Porsche history · 2013–2015
Porsche 918 Spyder: History, Specs & What to Know
By CarWhere Research · Updated
The Porsche 918 Spyder is a plug-in hybrid hypercar built in Zuffenhausen from 2013 to 19 June 2015, limited to 918 cars. A 4.6-liter V8 derived from the RS Spyder race car and two electric motors give 887 hp of system power. In September 2013 it lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 6:57, a record for road cars on production tires.
Porsche showed the 918 Spyder as a concept at the Geneva show in March 2010 and approved it for production that summer. The production car premiered at the 2013 Frankfurt IAA and went on sale in the US at $845,000 before destination.
It combined a high-revving V8 with two electric motors and a 140 kg high-voltage battery, and could drive on electric power alone. The final car, number 918, left the Zuffenhausen manufactory on 19 June 2015 after about 21 months of production.
918 Spyder history: what changed, year by year
- Mar. 2010 — 918 Spyder concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show.[1],[2]
- July 2010 — Porsche announces it will build the 918 Spyder.[1],[2]
- Sept. 2013 — Production car premieres at the IAA; it laps the Nordschleife in 6:57.[2],[3]
- Late 2013 — Market launch.[2]
- 19 June 2015 — Car number 918, the last, is completed in Zuffenhausen.[2]
How many 918 Spyders were made?
| Model / variant | Years | Units | What the figure counts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 918 Spyder | 2013–2015 | 918[2] | total built (final car 19 June 2015) |
More model-by-model totals: Porsche production numbers.
918 Spyder variants and engines
918 Spyder engine and drivetrain facts
- 4.6-liter V8 derived from the RS Spyder race car, 608 PS at 8,700 rpm and up to 9,150 rpm.[3]
- Two electric motors and a 140 kg high-voltage battery; five operating modes selected by a steering-wheel switch.[2]
- Combined fuel consumption 3.1–3.0 l/100 km and electricity consumption of 12.7 kWh/100 km (EU figures).[2],[5]
- Nürburgring Nordschleife lap of 6:57 in September 2013, beating the previous seven-minute benchmark for street-legal cars.[2],[5]
What to check before you buy a 918 Spyder
- Ask for documentation of the high-voltage battery's health and any hybrid-system service at a Porsche dealer.
- Confirm whether the car has the Weissach Package from the factory record; it is one of the main value differences between 918s.
- Check tire and fluid age as well as mileage; low-use cars still need time-based maintenance.
- With 918 built, provenance documents — window sticker, service history, factory records — carry significant weight.[2]
How to verify a 918 Spyder's factory options
US-market 918 Spyders carry 17-character VINs, so a build sheet can show the factory paint, interior and option codes for a specific car, including whether it was ordered with the Weissach Package.
See exactly how this 918 Spyder left the factory.
The CarWhere build sheet decodes a US-market Porsche VIN into its factory record: paint, interior, option codes and equipment as built. $9.99, and the free availability check shows whether build data exists before you pay.
Porsche 918 Spyder FAQ
How many Porsche 918 Spyders were made?
Porsche built 918 of them; the last was completed in Zuffenhausen on 19 June 2015.
How much was the Porsche 918 Spyder new?
The US starting price was $845,000 before destination and handling.
How much horsepower does the 918 Spyder have?
887 hp of system output from a 4.6-liter V8 (608 PS) and two electric motors.
What is the 918 Spyder's Nürburgring time?
6:57 for the Nordschleife in September 2013, a record for road-legal cars on production tires at the time.
Related Porsche history
Specs, production and buying research
Sources
Production counts, power outputs and dates on this page come from the sources below. Where sources disagree, the page says so or uses Porsche's own figure.
- Porsche Historical Background: 1948-2025 — Porsche Cars North America (Porsche Newsroom)
- Number 918 rolls out of the manufactory — Porsche Newsroom
- Official: production-ready Porsche 918 Spyder (IAA 2013 data) — GTspirit (secondary reference)
- Porsche prices the 918 Spyder at $845,000 — Digital Trends
- The super sportscars from Porsche — Porsche Newsroom
Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Porsche, 911, Carrera, Targa and Boxster are trademarks of their owner.