Along with the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1, the Porsche 918 Spyder completes the so-called hypercar Holy Trinity. This mid-engine four-wheel drive two-passenger hypercar is powered by a 4.6-liter V8. It can produce a combined power of 887 horsepower and 944 lb.-ft. torque which can shoot the 918 from zero to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds. This 7-speed dual-clutch automatic hypercar is also offered with a manual-shifting mode and can produce a top speed of 214 mph.
The limited-edition Porsche 918 Spyder has recently broken the Nurburgring Nordschleife track record. The 918 Spyder conquered the 12.8-mile lap in just 6 minutes and 57 seconds, 14 seconds faster than the previous Nurburgring record. The Nurburgring Nordschleife is one of the toughest tracks that measure the true potential of a super sports car, and for the 918 Spyder to be able to break records on this track, it must be several degrees of awesome
With this model, Porsche proves that it has definitely upped its game by redefining “performance, efficiency and driving pleasure” as it maximizes driving dynamics while keeping fuel consumption at a minimum. All these good things might have been the reason why a 22-year old man from Salt Lake City decided to get his hands on a 918 Spyder from a Porsche dealership; or maybe not.
Francisco Gonzalez-Velazquez, the brave soul who broke into Strong Porsche, reportedly broke the front door glass of the establishment and went on the hunt for the keys of the Porsche 918 Spyder. He took off with the supercar in broad daylight (at around 4:30 in the afternoon) on the 5th of June.
Police authorities were able to arrest the suspect six hours after the incident and about two miles away from the dealership near 300 S. State Street. Fortunately, the suspect did not resist arrest. He was charged with possession of a stolen car and burglary. Fortunately, the car was not damaged after the heist but the 793-mile reading on its odometer has somewhat increased.
The stolen car was actually a 2015 Martini-liveried 918 Spyder with Weissach Package. The Weissach Package is lighter than the standard 918 Spyder because of its magnesium wheels, titanium chassis bolts and lighter brakes. It was up for sale at a price of around $1.7 million before it was stolen from the dealership; but could now cost lower because of the additional miles on its odometer reading.
Police believe that Gonzalez-Velazquez might have chosen the 918 Spyder not because of all its amazing characteristics packed in a single supercar but because it was the one most accessible to the nearest exit. We’re just as happy as the dealership owner that the car made it back safe and sound. It’s lucky to not have ended up like that stolen Indianapolis 500 pace car last year which was badly damaged.
