The words supercar and sustainable rarely appear in the same sentence.
But the Porsche 918 Spyder is a new breed of fast car for speed freaks with a conscience. It's a hybrid.
Buyers will, however, have to have a healthy bank balance, as the Spyder's basic retail price in the UAE will be almost Dh3.3 million (US$898,423).
Porsche fans were treated to a preview of the car last week, as its prototype made an appearance at the Ali & Sons and Al Nabooda showrooms in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on a tour of the Middle East.
"The 918 Spyder is the latest in a long line-up of Porsche supersports cars that embody the racing heritage and tradition that Porsche is renowned for," said K Rajaram, the chief executive of Al Nabooda Automobiles, the dealer for Porsche in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. "The 918 Spyder pushes the boundaries in developing new technologies for future vehicle concepts. Having the opportunity to present such an amazing and exclusive vehicle to Porsche enthusiasts in Dubai was truly a remarkable experience."
The car has a 4.6-litre, 580-horsepower engine and can go from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in less than three seconds.
Designed as a high-performance hybrid with plug-in electric module, the car has a top speed of more than 325kph and a purely electric top speed of over 150kph.
"What we are doing with the 918 Spyder is redefining driving fun, efficiency and performance," said Wolfgang Hatz, member of the executive board for research and development at Porsche.
The 918 Spyder will be produced in Zuffenhausen, near Stuttgart, Germany, where construction of a separate manufacturing plant has begun.
Production is expected to begin in September, with the first cars being delivered by the end of the year. But with vehicles limited to a worldwide production of just 918 individually numbered supercars, buyers will have to move fast to secure one.
