“It's an ambitious fusion of race-bred powertrain and real-world competence wrapped up in a modern-day reinvention of the sublime Carrera GT.” — David Vivian, contributing editor, Evo Magazine

Like the 959 and Carrera GT that preceded it, the 918 Spyder has already become a landmark car not, only in the dynasty of Porsche’s most revered halo cars, but in the history of the automobile. It perhaps shares the most design DNA with the 959; a no expense-spared mission to combine next-generation electronics and materials with motorsport-proven engineering, to unlock levels performance that had hitherto been the reserve of concepts and fantasy.

Although it is often cited alongside McLaren’s P1 and Ferrari’s LaFerrari in the “Holy Trinity” of hybrid hypercars, Porsche’s 918 Spyder programme was a more dedicated study in the incorporation and exploitation of electric power than its peers. Its lithium-ion battery is twice the size of either of its rivals, which means that despite its extra weight, its electric motors supply much more propulsive assistance, and the car has 50 per cent more overall torque. In addition, its electric-only mode is relevant and entirely usable if desired.

Indeed, despite utilising a powertrain developed at Le Mans in the Porsche RS Spyder prototype, itself producing a staggering 130 brake horsepower per litre for a total of 599 brake horsepower, and capable of a spine tingling 9,150 rpm, the 918 Spyder is a car that can be used daily in a similar fashion to any other high-performance Porsche. It is exactly this unique trait that made the 959 so attractive when compared to its peers and it is no different with the 918. Accessible and deployable performance was what set the 959 apart and what now makes the 918 Spyder so revered. “It's an ambitious fusion of race-bred powertrain and real-world competence wrapped up in a modern-day reinvention of the sublime Carrera GT,” said David Vivian, contributing editor, Evo Magazine.

This example is noteworthy for being a factory “Weissach Pack” car, albeit tastefully optioned without the sticker livery but with the Burmester sound system. Aesthetically this means the rear wing, removable roof panels and windscreen frame are all exposed carbon fibre, but it’s the performance upgrades that make the Weissach (named after Porsche’s Motorsport centre in Germany) the ultimate 918: 41 kilograms of weight saving achieved from the use of magnesium wheels, ceramic wheel bearings, and titanium bolts for the chassis, as well aerodynamic improvements to increase grip. Unsurprisingly, it was a Weissach Pack car that Mark Leib drove around the Nurburgring in a record 6:57, and Porsche would be the first to admit that breaking the 7 minute barrier would not have been possible in a standard 918.

It was delivered to its first and only owner in 2015 and is serial number 013. To date, it has covered just over 20,000 kilometers at time of cataloguing and has always been looked after by Porsche. Paperwork that accompanies the car shows that it has been serviced in 2016 (3,545 kilometers), 2017 (17,138 kilometers) and 2020 (19,800 kilometers), whilst in 2018 it visited the Porsche Centre Berlin for cosmetic items and a repaint. A very recent and detailed appraisal by Porsche Centre Netherlands attests that all previous workshop visits are well documented on the Porsche PPN system. The same Porsche workshop completed cosmetic repairs in 2018, for which the affected areas are documented with photos taken before the work was carried out. Following this recent 111-point inspection by Porsche, light "spots" were noticed on the paintwork. Upon the sale of the Porsche, the car will be subject to a two-day detailing session to correct the paintwork, courtesy of the seller. In addition, it notes that Porsche elected to change the engine under warranty in February 2015 at the Porsche factory in Stuttgart.

An intoxicating combination of technology, heritage and mind-bending performance, this is quite simply the ultimate Porsche. Offered from its original owner and ready to be enjoyed to the full as its creators intended.