Porsche Green Lights 718-HP 918 Spyder; Hybrid Said to Get 78 Miles Per Gallon

The Supervisory Board at Porsche this week gave the green light for series development of the 918 Spyder, the 718-horsepower all-wheel-drive hybrid sports car with outstanding fuel economy and claimed 3.2-seconds 0-62 mph quickness.
Taken from drawing to 2010 Geneva Auto Show in less than five months, the 918 Spyder mixes a 500-hp, 9,200-rpm, 3.4-liter gasoline V8 with two electric motors for a combined 718 hp. Porsche has calculated that it could be quicker than the old Carrera GT around the Nordschleife.

The 918 Spyder, one of three hybrid models Porsche presented in Geneva, can go up to 25 kilometers (15 miles) on electric power. The two-seater reportedly limits gasoline consumption to three liters per 100 kilometers (78.4 miles per gallon) and emits just 70 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.

No time line has been given for when the car  will be ready for the road, but Green Car Advisor doesn’t expect the first production models before the spring of 2012. Pricing has not been announced, but Bloomberg news service has reported it could cost $630,000. Porsche said more details will be disclosed in coming weeks.

The car was just unveiled for West Coast US eyes last night at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Thanks Edmunds.com Green Car Advisor