2013 Porsche 918 Spyder

This past year’s Geneva Motor Show was all abuzz with the unveiling of the Porsche 918 Spyder Concept, a vehicle that, once it hit production, would be the successor for the Carrera GT. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long to receive confirmation that this concept would indeed be hitting the production block, and now we get to have a look at the first step to seeing the Spyder in its full form with this image of the first scale clay model.

Once that clay model turns into something a little less arts and crafts and a lot more mind-bendingly powerful, Porsche has announced that they will be investing around 150 million euros in a high-tech wind tunnel, that will help "to maintain Porsche’s top position in the fields of aerodynamics and design and to further extend our lead."

In a previous statement Porsche announced that the production version will deliver more power than the concept. Michael Macht, President and Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG said: "Production of the 918 Spyder in a limited series proves that we are taking the right approach with Porsche Intelligent Performance featuring the combination of supreme performance and efficient drivetrain concepts. We will develop the 918 Spyder in Weissach and assemble it in Zuffenhausen. This is also a very important commitment to Germany as a manufacturing base."

UPDATE 03/21/2011: Order books are now open for the production 918 Spyder. According to Porsche, their plug-in hybrid sports car will be priced at 645,000 Euro in Europe and $845,000 in the U.S. There will only be 918 units produced.

UPDATE 05/15/2011: Porsche opened up the order books for the production 918 Spyder back 

in March, and now, less than two months later, all 918 units have already been spoken for. For those who were lucky enough to snag one, production will begin on September 18, 2013. Still a long ways away, but more than likely, it will be worth the wait.

Exterior and Interior

Porsche has made no bones about the fact that the production 918 Spyder will stay faithful to the design cues found on the concept version. However, there will be minor changes such as the replacing of the concept’s 22-inch alloys, the elimination of the concept’s camera to fit in side mirrors, and the moving of the exhaust from the side to the rear. The production version will also make intense use of carbon fiber and aluminum for improved crash safety.

The Porsche 918 Spyder will be offered with both hard and soft tops, but there will be no RS version. For the interior, Porsche will offer sports bucket seats, a touch-sensitive surface for intuitive control of the car’s functions, and a three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel.

The Engine

The Porsche 918 Spyder concept is powered by a 500-horsepower V8, along with a pair of electric motors with 109 horsepower each. There is also a lithium-ion battery back that could give drivers 16 miles of emissions-free driving. However, for the production version things will be a little bit different as rumors are suggesting that the power and displacement of the petrol engine will be increased. Also, like with all the other Porsche models, the 918 Spyder will be offered with PDK for improved fuel consumption.

When Can I Get One?

Expect to see a production version of the Porsche 918 Spyder in 2012 for Europe and 2013 for the United States. The plug-in hybrid sports car will be priced at 645,000 Euro in Europe and $845,000 in the U.S. There will only be 918 units produced.

Befitting its status as Porsche’s ultimate supercar, acquiring the 918 Spyder will be a little more complicated than most standard Porsche models. First of all, there’s that all important matter of having $845,000 at your disposal. When you’ve settled that, you need to find an authorized Porsche dealer - by ’authorized’, we mean those that have signed a participation agreement with the company - that can process your order. Once you’ve found that dealership, they will be the ones to pass along an order to Porsche where they are obligated to submit an "Allocation Request Form". Once submitted, the dealership will have to wait for a reply from Porsche, with the latter telling the former if they can order one. When that happens, the dealer will have to submit $200,000 as down payment for the order. Porsche will then respond with its own confirmation letter and an estimated timeframe for production. Then, a year before the car’s production date, the buyer will have to fork over another $200,000 with the remaining balance of $445,000 set to be paid when the car is built. Owners will have to settle all the payments before the company ships the 918 Spyder.

Exhausting as this sounds, there’s a rationale behind the tedious process. According to the company, all 918s will have to have an owner already even before the car is going to be built. For a car as expensive as this one, Porsche won’t be building the 918 Spyder on the grounds of speculation. Smart move, if you ask us.

The Competition

With the 918 Spyder, Porsche will bring the Carrera GT into the 21st century. However, it won’t be the only electric supercar on the market so competition will definitely ensue.

So far, the competition will stand with the R8 E-tron that Audi has promised will go into production and the SLS AMG electric. Both of these vehicles will be fine competitors, but neither one promises to deliver the same performance as does the Porsche. The Audi R8 Etron concept is powered by four different motors, but those motors combined can only deliver 313hp. The Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell has a better chance against the Porsche as it is scheduled to produce 526hp and 649 pound-feet of torque. The only problem with using it as a competitor is that it won’t be gracing us with its presence until 2015, a full three years after the Porsche 918 Spyder hits the market.