Cars are more potent than ever, with high amounts of horsepower easily accessible. The new 911 Turbo S is a powerhouse on the track, with the aftermarket stepping in to wring out more power from the model. In a new video, one such tuned specimen faces off in a series of drag races against a stock Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar, showing how the performance gap has narrowed.
Powering the 918 Spyder is a hybrid powertrain. Porsche paired its 4.6-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with two electric motors – one on each axle. The setup outputs 887 horsepower and 944 pound-feet (1,280 Newton-meters) of torque in total.
The 911 Turbo S lining up against it has no electric assist, but it does have a mild tune from ES Motor. The twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six engine makes 650 hp and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque stock, but an assortment of upgrades like new intercoolers and a titanium exhaust kit increase the output. The tuned 911 makes 888 hp, one more than the 918, and 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of twist.
The 911 is also lighter than the 918, weighing 3,615 pounds (1,640 kilograms). The hybrid tips the scales at 3,688 pounds (1,674 kilograms). Both have all-wheel drive, but different gearboxes separate the engine from the wheels, with the 918 featuring a seven-speed gearbox. The 911 has an eight-speed PDK.
The only race the Spyder won was the first one. It caught the 911 off guard, launching ahead of the Turbo S and crossing the finish line first. The 911 wouldn’t lose again, taking first in the next three drag races. It completed the quarter-mile race in 9.7 seconds, while it took the 918 9.9 seconds.
Things didn’t improve for the Porsche hybrid hypercar during the rolling races. The 911 flew past the half-mile marker in all four races ahead of its competitor. The 918 couldn’t even outperform the 911 in the brake test, losing by a bumper.
The 918 Spyder was a cutting-edge car a decade ago, with astronomical performance and an equally sky-high price tag. Today, a tuned 911 Turbo S can outperform it for a fraction of the price. The ES750 package from E
