918 Spyder tops global debut with a Nürburgring lap record / Super sportscar equipped with a hybrid drive takes the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6.57 minutes (BILD)

Stuttgart (ots) -

As the first vehicle to boast global road homologation, the
Porsche 918 Spyder* has conquered the 20.6-kilometre lap around the
Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than seven minutes. Achieving a time
of exactly six minutes and 57 seconds, the super sportscar equipped
with a hybrid drive shaved 14 seconds off the previous record.
Wolfgang Hatz, member of the Porsche AG Board of Management in charge
of Research and Development, had the following to say: "We promised a
great deal with the 918 Spyder, namely to redefine driving pleasure,
efficiency and performance. We have kept our word."

As is always the case with Porsche, the 918 Spyder is also leading
the way for future generations as the latest in the line of super
sportscars. It is currently making its global début at the
International Motor Show (IAA). With its unique spread, the model
blends maximum driving dynamics with minimal fuel consumption. By
taking the Nürburgring record, the sportscar is demonstrating the
enormous potential that lies in Porsche's pioneering plug-in hybrid
concept, and is underpinning the leading role the company enjoys when
it comes to developing sporty hybrid vehicles. "The radical
hybridisation of the 918 Spyder from the very outset is what made
this lap record possible" says Dr. Frank Walliser, head of the 918
Spyder project. "The lap time on the Nordschleife is and remains the
toughest measure of a super sportscar. Posting a time of 6.57
minutes, we achieved a result of which everyone in the development
team and at Porsche as a whole is rightly proud."

The record, which was previously held for four years, was even
broken during the first attempt in the test drive on the morning of
September 4. All three drivers - Former European Rally Champion
Walter Röhrl, Porsche test driver Timo Kluck and Porsche factory
driver Marc Lieb - were quicker than the existing record with each
lap driving the two 918 Spyder models used, and posted lap times of
less than seven minutes on numerous occasions. Ultimately, it was
Marc Lieb who posted the absolute best time of 6.57 minutes, driving
at an average speed of 179.5 km/h, as measured by Wige Solutions.
Marcus Schurig, editor-in-chief of sportscar magazine "sport auto",
was on hand as an objective observer of the record-breaking runs. The
two sportscars, which deliver an output of 887 bhp (652 kW), were
equipped with the optional "Weissach package" to increase the driving
dynamics, and lead out on the standard Michelin tyres developed
specifically for the 918 Spyder.

GO Note: Images relating to the record runs in the 918 Spyder are
available to accredited journalists from the Porsche press database
at https://presse.porsche.de.

* 918 Spyder: combined fuel consumption: 3.3-3.0 l/100 km;
combined energy consumption: 12.5-13.0 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions:
79-70 g/km

Contact:
Public Relations and Press
Director Product & Technical Press
Thomas Becki
Telephone: +49 (0)711 911 - 24 628
Email: thomas.becki@porsche.de