There's no two ways about it, the Porsche 918 Spyder is the coolest, fastest and most advanced car currently made in Germany. Crammed with technology which will take several years to trickle down into the 911, it proved for the first time that hybrids make good sportscars by becoming one of the fastest track cars ever built.
The lord of the Nurburgring – that's what we're going to call the 918 Spyder. This car has gone round there faster than anything but a couple of race cars with number plates made by Radical. On paper, it has two rivals in the form of the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari, but both have failed to pick up the challenge and set a lap faster than 6 minutes 57 seconds.
As winter releases its grip of the Nurburgring, Porsche engineers and test drivers are back in the thick of things and have been seen racing a 918 Spyder in Martini livery against the 911 Turbo, possible the Turbo S. That's a bit like seeing a Ferrari 458 being chased by the LaFerrari, if the Italians could show their face down at the track again.
But it really shouldn't, unless it wants a kicking from the 918. While the LaFerrari has a nice V12 and a simple electric motor, the Germans fitter their hybrid with lots of complicated electronics, four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering. At the push of a button, this car transforms itself into an EV, a hybrid or a race car. Even though the 911 Turbo has all-wheel steering too, it's still just one car, not many.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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