918 Spyder Production Model Among Porsche Premieres at Frankfurt Motor Show

Craig Cole
by Craig Cole

It’s hard to believe but the Frankfurt Motor Show press preview kicks off next week. Where has summer gone? Heating things up, here’s a glimpse of what storied German sportscar builder Porsche plans to display at the international event.

The company’s 918 Spyder concept will take a bow in the city on the Main River. This supercar features a fuel-saving plug-in hybrid drivetrain that supposedly delivers explosive performance with the fuel consumption of a compact car. Output is a whopping 887 brake horsepower, which allows it to scoot from a standstill to 100 kilometers an hour (62 miles an hour) in a scant 2.8 seconds. In spite of this shocking acceleration fuel economy is anywhere between 71 and 78 miles per gallon.

GALLERY: Porsche 918 Spyder Prototype

SEE ALSO: AutoGuide’s Complete Coverage of the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

The company will also show off a new generation of the Panamera Grand Tourer, Porsche’s controversial four-door. One version of the car will feature an efficient plug-in hybrid drivetrain, which the company claims is a first in the luxury class. A new version of the diesel Panamera will also be introduced. It’s powered by a considerably more muscular engine. It now clocks in at 300-brake-horsepower.

Of course no Porsche display is complete without a 911, and the company will show off a pair of the iconic sports cars. The first one is a special 50th anniversary model based on today’s Carrera S. The limited production “50 years 911” is limited to just 1,963 examples, a number that coincides with the year the car was introduced. It features the widened stance of all-wheel-drive 911s but power is routed exclusively to the aft tires, just like the original.

GALLERY: 50th Anniversary 911

Stepping things up, the 911 Turbo S celebrates its 40th birthday. The high-performance car was introduced a decade after the first 911 hit the market. It benefits from a new all-wheel-drive system, active rear-axle steering and adaptive aerodynamics, all of which make an awesome car even better. Oh, and it’s got a 560 horsepower twin-turbo boxer-six.

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Craig Cole
Craig Cole

Born and raised in metro Detroit, Craig was steeped in mechanics from childhood. He feels as much at home with a wrench or welding gun in his hand as he does behind the wheel or in front of a camera. Putting his Bachelor's Degree in Journalism to good use, he's always pumping out videos, reviews, and features for AutoGuide.com. When the workday is over, he can be found out driving his fully restored 1936 Ford V8 sedan. Craig has covered the automotive industry full time for more than 10 years and is a member of the Automotive Press Association (APA) and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA).

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