Porsche 918 Spyder Hybrid Supercar To Go On Sale

[Raistlin]

Porsche has decided to make a limited number of the new hybrid supercar it's been developing, called the 918 Spyder.

The car is powered by both a petrol engine and electric motor and will be based on a prototype unveiled at this year's Geneva car show.

It can go from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds, has a top speed of 198mph and will be able to travel up to 16 miles on Battery power alone.

The 918 Spyder will effectively replace the company's Carrera GT.

At more than £400,000 it'll also be the company's most expensive car ever.

The board of Porsche only agreed to put the 918 Spyder into production if more than 1,000 people signed declarations of interest to buy one.

Nearly double that number put their names down.

Vital stats One of the car's electric motors will drive the front wheels while the back wheels are powered by both petrol and the remaining electric motor.

The 918 Spyder has four drive modes including electric and race hybrid The plug-in hybrid needs just under five litres of petrol for every 100 miles driven and emits 70g/km of CO2.

The pair of 160kW electric motors will provide a combined 218bhp with the 3.4 litre V8 engine providing the remaining 500bhp.

The 918 Spyder is around the same length as the Boxster and Cayman but wider than both and weighs just under 1,500kg (3,300lb).

The body and Shell are made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic.

Porsche says it completed a test lap of the Nürburgring in Germany in less than seven minutes and 30 seconds.