Photo: Porsche
Among the Holy Trinity of modern hypercars, the 918 Spyder has been hit with the most recalls. The saga started in July 2014 when Porsche issued a campaign for all vehicles manufactured from May 7th to June 18th, claiming that the rear-axle control arms “may break, causing difficulty controlling the vehicle.” Then another recall was issued in December 2014, then a handful more for related problems.
As you found out from the headline, the saga is far from over despite the fact the 918 Spyder ended production in June 2015. Porsche Cars North America issued the following statement regarding 305 examples from the 2015 model year:
“Intensive analysis revealed that the connecting shafts of the longitudinal and transverse control arms might be vulnerable to cathodic stress corrosion cracking (SCC).” What the Stuttgart-based automaker wants to say is, the connecting shafts are prone to cracking, thus leading to handling issues, increasing the risk of a crash.
Thanks a bunch, Porsche, more so when if you bear in mind this twin-turbo V8-powered bruiser with plug-in hybrid assistance used to retail at $845,000 when it was new. The company highlights that handling could be “impaired under extreme conditions (such as racetrack use)” as a consequence of cracking.
According to the recall bulletin, Porsche has instructed authorized dealers in the United States to replace the affected components “with more robust materials.” At no charge to the customer, of course. The automaker expects the fix to take seven to eight hours, with customers to be notified about the campaign by first-class mail.
On an ending note, what the hell was Porsche thinking when the 918 Spyder was being developed? So many problems in such a short amount of time is unacceptable for an automaker that prides itself on perfection, a concept that one too many car companies hold in high regards. The truth is, German perfection is a myth, as proven by every German marque out there.
On the other hand, a luxury automaker that voluntarily recalls cars after finding a potential problem is a consumer-oriented company. The execution and transparency of the operation are also worth highlighting.
“Intensive analysis revealed that the connecting shafts of the longitudinal and transverse control arms might be vulnerable to cathodic stress corrosion cracking (SCC).” What the Stuttgart-based automaker wants to say is, the connecting shafts are prone to cracking, thus leading to handling issues, increasing the risk of a crash.
Thanks a bunch, Porsche, more so when if you bear in mind this twin-turbo V8-powered bruiser with plug-in hybrid assistance used to retail at $845,000 when it was new. The company highlights that handling could be “impaired under extreme conditions (such as racetrack use)” as a consequence of cracking.
According to the recall bulletin, Porsche has instructed authorized dealers in the United States to replace the affected components “with more robust materials.” At no charge to the customer, of course. The automaker expects the fix to take seven to eight hours, with customers to be notified about the campaign by first-class mail.
On an ending note, what the hell was Porsche thinking when the 918 Spyder was being developed? So many problems in such a short amount of time is unacceptable for an automaker that prides itself on perfection, a concept that one too many car companies hold in high regards. The truth is, German perfection is a myth, as proven by every German marque out there.
On the other hand, a luxury automaker that voluntarily recalls cars after finding a potential problem is a consumer-oriented company. The execution and transparency of the operation are also worth highlighting.
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