Crossing the Blues

Monday, March 22, 2010

Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 Spyder

Let’s just get it over with and let out a collective gasp of envy: Porsche has officially unveiled details — and pictures — of a temptress on wheels, the 918 Spyder concept.

The unveiling comes as the Geneva Auto Show opens to media.

While the debut of any Porsche is a big deal, there’s more to this beautiful German sports car than just amazing curves: it’s got brains, too.

Believe it or not, the 918 Spyder concept is a plug-in hybrid car — albeit one that is faster than most dedicated, gas-guzzling super cars.

The open-top two seater packs a 500-horsepower V8 that revs to 9,200 rpm, plus a pair of electric motors in the front and rear that are good for another 218 horsepower. If I’m going my math right, this is a hybrid that packs over 700 ponies.

That kind of power, Porsche says, will catapult this thing from 0-60 mph in under 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 198 mph. The icing on the cake? The car can reportedly achieve the equivalent of up to 78 mpg.