Having previously had the opportunity to drive the Porsche 918 Spyder on track, we know just how incredible this 887 hp hybrid hypercar really is.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW78XQicDC4[/youtube]
However, for those that’ll never have the opportunity to drive the 918 Spyder in real life, thanks to the following video you can get behind the wheel of it with Patrick Long at the wheel at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. As you’ll soon find out when watching the video, driving a hypercar as quick as the 918 Spyder around a track certainly isn’t easy, but it is very, very rewarding.
As you probably know by now, the Porsche 918 Spyder comes fitted with a mid-mounted 4.6-litre V8 engine producing 608 hp independently – the highest specific power of any naturally aspirated Porsche engine. The V8 is then supplemented by a further two electric motors mounted on each axle.
The electric motors can either drive the wheels independently or work together with the engine to boost performance. Each motor produces enough power to boost the total figure of 887 hp. A seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) controls power delivery to the rear wheels.
The 918 Spyder has been greatly influenced by its affiliations with motorsport. A number of the developments to the Porsche race car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2014 were used in the 918 Spyder – and vice versa. It features a carbon fibre monocoque and a multi-link chassis. The chassis is aided by Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) adaptive shock-absorber system and rear-axle steering.
