Porsche is rumored to unveil what the German automaker is referring to as a “spectacular” new sports car during next week’s Detroit Auto Show. Speculation is that the car will borrow heavily from the 918 Spyder concept, seen for the first time during the 2010 Geneva Auto Show. These illustrations portray what the next version, possibly in coupe format, could look like.
In terms of design, we loved the open-top exuberance of the 918 Spyder concept and all its show-car touches, such as side exit exhaust and humongous alloy wheels. The version appearing in Detroit might err more on the side of a more production-ready design. These illustrations hint at a slightly tamer looking (but no less gorgeous) coupe.
In case you’ve forgotten, the 918 Spyder concept is powered by a mid-mounted 3.4-liter V-8, producing upwards of 500 bhp. Yet the biggest trick up the sleeve of the 918 Spyder is the car’s front and rear electric motors, which add 218 bhp to the fun quotient.
This powertrain offers four distinct driving modes, ranging from zero-emission economy to tire-burning racing. When running solely on electric power—E Drive mode, in Porsche’s lingo—the 918 Spyder has a driving range of approximately 16 miles. That should get you to the grocery store and back, though it’s not exactly what we have in mind when it comes to a wild exotic wearing Porsche badges.
Hybrid mode combines electric power and the gasoline engine, depending on the driving situation. Sport Hybrid mode turns the performance up, as more power is transferred to the rear wheels. Finally there is Race Hybrid mode, which, as the name suggests, sacrifices mpg for those extra tenths of second when gunning the car around a racetrack.
So will Porsche be able to top the 918 Spyder’s already impressive spec sheet? Or will Porsche surprise us all and reveal something totally different? We’ll know for certain when the car is revealed Monday morning, January 10, during the Detroit Auto Show.
2004 SG Model A PearlBlackObsidian (RIP) 2008 SG Model D BlueRallyWorld
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Neat to see the model coming out... I just wonder how it will sell.
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Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
