A brilliant step forward in both performance and technology following in the footsteps of the Carrera GT, the Porsche 918 truly brought the manufacturer into the 21st century. At its heart lay a mid-mounted 608 brake-horsepower, 4.6-litre four-cam V-8—a powerplant that produced almost exactly the same output as the 5.7-litre V-10 that graced the Carrera GT. The conventional petrol powertrain was mated to a hybrid module and decoupler unit, which drove the rear axle through the now-renowned Porsche seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission. This hybrid module consists of a 154 brake-horsepower AC electric motor that operates in parallel with the combustion engine, while a further electric motor producing 127 brake-horsepower is mounted at the front axle and operates through an electric clutch. With all three powerplants working together, the 918 Spyder is capable of a monumental 887 combined horsepower and over 900 pound-feet of torque.
With power being sent to all four wheels, the 918 Spyder can reach 100 km/h from a standstill in just over two seconds, with a top speed of well over 320 km/h. The car’s carbon-fibre rear wing and innovative aerodynamics help to keep the machine planted at speed, while the energy recovered by the braking system is captured and sent back to a 312-cell lithium-ion liquid-cooled battery pack that sits behind the passenger compartment.
For many, the 918 Spyder was extreme enough already, but those who demanded the ultimate in performance could specify the Weissach package. Essentially a radical weight-saving regimen, Weissach-equipped cars boast magnesium alloy centre-lock wheels; lighter-weight Alcantara trim instead of the usual leather; fire-resistant fabric; fabric door-pull straps instead of conventional handles; and six-point harnesses. Air conditioning, the Burmester stereo, and even the glovebox were removed, but could be added back at no cost if necessary. These weight-saving measures helped to shed over 45 kilograms from its curb weight.
The Porsche 918 Spyder offered was specified with the highly desirable ‘Weissach’ package. Its original purchase invoice—which accompanies the car—was sent from Centre Porsche Geneva in Switzerland, the dealership from which the car was purchased, on 24 September 2014. A highly specified example, this car benefits from Porsche’s front axle-lift system, anti-reflective interior pack, an electrically adjustable passenger seat, a cup holder, and the reinstatement of its automatic air conditioning and Burmester sound system. The car itself was finished in the timeless combination of Black over an Onyx Black full leather interior with Acid Green piping.
On 30 September 2016, the 918 Spyder returned to its supplying dealer for its first service at a cost of €4,124.05, by which point it had covered just 1,959 kilometres. Its limited use is testament to its cossetted life in the care of its first and only owner; in the three years that passed until its second service, on 22 July 2019 and costing €6,314.70, the car had only accrued an additional 461 kilometres.
Today, this spectacular black on black Porsche 918 ‘Weissach’ Spyder remains in a condition commensurate with its low mileage, and at the time of cataloguing it had covered just 2,568 kilometres. Offered from the care of its first and only owner, this remarkable machine presents the opportunity to acquire a near factory-fresh example of one of the most celebrated supercars of the modern era in ultimate ‘Weissach’ specification.