Porsche has released plenty of images of its prototype 918 hybrid supercar, but has yet to publish stills or video of a production-ready version. If Left Lane News is correct, one of the automaker’s vendors may have stolen Porsche’s spotlight by releasing footage of the 918 production version before the Stuttgart-based automaker.
New York’s Canoe Studios recently held a pre-release party for potential Porsche 918 buyers. On display was the 918 RSR prototype racer, but after initial formalities the group was escorted to a secret room, where the production version of the 918 was revealed. The video below, filmed by Canoe Studios’ John Seabrooke and posted to YouTube by liquidsk8s, captures highlights from the event.
Some changes are obvious, like the larger side view mirrors and marker lights necessary to meet worldwide safety standards. Exhausts exit out the rear instead of the side (as on the RSR), and the wheelbase appears to be stretched to improve interior room. As with the prototype, the production version (assuming this really is it) is simply stunning, and we’d argue that it’s among the most beautiful Porsche designs ever penned.
When released, the 918 will produce a combined 770 horsepower via a 4.6-liter V-8 and a pair of electric motors. With one electric motor driving the front wheels and a second driving the rear wheels, the 918 can power two or four wheels as conditions warrant, with power from the car’s V-8 directed to rear wheels only. Despite such lofty horsepower numbers, Porsche claims the 918 can deliver “up to” 78.4 mpg, but we remain somewhat skeptical on that.
Pricing has yet to be officially announced, but you can safely bet the 918 will be among the most expensive Porsche models ever produced. If the car lives up to the hype Porsche has built around it, it will truly be ground-breaking.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
