TRANSMISSION CAR

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept





Promising to be as quick as the Ferrari but with even stronger green credentials is Porsche’s sexy and spectacularly fast 918 spyder concept, a plug-in hybrid that also debuted at the Geneva auto show. Wrapped within the scrumptious, exotic styling are a race-bred 500-hp, 3.4-liter V-8 and a pair of electric motors, which team up for an extra 218 hp. Weight—a problem for hybrids, especially those with heavy plug-in battery packs—has been kept to a miraculously low 3285 pounds, allowing the swoopy two-seater to hit 62 mph in a scant 3.2 seconds, according to Porsche, and lap the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 30 seconds (two seconds faster than the Carrera GT). Any guilt felt after such a blast can be erased by driving away from the track (following a battery charge, of course) in pure electric mode for up to 16 miles.

Best of all, the 918 spyder might not remain simply a concept, as Porsche repeatedly reminds us it has never shown a concept it hasn’t produced. Whether a production version would include the hybrid tech remains to be seen, but there’s a good chance Porsche’s next flagship supercar will be literally electrifying.

Ferrari 599GTB HY-KERS Hybrid Concept



On the color wheel, green is directly opposite red, the unofficial official color of Ferrari. That’s fitting, since, on the rare occasions that they’re fired up, the Italian supercar maker’s big engines aren’t the most fuel efficient. But among Ferrari’s latest creations is the stunning 599GTB HY-KERS hybrid concept, introduced at this year’s Geneva auto show. Yes, a Ferrari hybrid, displayed at the show in a brash satin-green hue that even a tree frog might have a tough time pulling off.

However patronizing the color choice, the 599GTB hybrid’s greenness is more than skin-deep. A 100-hp electric motor mounted to the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission helps reduce CO2 emissions and increase fuel efficiency (although it’s unclear by how much). Ferrari says the motor will drop the car’s 0-to-124-mph time from 7.9 to 7.5 seconds, but considering we tested a 599GTB to 120 mph in 9.5 seconds, we're not sure where those figures come from. Whatever the true numbers, it should be quicker.

Furthermore, Ferrari is using the extra juice to smooth out the engine’s torque curve and the brake-regeneration system to shorten stopping distances. This is the kind of hybrid we’d like to see more of, and thanks to emissions standards worldwide, we will.