Published July 31, 2012
By Philippe Crowe
Competition Porsches have been linked to a special white, blue and red paint livery since the 1970s known as the Martini colors because of the namesake’s sponsorship of then very successful Porsche racers.
The Martini Racing stripes quickly attained cult status when they first appeared and are still in vogue today.
Nostalgic of this era? Porsche will allow you, through a special agreement with Martini, to order your 918 ultra-high performance hybrid sporting this unique color scheme.
Martini was the official partner of the Porsche factory team between 1973 and 1978. The attractively designed “Martini Porsche” race cars scored numerous wins and became the center of attention wherever they appeared. Victories included finishing first overall in the Targa Florio, Sicily, in 1973, winning the Sports Car World Championship in 1976 and overall victories at the Le Mans 24 hours in 1976 and 1977. Previously in 1971, a Porsche 917 finished first in the legendary endurance race at Le Mans with the support of Martini. Whether a Porsche 908, 917, 935 or 936 or one of various 911 RS or RSR models, common to all of these race cars was the Martini Racing design implemented in a wide variety of forms.
A new edition of this successful partnership is now making the Martini Racing design exclusively available to the innovative 918 Spyder. Porsche AG and the Martini brand, represented by Bacardi & Company Limited of Switzerland, have once again signed a partnership agreement to make this possible.
Driving trials of the Porsche 918 Spyder are continuing at high speed, and they are doing so in the distinctive, sporting livery of Martini Racing.
A fundamental element of the testing program for the plug-in hybrid super sports car – as is the case in the development process of all Porsche cars – is the 20.8 km Nürburgring-Nordschleife race circuit. Indeed, a lap time of less than seven minutes 22 seconds around the challenging track in the Eifel region of Germany is one of the development goals of the 918 Spyder.
According to Porsche, the 918 Spyder combines a high-performance internal combustion engine with electric motors on the rear and front axles to achieve extraordinary driving performance and excellent efficiency.
The combined system power of the drivetrain is 770 horsepower and the NEDC fuel consumption is forecasted to be only around three liters per 100 km, equivalent to CO2 emissions of about 70 g/km (around 78 mpg).
The monocoque of the 918 Spyder is constructed from carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), which reduces vehicle weight and delivers remarkable rigidity and dynamic precision. Other highlights are fully variable aerodynamics, adaptive rear axle steering and the “top pipes” exhaust system which routes the exhaust upwards at the rear of the car.
The latest test car is now undergoing circuit laps in the legendary Martini Racing colors synonymous with historic Porsche race cars.
Provisional Specifications of the Porsche 918 Spyder :
Body:
Two-seater Spyder; carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) monocoque interlocked with CFRP unit carrier; two-piece Targa roof; fixed roll-over protection system.
Drivetrain:
Parallel full hybrid; 4.6-liter V8 mid-engine with dry-sump lubrication; hybrid module with electric motor and decoupler; electric motor with decoupler and gear unit on front axle; electrical system recuperation; four cooling circuits for motors, transmission and battery; thermal management.
Engine Power:
570 hp (V8 engine)
90 kw (hybrid module on rear axle)
80 kw (electric motor on front axle)
770 hp (combined)
Suspension:
Double-wishbone front axle; electro-mechanical power steering; multi-link rear axle with adaptive electro-mechanical system for individual rear wheel steering; optional electro-pneumatic lift system on front axle.
Brake system:
High-performance hybrid brake system with adaptive recuperation; ceramic brake discs (PCCB)
Lithium-ion battery with 6.8 kwh capacity (BOL nominal), 202 kW maximum power and mains-compatible plug-in charger.
Performance:
Top speed:
Combined power: 325 kph
Purely electric: 150 kph
Acceleration: 0 – 100 kph Under 3.0 seconds
All-electric range: > 25 km
