Porsche 918 Race Car Rumored to Debut at Detroit Auto Show
There’s been a lot of recent speculation about what exactly Porsche will unveil at the Detroit Auto Show in just a week’s time. Well, add one more rumor to the list.
According to AutoBild, Porsche will pull back the covers on a coupe version of it’s 918 Spyder concept. Designed for track, not street, duty, the 918 coupe is likely to weigh even less than the 3,300-lb curb weight of the Spyder concept and is likely to use a different engine. The original concept made use of a high-tech hybrid system that combined a 500-hp 3.4-liter V8 borrowed from the RS Spyder race cars and matched it with 218-hp of electric thrust.
This coupe model could use a more conventional turbocharged V8, although considering the success Porsche has had with its GT3 R Hybrid race car, it could be the next step in the German sports car maker’s hybrid racing strategy.
AutoGuide’s coverage of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show starts January 10th. See our Detroit Auto Show Preview here.
GALLERY: Porsche 918 RSR Race Car
[Source: AutoBlild via AutoExpress, Photos: TeamSpeed]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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I had a Porsche 356 in my college days a while back and it was best handling car I ever drove. It had superlative handling at high speeds. My BMW 528i was the best handling sedan I ever drove. But as I am more practical now, I drive a Maxima for fun and a Lexus RX with the family on trips. The German cars required much more maintenance than these Japanese cars.