Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/470908
March / April 2015 34 Solving The 918 PUZZLE By Jim Rand SPECIAL INTEREST Porsches' 918. What a beautiful, puzzling, exotic, frightening, exhilarating car. We have all seen photos of this stealthy beast, caught in repose on the cover of all major automotive maga- zines. And we have viewed YouTube videos as some lucky, no doubt sweaty palmed auto journalist got a once in a life time chance to drive the 918 gingerly around a closed track. But to view one in the flesh, or metal, or carbon fiber, well that is different. When word surfaced that Aristocrat Motors had received their one and only 918, and that it would only be available for public view- ing through January, I quick- ly scheduled time to capture it digitally. A few days later my Cayman and I were on the road to the dealership. There, sitting in the middle of the marble tiled Porsche rotunda, separated from hu- man hands by a ring of the- ater crowd barriers, sat the powerful machine. I have often said that many cars are examples of art on wheels and the 918 should convince the harshest of art critics. Curves, soft angles, ovals and sweeping radiuses intermix beautiful- ly by coming alive from the Porsche DNA. As you walk around the 918, as you would a framed piece of art hanging in the Nelson, you observe it from various angles. Light re- flects off of its surfaces dif- ferently, exposing your eye to more optical pleasure that you had not noticed before. The 918 is best seen from behind and slightly above the body. From there two huge stainless steel exhaust ports rise from the mon- strous mid engine bay where there stretches above it a po- rous screen, also of stainless steel. Swooping taillights embrace the rear fascia, with a delta wing overhanging all. The 918 delivers 608 HP before kicking in its two electric motors. When all of these are working in concert, I imagine that your spine feels as though it is being pushed through the seats. Photos by Jim Rand