Porsche 918 Spyder hits 350km/h on Northern Territory Highway
Not content with setting a production car lap record at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, the $1.5 million Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid supercar has recorded another first - this time on a public road.
Using just its pair of electric motors, the 918 Spyder cruised from Alice Springs at a leisurely 60km/h, before unleashing the 4.6-litre V8 and all combined 652kW (210kW electric & 447kW petrol) to blast to a terminal velocity of 350km/h in just 40 seconds.
That is faster than the take-off speed of a Boeing 747 in about the time it has taken you to read up to here.
A face-melting acceleration feat not matched by any other production car on Australian roads.
The hybrid hypercar was driven by a professional driver under controlled conditions on the 200km open-limit section of the Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.
It is the only stretch of road in Australia with no posted speed limit.
Porsche completed the demonstration as part of a technology promotion tour by the left-hand drive 918 Spyder.
To see more stunning images of this amazing achievement, click the Photos tab.