The 918 Spyder is meant to be a technological tour de force, a showcase for everything Porsche can do. The car is powered by a 4.6L V8 engine making 608 hp. This engine is connected to a pair of electric motors which brings total power up to a somewhat ridiculous 887 hp. Power is sent to all four wheels via an 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Interestingly, the front wheels are not connected to the gasoline engine and are powered by electric motor only. At high speeds, all power is sent to the rear wheels in order to improve high speed handling. Porsche doesn't quote mileage numbers, but the car can be driven in full electric mode for up to 20 miles and as a plug in hybrid it's entirely possible owners could use the car for several weeks without having to put any gas in it.
Owners will of course want to gas up before hitting the race track in order to make use of all 887 hp. When pushed hard the 918 Spyder reaches 60 mph in under 3 seconds and will continue on to a top speed of 211 mph. Handling is somewhere beyond exceptional. All-wheel drive combines with clever Porsche engineering to make the Spyder feel both planted and easily tossable. The car makes clever use of systems such as rear wheel steering and torque vectoring to ensure that the driver is firmly in control at all times.
Despite being the best of everything Porsche has to offer, the 918 Spyder can still be optioned up like any other car, though the options tend to be somewhat more unique on the 918. Optional items include an electro-pneumatic lift system for the front axle and a film coating instead of traditional paint.
Porsche also offers a Weissach package for owners who feel that the standard 918 Spyder just isn't quite special enough. The Weissach package leaves the roof, rear wing and rear view mirrors in bare carbon fiber, while the rest of the car gets dressed up in one of several Porsche racing liveries. Alcantara is used in place of leather for the interior and much of the aluminum trim is replaced with bare carbon fiber. The Weissach edition weighs about 80 lbs less than the standard car