Two people “with direct knowledge of the plan” informed the aforementioned source that Porsche is preparing the move. If this becomes a reality, the 918 Spyder would become the most expensive vehicle to be offered by the German automotive producer.
It looks like Porsche has received at least 2,000 non-binding expressions of interest for the hybrid supercar, which was introduced back in March, at the Geneva Auto Show.
In order to build the car, Porsche would need at least 1,000 potential customers, Wolfgang Duerheimer, Porsche's development chief, said during an interview taken in April at the Beijing Auto Show. The executive also mentioned that he believes in the car’s market potential, expecting in to easily reach the aforementioned target.
“The Spyder will become Porsche’s new supercar showpiece project,” Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, was quoted as saying by the aforementioned source. “It unites Porsche’s high-performance engineering with intelligent drive technology.”
Let us remind you what the half a million dollars, hybrid excitement is all about. The 918 Spyder uses a 500 hp gasoline-powered V8, which is centrally mounted, in conjunction with three electric motors that offer a combined output of 160 kW (218 hp). The vehicle also comes with a fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery, as well as a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS).
The 918 Spyder manages to surpass the Porsche Carrera GT - the carmaker’s modern age road star, which only had a production of under 1,500 units - both in terms of pricing and on the track, with the first posting a Nurburgring laptime of 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
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