Eco-Supercars: Porsche 918 Spyder vs Mercedes-Benz SLS eDrive

Apparently You Can Have High Performance and a Clear Conscience

From the April, 2010 issue of Motor Trend/ By Angus MacKenzie

The most significant car NOT at the New York Show? Porsche's 918 Spyder, the undisputed star of the Geneva Salon a few weeks ago. The car's not here in New York because it's en route to the Beijing Show, which opens later this month. That speaks volumes about a seismic shift in focus for the world's auto industry: America is still an important new car market, but it's no longer the world's most important new car market. It also underscores how China's forthcoming vehicle emissions standards, which are planned to be tougher than either U.S. or European standards, are concentrating the minds of the best and the brightest futurists in Weissach.

The plug-in hybrid 918 Spyder, which Porsche says delivers 200 mph performance and 78 mpg on the European fuel economy cycle, is not simply a concept car designed to greenwash Porsche's image at auto shows. Porsche insiders confirm the 918 may in fact go into production, albeit as a very low volume, very high-price flagship model, along the lines of the Carrera GT. "We are convinced the 918 is a car that will be seen in the hands of Porsche customers in the future," insists Porsche R&D chief Wolfgang Durheimer.

"We have delivered the answer to the question from our customers," says Porsche CEO Michael Macht. That question might have been something like this: "Can I drive a supercar and still save the planet?" According to Porsche, you sure can: Not only will the 918 do 200mph; according to Porsche's computer simulations it will reportedly accelerate from 0-60mph in little more than 3.0 sec, and lap the Nurburgring Nordschliefe in 7min 30 sec. And it can go up to 15 miles on electric power alone.

Source: Motor Trend

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