The Martini-Porsche 918 presents an achievement rarely accomplished by any make other than the legendary Stuttgart automaker. The advanced, RS-Spyder derived, 4.6 liter mid-engine V8 flywheel accumulator plug-in hybrid powertrain within the Porsche 918 produces nearly 770-hp, achieves 78 mpg, and is nothing short of sensational. To showcase its latest halo car, Porsche could have gone with modern racing livery from Team Flying Lizard or the DHL colors of its RS Spyder but instead, Porsche decided to adorn its latest technical marvel with classic Martini livery. The engineering behind Porsche vehicles is certainly impressive but it's Porsche's deep history and heritage that pulls at the heart strings of both Porsche fans and race fans alike.
The Martini-Porsche relationship dates all the way back to 1969 when two 907 racing cars entered in a number of races. However, the most famous Martini-Porsche of all goes to the special 917LH that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 1971. Consistently strong finishes highlighted by a string of victories led to establishing Martini as a factory partner of Porsche in 1973 through 1978. Throughout the racing relationship, Porsche would continue to score memorable wins including the Tago Florio of '73, Le Mans again in '76 and '77, as well as the Sports Car World Cup Championship of '76.
We expect production for the Porsche 918 to commence sometime around the end of 2013 and if the Martini graphics tell us anything, it's that the new Porsche 918 supercar will be an instant classic from the moment it finally arrives in showrooms and racing circuits.
