Hot laps in the 918 Spyder, Zuffenhauler Options

[Maltese Falcon]

I got a call from a long time customer from Oahu and asked if I could shift my workday around on Thursday. Reason being he is in Socal for his ( order #79) 918 roadshow test drive, and is allowed to bring a guest. Fast forward to Thermal Club Raceway near Coachella yesterday and Porsche's 918 invite presentation. The track is only 50% completed but they had enough of it set up for this event. Coupled with about 30 confirmed buyers present, Porsche staff, track instructors, and static displays, it was a
total gearheads overload ! After some track familiarizing drive alongs in the e-power Panamera , you get partnered into the 918 Spyder. A few laps as a passenger, then switch seats. Two laps in e-drive, pdk does all the up/down shifting...then there is this little dial sitting in the steering wheel at about 4:00 position. One click ccw on the dial and the symphony of the flat-crankshaft Porsche v8 FIRES UP and howls right behind your head exhausting upwards out of the engine compartment. I was already throwing the 918 into the rumble strips in e-mode real good, when instructed to light the v8 and told to go for it ...it became an asphalt eating beast. Excellent feedback from cockpit to car, no understeer push, no oversteer tailwagging. Being around Porsches for some time, I dared not throttle lift...so I can't tell you how it reacts in that scenario♡. The best part of this short track was after a series of esses, you drift out to the right, ease the power on catch the gators and launch the car into the straight. I checked the speedo just entering the straight (80mph) and just before braking at the 5,4,3, mark I hit 140.
And this straight is only about 1,000' long !
The specs I've been reading today indicate 0-60 in 2.5 sec., 0-186 in 19.9 sec.
There will only be 918 of these Spyders built, hopefully each buyer will get to learn how to drive these on closed courses with a skilled instructor. This car is a ROCKET !