While the gist of the Porsche 918 Syder may have already been laid, an exclusive from WorldCarFans has us delving a little deeper into the hybrid drivetrain and its different driving modes on the hybrid supercar.
The fact that motivation will be courtesy of a V8 engine with over 4-liters in displacement and pushing out around 500hp is no secret. Also known generally is that the petrol engine will be aided by two electric motors, one attached to each front wheel, producing 215hp. The entire setup will be linked to the wheels via a seven-speed PDK transmission that will enable century sprints in the 3.1-second region with maximum velocity exceeding 320km/h. A predicted lap time of the Nurburgring comes in at under seven and a half minutes.
The new bit we have learnt here is that the hybrid drivetrain will have four operating modes, E-Power, Hybrid, Sport Hybrid and Race Hybrid, that can be selected through a switch on the steering wheel. As the name suggests, the E-Power mode functions by primarily using the electric motors and Porsche has estimated that the 918 Spyder can travel on electric power alone for more than 25km with a fully-charged battery.
Hybrid mode is the recommended driving mode for everyday situations as it blends the petrol and electric motors towards a more optimum mix.
Hybrid Sport on the other hand is for some spirited driving on tight country roads as the powertrain will enable a rear torque bias for maximum performance and handling.
Lastly, Race Hybrid is the most performance-biased mode of all with the track its natural habitat. It provides uncompromised control of the drivetrain at the car's absolute limit for maximum performance.
Handling is honed in typical Porsche precision with a double wishbone setup all around. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) will be included to better manage the handling and response as will Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), a system that controls the torque output to the rear wheels through an electronically controlled locking differential.
On a more surface level, the supercar will be available in four colours, Carrara White, Black, Platinum Silver Metallic and Basalt Black with only one interior option so far, black. Nonetheless, Porsche are working to add more options to the colour palatte.
The 918 Spyder is scheduled to enter production in September 2013.
Source: WorldCarFans
