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> Hot laps in the 918 Spyder, Zuffenhauler
Maltese Falcon
post Nov 23 2013, 03:25 AM
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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 !Attached Image
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Maltese Falcon
post Nov 23 2013, 03:31 AM
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New territory for the term "Dual exhaust"
Once the v8 engine engages there is no missing this symphony behind your ears !Attached Image
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EdwardBlume
post Nov 23 2013, 03:33 AM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) :beer3
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) :
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Maltese Falcon
post Nov 23 2013, 04:05 AM
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My favorite part of the 918 Roadshow day, the instructor giving up his driver seat to me, and becoming my passenger !Attached Image If you have never met me, I'm in the blue shirt.
BTW about the same headroom , side to side room as in our 914s. Definitely not as roomy as the 930. I felt right at home, and got right into carving up the course. The 918 has a carbon tub...which is the main reason you can serve it up at the track, just the way it leaves the factory. We have the aftermarket, technical people and products on 914world , to build fast, tight cornering mid engines right here...and when you're done building it, take all that extra 918 cash and buy a big old house !
The engineers in Zuffenhausen have just raised the bar, and a 6:57 at the Nordschleife, now let's see what the others build .
Marty
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doug_b_928
post Nov 23 2013, 07:21 AM
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Wow!!!! Lucky you!!!!! Congrats and thanks for sharing.
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zambezi
post Nov 23 2013, 12:18 PM
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Totally Jealous!!!!!!! Congrats. That would be a once in a lifetime drive, all but for the wealthy 918 owners.
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oldschool
post Nov 23 2013, 12:28 PM
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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) WoW!..very cool.
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Type 47
post Nov 23 2013, 09:47 PM
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OMG, you've got to be kidding me...not only does a mere mortal get to ride in a 918 but also thrash it on a race track!!!...and that mere mortal gives us the skinning (the ultimate from the "poor mans Porsche" camp to the now only the very rich camp) on the situation.

This is huge...

the 918 is not just the next Carrera GT, it's not like developing the 959 to be the ultimate super car 911.

The 918 is the super car's super car. It has changed the game.

Ferrari, Lamborghini, even Bugatti are old technology.

At basically $1M it will be awesome just to see one, much less ride/drive one.

Thanks for sharing this...I've not seen an actual pic of a production car yet.

BTW: hitting 140 in a 1,000' straight is not even WOT for the 1,000' I hit 160 on Road America's 4,500...oh wait 140 in 1k' OMG...remember when 8 minutes was ungodly fast @ the ring?
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bandjoey
post Nov 23 2013, 09:54 PM
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You should have invited the instructor to take some laps in your 914gt and then to go back and have him tell the factory to build a real porsche again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
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Maltese Falcon
post Nov 24 2013, 03:30 AM
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QUOTE(Type 47 @ Nov 23 2013, 07:47 PM) *

OMG, you've got to be kidding me...not only does a mere mortal get to ride in a 918 but also thrash it on a race track!!!...and that mere mortal gives us the skinning (the ultimate from the "poor mans Porsche" camp to the now only the very rich camp) on the situation.

This is huge...

the 918 is not just the next Carrera GT, it's not like developing the 959 to be the ultimate super car 911.

The 918 is the super car's super car. It has changed the game.

Ferrari, Lamborghini, even Bugatti are old technology.

At basically $1M it will be awesome just to see one, much less ride/drive one.

Thanks for sharing this...I've not seen an actual pic of a production car yet.

BTW: hitting 140 in a 1,000' straight is not even WOT for the 1,000' I hit 160 on Road America's 4,500...oh wait 140 in 1k' OMG...remember when 8 minutes was ungodly fast @ the ring?


I was not paying attention to the tach while driving in pdk auto. When I started in on the paddles I used 8k for upshifts but I was no where near the rev limiter. I'd say that without the red 991 in front me , and not really knowing what rpm to safely upshift at, I could squeeze the speed to 145. The pdk downshifting is spot on including LOUD rpm matching blips just milliseconds ahead of each downshift. Talking about the idle rich, back in the gravel parking lot these 2 guys arrive in a matte white Veyron. As the Porsche valet aporoached to greet them, the valet gets the stink eye from the Bugatti driver...so he respectfully doesn't offer his services.
The Veyron guys posed by their car for awhile, but nobody stopped, chatted or even gave the car a passing glance...PRICELESS !
Hey it was Porsche's 918 that shined today (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)
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GeorgeRud
post Nov 24 2013, 09:06 AM
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Just have to win the Lottery!
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Maltese Falcon
post Nov 24 2013, 07:01 PM
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QUOTE(bandjoey @ Nov 23 2013, 07:54 PM) *

You should have invited the instructor to take some laps in your 914gt and then to go back and have him tell the factory to build a real porsche again (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Bill, the instructor was real cool with some pics I shared with him on the 914s.
He gets to hang out with Hurley Haywood and Derek Bell at various Porsche driving clinics, and hears all of their air cooled tales from the day (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Marty
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Mike Bellis
post Nov 24 2013, 08:05 PM
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What a fun ride! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/drooley.gif)
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naro914
post Nov 25 2013, 07:49 AM
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and I thought I was lucky last year when Nadine and I had a chance to climb all over a 918 while it was in the transport truck at Barber for the Media day intro! Poor truck driver had no idea that he had a one-of-a-kind car in his truck, so 'Sure" he said when we asked if we could climb in the truck and see it....

But...we didn't get to DRIVE it!!! Wow...that is so very cool. Thank you for sharing!
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bulitt
post Nov 25 2013, 03:35 PM
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Awesome car performance wise but sorta looks like a boxster?
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Bills914-4
post Nov 26 2013, 04:40 AM
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I just Can Not Imagine sitting in one , let alone Driving One on a Track , WOW ,
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jimkelly
post Nov 26 2013, 08:14 AM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEv_uFBnzwI


got to have balls of magnesium to race thru this narrow path

918 is only $845,000 base price
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/drive...che_918_spyder/
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Maltese Falcon
post Nov 26 2013, 05:40 PM
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QUOTE(bulitt @ Nov 25 2013, 01:35 PM) *

Awesome car performance wise but sorta looks like a boxster?


Different colors and different angles of photography give the 918 various style similarities to different sports cars. But I will say that it has a style unique to its own.
At first I thought the white was bland when compared to other 918 colors, now I like it.
MartyAttached Image
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Maltese Falcon
post Nov 26 2013, 06:27 PM
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3/4 view from the back , returning to the pits.
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bulitt
post Nov 26 2013, 07:55 PM
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The back looks pretty nice! Not sure if Ferrari copied the two front inlets from Porsche or visa-versa?
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