Key Points: 20/21" 918 Spyder Magnesium Wheels, Front Axle Lift System, Stone Guard.

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a limited-production plug-in hybrid sports car, of which only 918 examples were built. It is powered by a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 4.6-litre V8 derived from the RS Spyder Le Mans Prototype, developing 599hp and 398lb ft of torque, with two electric motors delivering an additional 282hp. One 154hp electric motor drives the rear wheels in parallel with the engine and also serves as the main generator, delivering power to the rear axle via a seven-speed PDK gearbox, while the front 127hp electric motor directly drives the front axle, and an electric clutch decouples the motor when not in use. The system
delivers 875hp and 944 lb-ft of torque in total, resulting in a claimed 0-62mph sprint time of just 2.6 seconds, and a top speed of 214mph. Independent media tests found it was even quicker, with Car and Driver magazine recording a 0-60mph time of just 2.2 seconds.

The 4.6-litre V8 petrol engine can recharge an empty battery on around two litres of fuel. The Porsche Universal Charger requires seven hours to charge the battery on a typical 120V household AC socket or two hours on a 240V charger. A DC charging station can restore the battery to full capacity in around 25 minutes.

The 918 Spyder offers several different running modes, including E-Drive, which allows the car to run under battery power alone using the rear electric motor and front motor, giving a claimed range of 12 miles. Under the E-Drive mode the car can attain a maximum speed of 93 mph. Two hybrid modes, Hybrid and Race, use both the engine and electric motors to provide the desired levels of economy and performance. In Race mode, a push-to-pass button initiates the Hot Lap setting, which delivers additional electrical power.