Developing The Car From Scratch

The 918 Spyder embodies the essence of the Porsche idea: it combines pedigree motor racing technology with excellent everyday utility, and maximum performance with minimum consumption. The task faced by the development team was to create the super sports car for the next decade with a highly efficient and powerful hybrid drive. Developing the car from scratch, appropriately beginning with a sheet of white paper, allowed the team to come up with a no-compromise concept. The entire car was designed around the hybrid drive. The 918 Spyder therefore demonstrates the potential of the hybrid drive to a degree never seen before: the parallel improvement of both efficiency and performance without one being at the cost of the other. This is the idea that has made the Porsche 911 the most successful sports car in the world for 50 years. In short, the 918 Spyder will act as the gene pool for the Porsche sports cars of the future.

The Bike X is a Hybrid bicycle - half road bike, half mountain bike. The bike was built for Porsche by Storck in Germany. Today at the dealership you can test ride the new Porsche Bike S, Bike RX, and Bike RS models. All three are ultra lightweight with the most modern components on any bike sold today. The new Bike S is a general-use bike with a high-performance frame made of hydroformed aluminum. Great for roads and gentle trails. Front suspension fork, 8-speed hub gear system, low-wear geared belt drive, and hydraulic disc brakes. Very quiet ride and superior acceleration thanks to high-quality wheels and smooth rolling tires. Currently sold at Porsche dealerships. The Bike RS is a lightweight, high-end carbon-fiber-frame mixed-use bike. Another great option for riding in all-around conditions. Ergonomic components made of carbon, including handlebars, stem, and seat post. Shimano XTR 20-gear drive and hydraulic disc brakes.

Exceptionally smooth running and superlative acceleration thanks to the 29-inch wheels and lightly rolling tires. 19.8 pounds. Currently sold at Porsche dealerships. The Bike RX is a lightweight, high-end carbon-fiber-frame mountain bike for serious off-road riding. Air suspension fork, 20-speed gearshift, hydraulic disc brakes, and 27.5-inch wheels with smooth-rolling tires. Currently sold at Porsche dealerships. Comes in sizes: S, M, L . While Porsche was developing a hybrid supercar, engineers were also hard at work on a hybrid bicycle - the Hybrid RS. The frame is carbon fiber and the electric motor weighs in at about nine pounds. Subtract the weight of the motor from the 33-pound bike and you've got a relatively light, full suspension bike with disc brakes. The bike has a range of about 31 miles, and the rear hub-housed motor puts out 450 watts, but only when you pedal 鈥?it merely assists you. No getting lazy with this bike.

Not too long ago, a large family car was rarely an object of desire; it was built to carry a family in comfort at an affordable price. Few were handsome or stylish, and following the rise of the SUV, they鈥檝e faced a tough test. But now there鈥檚 a group of sleek family cars fighting back. Peugeot鈥檚 new 508 Fastback is the latest challenger and it鈥檚 targeting premium rivals such as the Volkswagen Arteon. When we tested the mid-spec diesel 508 (Issue 1,546), it fell behind rivals because it was pricier. However, here we鈥檝e lined up the more upmarket VW Arteon in petrol automatic form to see how well the Peugeot compares. Both cars鈥?sporty looks are matched by the trim levels we鈥檙e testing them in, GT Line and R-Line respectively, and with petrol engines, buyers will expect them to be good to drive, too. But which is the better all-rounder? The new 508 Fastback has a clear focus on sharp looks and an upmarket interior, but is that enough to win here?

We鈥檙e testing the GT Line version, which costs from 拢31,239 with the 179bhp PureTech petrol engine and an automatic gearbox. With its bold grille and prominent headlights and tail-lamps, the 508 is one of the most distinctive cars in its sector, and is quite clearly born of the same design language as its sister 3008 and 5008 SUVs. In this class, it is only really rivalled by the Arteon. It uses MacPherson-strut front and multi-link rear suspension, matching its rival here, and like the VW it is also available with adaptive suspension. However, on this PureTech 180 model, the suspension is passive as standard, with the adaptive set-up an 拢820 option. At 拢31,239, it鈥檚 cheaper than the 拢34,590 Arteon in equivalent R-Line trim. That puts the Peugeot at an advantage when it comes to value for money, because standard kit is generous in GT Line spec. Satellite-navigation is included, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate and cruise control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, front and rear parking sensors and autonomous braking. There鈥檚 also wireless phone charging, LED lights, keyless go and a reversing camera.