Return of the Martini-Porsche.

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The new high performance sports coupé from Porsche carried colours inspired by those of the Porsche Konstruktionen Salzburg team, who gave the Stuttgart manufacturer its first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970. The 918 Spyder currently racing under the Martini Racing livery which is almost as famous as the blue and orange of Gulf. The partnership between Porsche and Martini was famous during the 1970's in three other successes at Le Mans (1971 with Helmut Marko, Gijs van Lennep in a Porsche 917 K, 1976-Jacky Ickx with Gijs van Lennep and 1977 Porsche 936 with Jacky Ickx-Jürgen Barth, Hurley Haywood, also with the Porsche 936) and some great pages in history, like in 1971 with the distance record that would not be beaten until 2010 by the Audi of Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller, then 1976 the first victory for a turbocharged prototype in La Sarthe. Not to mention a host of other successes with the Porsche 908 and 935. Today, the 918 Spyder embodies both a prestigious sporting heritage and hybrid technology, with two independent electric motors: one in the front and one on the rear axle. Historical references that might anticipate the return to Le Mans of Porsche in the premier class of the LM P1, planned for the 2014 24 Hours.

Principal technical specifications of the Porsche 918 Spyder

Engine : 4.6 litre V8 located centre-rear
Power : 570 hp (conventional), 80 kW (front electric motor), 90 kW (rear electric motor), 770 hp (combined power)
Top speed : 325 km/h (150 km/h entirely on electric power)

Jean-Philippe Doret
(From Porsche press information)