been optimally matched. The result is very low weight but an extremely high degree of torsional strength, which creates the best prerequisites to outstanding driving dynamics, excellent performance and superior handling precision.

Even the outer skin is made almost completely of very lightweight carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), providing the ideal basis for a very low weight-to-power ratio. In other words, it represents a fusing of form and function.

An electromechanical adjustment system at each rear wheel allows the wheels to turn a few degrees in either direction as a function of driving speed.

During low-speed manoeuvres, the system steers the rear wheels in the opposite direction to that of the front wheels. This has the virtual effect of shortening the wheelbase for perceptibly more dynamic steering into corners. The turning circle is reduced, which makes it easier to manoeuvre.

During high-speed manoeuvres, the system steers the rear wheels in the same direction as that of the front wheels. This virtual extension of the wheelbase helps to increase driving stability.

Kerbs, ramps, car park entrances or race car transporters. These hurdles no longer pose an insurmountable challenge. The optional lift system at the front axle raises the body by approximately 30 mm at the push of a button in the centre console. The function is available with the vehicle stationary or travelling at a speed of up to approximately 50 km/h. Fuel consumption* 918 Spyder (combined): 3.1 l/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined) 72 g/km. Electricity consumption 12.7 kWh/100 km. Fuel consumption* 918 Spyder with Weissach package (combined): 3.0 l/100 km; CO2 emissions (combined) 70 g/km. Electricity consumption 12.7 kWh/100 km. * These data were obtained using the Euro 5 measurement method (715/2007/EC and 692/2008/EC) in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) with standard equipment. The information does not refer to an individual vehicle and is not part of the offer, but is simply provided so that comparisons can be made between different types of vehicle. Further, up to date information on the individual vehicles can be obtained from your Porsche Centre.

The brake system of the 918 Spyder had to be a proven racetrack performer of the kind fitted to cars participating in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, for example. The brake discs have a diameter of 410 and 390 mm at the front and rear, respectively. The six-piston monobloc aluminium fixed brake calipers at the front axle and four-piston units at the rear, all painted in Acid Green, ensure a powerful and, above all, constant braking effect.

The key advantage of PCCB is its extremely low weight, with ceramic brake discs that are approximately 50 % lighter than standard discs of a similar design. As well as enhancing performance and fuel economy, this represents a major reduction in unsprung and rotating masses.