I was young and stupid. Besides, the Custom Cruiser could pull a camper! But, the kids are grown, the wife was fired, and I have a motor home. I do like the looks of the Boxsters... and it would make a good "toad"... hmmmmmm....
Posted on 05/11/2011 1:06:14 PM PDT by Red Badger
Porsche Japan KK will start accepting orders for its "918 Spyder" plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) May 13, 2011, in Japan.
It will start production of the PHEV Sept 18, 2013, and shipment in November 2013. The company will produce 918 units of the vehicle and ship them in the order of orders received. The vehicle will be completed at the Zuffenhausen Plant in Stuttgart, Germany.
The 918 Spyder is a two-seated vehicle having a monocoque structure made of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) and will be sold at a price of 684,800 euro (approx US$997,548).
The displacement of its V-8 engine mounted on the midship is 4L or more, and its maximum output is 368W (500PS) or higher. The rear wheels of the vehicle are driven by a seven-speed DCT (dual clutch transmission).
The two motors attached to the front and rear axles generate an output of 160kW (218PS) or more in total. The 918 Spyder is a four-wheel-drive car that can change the ratio of drive forces used for the front and rear axles.
The PHEV comes with a water-cooled lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable battery that can be charged using household power outlet. In the EV mode, its maximum speed and drive range are 150km/h and 25km or longer (NEDC), respectively. Its charging time differs depending on country but is about three hours in Germany.
The fuel consumption of the PHEV in the hybrid mode is 3.0L/100km (NEDC), which is 70g/km in terms of CO2 emissions. Its speed increases from 0km/h to 100km/h in less than 3.2 seconds. The maximum speed is 320km/h or higher. Because the vehicle is expected to lap the Nurburgring North circuit in seven minutes and 30 seconds, it is faster than the Carrera GT (seven minutes and 32 seconds).
Ah, I see that Jeremy Clarkson has joined the discussion.
;-)
If I could afford the car, I wouldn’t be worried about the price of gasoline and would just as soon not be hauling around the extra weight of those electric motors and battery.
Exactly! All the “green” folderol about hybrids is pure moonbeams and marshmallow. The stark truth is that immediate access to massive gobs of torque is absolutely essential in certain high performance situations. Just ask anyone who has driven the toe of the boot at the Glen.
I saw the 918 driving at the Pebble Beach Concourse. I made this clip of it, with notations of the special hybrid features. I touched it, etc. Arnold was there, and drove it a little. I set the clip to a James Bond song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXuu88e8JAM
The clip also features lots of amazing cars
Heh, heh. Well, you can say what you want, but there are a lot of us old-timers whose fondest memories are composed in equal parts of German-engineered torque, American summer heat, timeless rock-and-roll, and the sweet perfume of barely-dressed women in the soft glow of a midnight moon.
It is my humble opinion, if you really want to go, get a souped up motorcycle. I recall dusting off a couple of 911 with a Triumph Bonnie many years ago. Not Chevie SS though.
That is a beautiful car.
My back of the envelope calculations show that I would need to drive from here to the Sun and back 11 times though to save enough gas to make up the $950,000.00 in gas savings over my current vehicle ...
Actually the tagline goes, "911 Turbo - 35 years of improving a bad idea" which I found pretty hilarious considering the reputation of the pre-AWD models.
In any case, the world would be far duller without the 911.
$997,548? Will they throw in mudflaps? For that price, you ought to get the mudflaps for nothin’.
It's not about saving gas - those electric motors make it a faster car.
For a second, I thought that might be about a Subaru, but on reflection I think it was that movie where Dudley Moore was an advertising executive trying to save his career by coming up with slogans based on truth instead of fiction ("Come in the Bahamas...") Can't recall the name of the film...
I keep telling myself that I'll get another Porsche, but the only likely candidate is more than I want to spend. I don't go that fast these days, and racing is out of the question! I've thought about a VW Toureg SUV with the 10 cylinder TDI. 560 ft/lbs of torque, and way too much capability. Yet, it's $28k less than a Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
I'll probably just keep my Ford Exploder until it dies...
I just spent a week driving the 911 turbo S. My Gawd, what a car!
530 horses, yet heated seats and automatic headlights cost extra.
Still, if I could afford it - and was ready for a divorce - I’d buy it tomorrow!
Cheers,
Jim
Shoulda kept that 356! It had the same style jump seats the 911 has, and they are perfect for kids.
Sitting here grinning thinking about which girl and which car....
“Sitting here grinning thinking about which girl and which car....”
The 57 Corvette I met my wife with when we won the SCCA race at Santa Barbara.
I married her in 58.
All I can say, gentlemen, is that there IS a way to make love in a Triumph Spitfire in a raging snowstorm.
Many different ways, actually.
The older I get the more I appreciate those Bob Seger songs “Night Moves” and “Against the Wind.”
I was young and stupid. Besides, the Custom Cruiser could pull a camper! But, the kids are grown, the wife was fired, and I have a motor home. I do like the looks of the Boxsters... and it would make a good "toad"... hmmmmmm....
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