From the 2 reviews I have read on that press day, the 911TTS is being driven by Timo Kluck, Porsche's own factory pro and it's driven to the edge.
All the journalists who were on hand had to back off in order not to hit Kluck. Consider the average skills of journalists, one figured the 918 is being driven at at most 70%.
The amazing part still depends on the person. Some people still dream of Porsche taking out the hybrid system and make a lighter car. But what's the point? Porsche has been there and done that already, there is zero challenge as Porsche slap together a great one in a little as 6 months, but as a company they gain nothing doing it.
I too think I made the right choice in the 918. It's an investment towards future better Porsche cars that I will purchase.
Oh a little rumour is circulating that McLaren might do a P1 spyder, they think the market cannot get enough of their P1 and wants to milk the 12C platform some more. Current P1 buyers has to be PISSED if the spyder ever comes out.
Whoopsy:
From the 2 reviews I have read on that press day, the 911TTS is being driven by Timo Kluck, Porsche's own factory pro and it's driven to the edge.
All the journalists who were on hand had to back off in order not to hit Kluck. Consider the average skills of journalists, one figured the 918 is being driven at at most 70%.
Of course the 918 is faster than the 991 Turbo S on the track but Timo Kluck is really one of the fastest Porsche test drivers and I doubt that many car journalists without a racing background could follow or even get closer to him. That guy in the video clearly wasn't backing off...
So why didn't Timo Kluck use the 918 instead? Well...I can only guess but I suspect that they wanted to keep the journalists at bay, so they do not crash the 918. It wouldn't be the first time.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)
Dec 16, 2013 9:25:30 PM
RC:
Whoopsy:
From the 2 reviews I have read on that press day, the 911TTS is being driven by Timo Kluck, Porsche's own factory pro and it's driven to the edge.
All the journalists who were on hand had to back off in order not to hit Kluck. Consider the average skills of journalists, one figured the 918 is being driven at at most 70%.
Of course the 918 is faster than the 991 Turbo S on the track but Timo Kluck is really one of the fastest Porsche test drivers and I doubt that many car journalists without a racing background could follow or even get closer to him. That guy in the video clearly wasn't backing off...
So why didn't Timo Kluck use the 918 instead? Well...I can only guess but I suspect that they wanted to keep the journalists at bay, so they do not crash the 918. It wouldn't be the first time.
It appears that a journalist for the Sunday Times had a rather embarrassing moment at the 918 Spyder launch...
"My £710,000 crash course in the future"
Porsche’s plug-in hybrid is a dazzling performer — which makes pranging it all the more embarrassing, confesses Giles Smith in this week’s First Drive...(1 December 2013)"WHAT AN honour it was last week to be invited to a racetrack in Spain to be one of a select group of journalists granted the chance to try out the long-awaited new Porsche 918 Spyder.To know the privilege of sitting behind the wheel of one of only six pre-production models made available to the world’s press of this staggering high-performance model.To be trusted with holding in my own hands £710,000-worth of quiveringly newborn, limited-edition super-sports car that, with its fusion of breakthrough eco-engineering and record-shattering aplomb, is potentially the very future of motor racing.Reader, I crashed it..."
...apparently he ended up parked in a gravel trap!
RC:
Whoopsy:
From the 2 reviews I have read on that press day, the 911TTS is being driven by Timo Kluck, Porsche's own factory pro and it's driven to the edge.
All the journalists who were on hand had to back off in order not to hit Kluck. Consider the average skills of journalists, one figured the 918 is being driven at at most 70%.
Of course the 918 is faster than the 991 Turbo S on the track but Timo Kluck is really one of the fastest Porsche test drivers and I doubt that many car journalists without a racing background could follow or even get closer to him. That guy in the video clearly wasn't backing off...
So why didn't Timo Kluck use the 918 instead? Well...I can only guess but I suspect that they wanted to keep the journalists at bay, so they do not crash the 918. It wouldn't be the first time.
This week Chris Harris' video of the 918 on the Valencia track will appear, but what I saw in a preview he seems to be driving without a lead car... (Not 100% sure though...but at least he was drifting all over the place again)
Suzy
Dec 17, 2013 7:01:58 AM
They use the lead car to show the uninitiated the correct cornering lines around an unfamiliar track. It also serves to show just how quick a 918 is, as a journalist can keep up with a test driver in a Turbo S.
