The Porsche 918 Spyder has made production. The stunning supercar dropped jaws at the 2010 Geneva motor show with its modernised Carrera GT looks and uber-powerful hybrid drivetrain, and it’s set to lose little of its impact on the journey from show floor to showroom.
 
For starters, its headline figures remain the same – the combination of a V8 petrol engine and electric motors will deliver 718bhp-plus in combination with a claimed fuel economy of 94mpg (more than any current UK production car, Prius and diddy diesel cars included) and CO2 emissions of 70g/km, which under current regulations equates to free road tax. Combined with a 3.2sec 0-62mph sprint and 199mph top speed (and projected sub-7min 30sec Nordschleife lap), and you have an impressively hard to comprehend set of figures.
 
The engine is a mid-mounted, high-revving eight-cylinder that Porsche describes as ‘exceeding 4.0-litres’, and is based on the Porsche RS Spyder racing car’s engine, putting out ‘more than 500 horsepower’. It drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed PDK twin-clutch gearbox, while there’s an electric motor on both front and rear axles, the pair offering a combined 218bhp. This effectively makes the 918 Spyder all-wheel drive, with the system said to be variable. Sounds to us like a big rearward bias when at full-pelt, though.
 
Dubbed a plug-in hybrid, the Spyder can be driven around 20 miles on electric power alone and its lithium-ion battery can be charged from domestic power sockets.
 
Its looks, previewed by these teaser sketches, will stick very closely to the 2010 918 Spyder concept while gaining removable roof panels (stowable in the front luggage compartment) to make it a hard top when desired. The order books are open now, with production limited to 918 cars and the price 645,000 euros without taxes. So figure on paying around £700,000, over twice the Porsche Carrera GT’s cost when new in 2004…
 
Porsche 918 Spyder deliveries will begin in November 2013, and if that sounds like a long time to wait, worry not: tick a box on the options list and you’ll get a Porsche 911 Turbo S Edition 918 Spyder (pictured right) delivered this summer as an interim car. There’s an acid green colour scheme and a special edition plaque to match your 918’s production number added to an already stonkingly good 523bhp Turbo S. It’s a pricey option box though, a coupe costing £125,865 and the cabriolet £133,553. Non-918 buyers won’t be able to buy one.
 
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