Porsche unleashes the Martini 918 Spyder Hybrid - Video

The past meets up with the future as the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid was unveiled. The photos alone will draw one back to the glory days of sportscar racing as one recalls the Martini livery on the new Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid. Seems like the 1970s have returned and the memories of the Martini Racing Porsche sailing through the Porsche Curves on the La Sarthe circuit, and if you close your eyes for just a minute or two, you might believe you are back at Le Mans!

In 1971, Martini sponsored the works Porsche 917 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and they won! With the retirement of the 917, Porsche and Martini renewed their partnership with the 911 Carrera RS. In the years that followed, the Martini logos on the Porsche cars (936, RSR Turbo, 935, and the 936). They won Le Mans twice with the Porsche 936.

In the official unveiling of the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid, the German manufacturer honored the past with the 1970s Martini Racing paint scheme.

Nürburgring-Nordschleife, 20.8 km track was the perfect place to showcase the stunning new Spyder. It was also the circuit where the Porsche 918 hybrid set a record time of 07:22; of course that was compared to other cars that were of equal performance at the historic track.

The hybrid is powered by a high performance combustion engine on the inside and electric motors powering the rear axle. The Porsche engine can produce nearly 770 HP, and uses close to three liters of fuel per 100 km.

Carbon fiber polymer was used for the Spyder’s frame and chassis, which cuts the amount of weight, which in turn improves the handling and acceleration of the 918. Another element that Porsche added was an adaptive rear axle steering. The performance package of the Spyder includes a special aerodynamics package and a low routed exhaust system.

Another noticeable element is the rear design of the 918. One only needs to view the Spyder to see the beauty which enhances the performance.

Needless to say, the former partnership between Martini and Porsche has been reinstated, and in a win-win situation for both companies.

Porsche unveiled the 918 RSR hybrid race car, which boasts peak performance of 767 hp. The 918 RSR is an evolution of the 911 GT3 R and the 918 Spyder hybrid concepts last year. The 918 RSR is powered by the 563 hp. V8 from the RS Spyder racer and has electric motor on each of the front wheels that provide 75 kilowatts each for a total net horsepower of 767 at peak. Regenerative braking creates the electric power, which is stored with a flywheel.