Pistonheads Review the Porsche 918 Spyder

“Chris Harris has driven the 918 Spyder and his brain is still trying to catch up.”

Track day with a stable of Porsche’s cream of the crop, including their 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar and a 911 GT3 would be enough to scramble anyone’s brains. There’s been a lot of buzz about the 918 – with love it or hate it responses, depending on which side of the Porsche enthusiast purist pool you reside. But here’s what we’ve known:

• It’s a proper plug-in hybrid
• Power output is 887 hp (608 V8 + 286 electric) and 676-44 lb tq
• Performs at a sub 3 second 0-60 time (in and around the 2.6-2.8 range)
• Utilizes a 4,593cc flat-plane V8

It definitely isn’t your run of the mill hybrid. And within a growing world of hybrid super cars, how exactly does the 918 perform? According to Chris Harris’ experience, it’s a drive unlike any other. The combination of an ultra responsive throttle and motor response (from the electric motor no doubt) with a distinctly unique feel, from a ton of electric system tricks to aid in the driving dynamics seems to have won him over.

Is hybrid the future standard for Porsche? Probably not. But we’d take this kind of vehicle over another sub-compact SUV launch any day. (Chris does pose an interesting question of what the 918 experience would be like if it were stripped of all its heavier electric components).

via [Pistonheads]