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Porsche 918 Test Drive


Mr. Jones

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I always knew you were a fool to diss on progress

 

this is one instance where it's done right....what's so bad about it, if you would be so dear as to enlighten us, Dr Jones?

 

How about you enlighten us as to why it's so awesome?

 

As Chris pointed out in the video, I would much rather have a lighter, faster car with just a traditional IC motor. Their rational was that people would demand economy car fuel economy out of their supercar.

 

I find this hard to believe. Anyone plopping down $845,000 for that car isn't going to give a shit if it gets 2,4,8, or 30mpg. I'd rather cough up the extra dough for a Veyron, or by god, have a handful of Gallardo's and a 458 Italia.

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LOL...never thought of that, Jonesie...

 

Social responsibility pretty much gets thrown out the window when the price of the car reaches $300k or more. For $845k, I could buy a twin turbo 458 Italia, and still re-forest the entire Amazon.

 

Lifetime of carbon credits, zero fucks given for getting 4MPGs. :lol:

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LOL...never thought of that, Jonesie...

 

Social responsibility pretty much gets thrown out the window when the price of the car reaches $300k or more. For $845k, I could buy a twin turbo 458 Italia, and still re-forest the entire Amazon.

 

Lifetime of carbon credits, zero fucks given for getting 4MPGs. :lol:

 

YUP.

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LOL...never thought of that, Jonesie...

 

Social responsibility pretty much gets thrown out the window when the price of the car reaches $300k or more. For $845k, I could buy a twin turbo 458 Italia, and still re-forest the entire Amazon.

 

Lifetime of carbon credits, zero fucks given for getting 4MPGs. :lol:

 

I lol'd. I do however agree.

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How about you enlighten us as to why it's so awesome?

 

As Chris pointed out in the video, I would much rather have a lighter, faster car with just a traditional IC motor. Their rational was that people would demand economy car fuel economy out of their supercar.

 

I find this hard to believe. Anyone plopping down $845,000 for that car isn't going to give a shit if it gets 2,4,8, or 30mpg. I'd rather cough up the extra dough for a Veyron, or by god, have a handful of Gallardo's and a 458 Italia.

 

 

The problem is that you are thinking the same way people back the early 20th century were on IC engines relative to horses. They would say

"I would much rather have a lighter, faster horse with just a traditional heart" <---substitution is a beautiful thing

 

I'm all for research and delving into other means of doing stuff in order to sus out what works. If it turns out that electrics, hybrids, or whatever the balls else don't work out, so be it. It's a challenge and that's what makes it a beautiful thing.

 

Porsche isn't trying to develop a hybrid for the purpose of just fuel economy. The problem we have is that electric drivetrains are being touted as the end all, be-all of fuel economy by the masses (including you, judging by your post) when other applications are there, with the case of the 918 (and 908 HDi FAP and the R10 and the R15 etc from Audi) being for the purpose of handling/powertrain performance for the purpose of speed.

 

 

 

Felix Wankel was told his shit was weak and would never work out. To this day, Mazda is still keeping his tech alive (they are in fact developping a new Magic Spinning Doritos application). In his case, I can argue it was and should be a losing battle but it was a battle he fought and time proved it doesn't work as well as the Otto, Atkinson or Diesel cycle

 

My point? let Porsche and others explore all the possibilities and see what comes of it. Hybrids are still young and as humans, we have the obligation to let it prove itself before we let time pass judgement

 

Something about causation and correlation

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The problem is that you are thinking the same way people back the early 20th century were on IC engines relative to horses. They would say

"I would much rather have a lighter, faster horse with just a traditional heart" <---substitution is a beautiful thing

 

I'm all for research and delving into other means of doing stuff in order to sus out what works. If it turns out that electrics, hybrids, or whatever the balls else don't work out, so be it. It's a challenge and that's what makes it a beautiful thing.

 

Porsche isn't trying to develop a hybrid for the purpose of just fuel economy. The problem we have is that electric drivetrains are being touted as the end all, be-all of fuel economy by the masses (including you, judging by your post) when other applications are there, with the case of the 918 (and 908 HDi FAP and the R10 and the R15 etc from Audi) being for the purpose of handling/powertrain performance for the purpose of speed.

 

 

 

Felix Wankel was told his shit was weak and would never work out. To this day, Mazda is still keeping his tech alive (they are in fact developping a new Magic Spinning Doritos application). In his case, I can argue it was and should be a losing battle but it was a battle he fought and time proved it doesn't work as well as the Otto, Atkinson or Diesel cycle

 

My point? let Porsche and others explore all the possibilities and see what comes of it. Hybrids are still young and as humans, we have the obligation to let it prove itself before we let time pass judgement

 

Something about causation and correlation

 

I don't believe for a second that Hybrid nor Electric is the future...

 

Want to see a forecast of what we need to survive when gas hits $5+ a gallon? Look to Europe. There, the diesel thrives and things like electric cars & hybrids make up a minute fraction of what the "working man" buys when he wants a good car for that gets excellent fuel economy.

 

The 918 is a great exercise in what can be done with current hybrid technology (which sucks). A great example that a traditional CI car would be better in every way (except low speed fuel economy).

 

One day when we can have a 30lb battery that can power a car for a week and recharge in 15 minutes, I'll be interested. Then and there, electric & hybrids make sense. As of today, they are poorly executed science experiments that appeal to some of the smallest markets we have:

 

* Niche buyers who want something cool or trendy.

* Urban Hippies who want to pretend to be green.

 

I'd gladly purchase the "shitty" BMW 116d 6spd I rented in europe over any hybrid or electric vehicle on the market today. I'm not given that choice, or any of the other magnificent offerings available in europe today.

 

Until I am, I'll gladly burn 93 octane as fast as I can during my 60-70 mile commute during the week, and 100+ octane as fast as I can on the weekend.

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA

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I'm with Jones on this one.

 

I realize innovation has to take place, I think they summed it up best when they spoke about how this is a platform for Porsche to showcase the latest in technology in one outstanding package.

 

I realize the car ran an amazing 7:14 at the ring

 

I realize that F1 uses electric technology to boost their race car performance these days.

 

I still would have rather seen an all out display of performance through just an internal combustion engine not hybrid technology. Sadly most performance platforms are going away from what I'd like to see and into more efficient packages. at some point I'll need to evolve but I'm going to be a late adopter.

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