Chris Harris does not require a lead car for obvious reasons.
Dec 17, 2013 8:03:44 AM
Spyderidol:
They use the lead car to show the uninitiated the correct cornering lines around an unfamiliar track. It also serves to show just how quick a 918 is, as a journalist can keep up with a test driver in a Turbo S.
Chris Harris does not require a lead car for obvious reasons.
But how do you judge which journalist is capable enough to drive without a lead car? Is mr. Röhrl judging everyone in a line.... You can drive without, you too... You? oh no! You are terrible, you'll definitely need a lead car!!
Suzy
Whoopsy:
If I were a journalist, I think they can put a monkey in a Turbo S and I won't be able to keep up lol
Pretty easy to predict who needs a lead car if they check they journalists' record :)
Monkey=Chris Harris (His own words)
And yes indeed... Good point, checking their record
--
Suzy
SuzyF:
This week Chris Harris' video of the 918 on the Valencia track will appear, but what I saw in a preview he seems to be driving without a lead car... (Not 100% sure though...but at least he was drifting all over the place again)
I guess Chris Harris can handle the 918 (he certainly had some time in the car ) but many car journalists don't have the necessary background and/or knowledge/skills to be 100% safe in such a car.
Personally, I would handle the 918 with the utmost respect and I've driven the Carrera GT already at a pretty fast pace (Sutil wasn't really much faster in his car ). Actually, the 918 fascinates me much more than the Carrera GT because it is full of electronics and that hybrid stuff, which makes a geek and gadget lover like me salivate and drool all over the place.
RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)
SuzyF:
Whoopsy:
If I were a journalist, I think they can put a monkey in a Turbo S and I won't be able to keep up lol
Pretty easy to predict who needs a lead car if they check they journalists' record :)
Monkey=Chris Harris (His own words)
And yes indeed... Good point, checking their record
--
Suzy
My unintended intended unintended punt!!
I just caught sight of a rather tasty product information PDF document at an OPC, extremely detailed about all things 918. If I were a prospect for this car I would be hassling my sales person for a discreet copy.
The thing which stood out immediately were the acceleration figures:
0-200kph normal version 7.8s Weissach version 7.7s
0-300kph standard version 23s Weissach version 22s
So the faster Weissach version does 200-300kph in 14.3s. This is a little slow for this power and type of car I would have thought.
The other thing which caught my eye which is also probably a reason for the above high speed performance,
at 300kph front axle gets 105kg down force and rear axle 194kg, that is pretty serious.
3.9 GT2 2011 make over
Dec 18, 2013 12:15:15 PM
Dec 18, 2013 6:24:47 PM
TB993tt:
kudryavchik:
This is old data...
I think the PDF is quite new and certainly many pages of details with ring time comparsions with/without track tyres etc....
Around 3 weeks ago Porsche announced new acceleration and e-mode figures. 0-200 7.2 sec and 0-300 19,9. Normal package is 20,9 sec.
Interesting document! What was a lap time with race tyres? It is very interesting to compare with zonda r and 599 xx
sportcars-history.com
Dec 18, 2013 8:31:19 PM
Porsche 918 Spyder tested by Chris Harris...
Chris Harris has driven the 918 Spyder and his brain is still trying to catch up
CHRIS HARRIS VIDEO: PORSCHE 918 SPYDER
Porsche 918 Spyder tested by Chris Harris -- DRIVE video link
...many thanks and all due credit and respect to Chris Harris and Porsche!
Best part is that he is now a convert.
In his earlier video on the 918, he was still a doubter, wondering why Porsche didn't do another Carrera GT, why bother with the hybrid stuff. Now he finally understands and 'get it'. He must have thought it was a pipe dream of what Porsche has promised the car will do before, but I think Porsche has totally delivered, plus more. I don't recall watching him get so excited in any other of his reviews.
Oh, I think I found out one of the secrets Porsche used to tune and blend in the physical brakes with the regen braking, something McLaren found totally too complicated and abandoned in the P1.
It would seems like Porsche engineers have added a temporary storage tank for brake fluids. So when the brakes were initially applied, the brake fluids didn't act on the calibers, but got stored and the computer use the motor regen to brake. When the .5g regen braking is exceeded, the system releases the brake fluids back into the brake circuit and act on the calibers and do the physical braking. Clever.