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We can’t imagine having 780 HP on tap in a convertible, but 9ff has realized the ridiculousness and created what’s likely to be the fastest drop-top in the world. The German tuning haus has taken the 997 Porsche Turbo convertible, stroked the 3.6-liter six to four-liters, modified every conceivable part of the motor, all in an effort to reach a top speed of 237 MPH.
On the outside, the only thing that distinguishes the TRC 91 from its “sedate” ancestry is a set of 20-inch rollers, upgraded brakes, a revised front grille to increase airflow, a couple of aero bits and a trunk lid made entirely out of carbon fiber.
The 4.0-liter mill was actually de-tuned from the hardtop model, which creates 910 HP and 671 lb.-ft. of torque, and allows the rear-engined rocket to make it to 60 just after you count to three. Insanity. But it’s our kind of madness.
[Source: Motor Authority]
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The Geneva Auto Show is on this week, giving forth a bounty of automotive treats and even a few glances into the future. One of the most exciting cars we’ve seen from the show has been Porsche’s 918 Spyder concept. Because it’s a Porsche (yet neither a sedan nor SUV), it’s beautiful on the outside.
Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
What’s inside is even more interesting. The 918 Spyder is really a “super hybrid” — pushed by both a 500-horsepower V8 and a pair of electric motors. The electric motors are attached at each axle, giving the car an additional 218 hp. Porsche says that means the concept can hit 60 mph in just over 3 seconds. That is incredibly fast, Porsche or not. The fact that it’s a “hybrid”? Well, that’s even better considering all the weight it’s pulling around.
Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
The part about this that is so compelling isn’t just the pure speed — it’s that Porsche claims the car is wildly efficient from a miles-per-gallon perspective, too. Porsche says the 918 Spyder hits 78 miles per gallon, burping out just 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer. It can go 16 miles on pure electric power alone.
Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
The 918 Concept can operate in either electric mode or gasoline mode, or a blended mode of both, making it a parallel hybrid. This is the more efficient way to create a hybrid car (“series” hybrids aren’t as efficient in terms of pure MPG savings). Porsche says there are four modes that the 918 Spyder can drive in, either dialing in more performance or more efficiency per the driver’s request.
Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Concepts being concepts, this 918 isn’t available for sale. The company is carefully watching how the consumers will react to performance cars with a green edge (Tesla already sells its 6-figure roadster, while Ferrari’s hybrid sports car from this week’s Geneva show will prove instructive for the German company, too). If you’re really burning for a Porsche hybrid, you’ll be able to buy one shortly: the Cayenne SUV will offer a hybrid model at the end of this year.
Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.