For the past couple of months, Porsche has been seen testing prototypes of the upcoming 918 Spyder wrapped in various Martini Racing-themed monochromatic outfits.
Today, we learn that Porsche has completed a deal with the Martini brand, represented by Bacardi & Company Limited, to offer the racing livery on the production version of the 918 Spyder that goes on sale in September of 2013 at a starting price of €645,000 (about US$789,900 at today’s exchange rates), excluding taxes and country-specific charges.
And to just to get us excited, the German automaker released a handful of photos of the 918 Spyder covered in a full-color Martini Racing wrap.
The two companies have a long history together as in 1971, a Porsche 917 finished first in the legendary endurance race in Le Mans with the support of Martini, which eventually became the official partner of the Porsche factory racing team between 1973 and 1978.
In the same release today, Porsche noted that the driving trials of the 918 Spyder are entering the next phase with the Germans to fine tune the hybrid supercar on the famed 20.8km (12.93 miles) long Nürburgring-Nordschleife race circuit.
Porsche said it is targeting a lap time of less than seven minutes and 22 seconds, or more than 10 seconds quicker than the Carrera GT (7:32 minutes).
The 918 Spyder features a mid-mounted 4.6-liter V8 internal combustion engine with electric drives at the rear and front axles, which produce a total system output of around 762hp (770PS).
Among other highlights are the car’s fully variable aerodynamics, adaptive rear axle steering and “top pipes” exhaust system which routes the pipes upwards.
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