Doug DeMuro

All supercars are now. But the 918 Spyder was Porsche saying, we're going to go into this plug-in world. Because they knew what was coming up. I mean, we'll get to it in a second with the Taycan. But they knew what was coming up, that hybrids and electric cars were going to be a thing. And so instead of introducing that with a SUV, for example, which is where they should have, right?

All supercars are now. But the 918 Spyder was Porsche saying, we're going to go into this plug-in world. Because they knew what was coming up. I mean, we'll get to it in a second with the Taycan. But they knew what was coming up, that hybrids and electric cars were going to be a thing. And so instead of introducing that with a SUV, for example, which is where they should have, right?

Because that's where the market wants it. They said, no, we're going to do it with a supercar and show people we're going to do it and we can do it well. And then we'll trickle it down. What did the car world think of that?

Because that's where the market wants it. They said, no, we're going to do it with a supercar and show people we're going to do it and we can do it well. And then we'll trickle it down. What did the car world think of that?

It's important to keep in mind the 918 Spyder, being a plug-in hybrid, it had an electric component, but it also still had a massive V8 in it that had a zillion horsepower screaming and all that. And it was the same with the LaFerrari and the McLaren P1. They still had massive engines also, so it was fine. The next crop of supercars will probably be full electric.

It's important to keep in mind the 918 Spyder, being a plug-in hybrid, it had an electric component, but it also still had a massive V8 in it that had a zillion horsepower screaming and all that. And it was the same with the LaFerrari and the McLaren P1. They still had massive engines also, so it was fine. The next crop of supercars will probably be full electric.

And so that transition, I think, is going to be more controversial. The interesting thing that seems to be setting Porsche apart now, though, is that they're standing behind it. Ferrari has already said that the technology is old, all the plug-in stuff, we don't want to be any part of the LaFerrari. And so like no one's really sure how that's going to age.

And so that transition, I think, is going to be more controversial. The interesting thing that seems to be setting Porsche apart now, though, is that they're standing behind it. Ferrari has already said that the technology is old, all the plug-in stuff, we don't want to be any part of the LaFerrari. And so like no one's really sure how that's going to age.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Yeah, exactly. It's a scary situation if you own that car and the battery's gone. You don't know what to do. You go to the supplier. But Porsche has always been big about standing behind the cars in part to preserve resale value and to make sure that owners of the next supercar know that they'll be protected. And so like this car is already almost 20 years old. All the parts are still available.

Yeah, exactly. It's a scary situation if you own that car and the battery's gone. You don't know what to do. You go to the supplier. But Porsche has always been big about standing behind the cars in part to preserve resale value and to make sure that owners of the next supercar know that they'll be protected. And so like this car is already almost 20 years old. All the parts are still available.

It is the smart brand thing to do, but it's not easy. Like if you really think about it, plus Ferrari, they don't need to. They don't care. They can make the next one and the next one.

It is the smart brand thing to do, but it's not easy. Like if you really think about it, plus Ferrari, they don't need to. They don't care. They can make the next one and the next one.

Yeah, there were all these—oh, God, Ferrari's a story that is a crazy one also. But the Fiat group eventually had stepped in because Enzo had just driven the company to—but in his pursuit of racing, had, like, driven the company into financial ruin.

Yeah, there were all these—oh, God, Ferrari's a story that is a crazy one also. But the Fiat group eventually had stepped in because Enzo had just driven the company to—but in his pursuit of racing, had, like, driven the company into financial ruin.

No, it was quite different. It was actually a very Italian thing versus the Pursuit of Drivers is kind of a very German thing. But yeah, that was a real bad situation also. None of those companies are independent anymore. It's not really possible either because of the way that regulations are structured, especially fuel economy.

No, it was quite different. It was actually a very Italian thing versus the Pursuit of Drivers is kind of a very German thing. But yeah, that was a real bad situation also. None of those companies are independent anymore. It's not really possible either because of the way that regulations are structured, especially fuel economy.

You have to spread out your fuel economy over your corporation and you have to hit certain targets. And so actually, this in some senses may have worked out well for Porsche because it would have been difficult to get Porsche to kind of work on the corporate average fuel economy standards.

You have to spread out your fuel economy over your corporation and you have to hit certain targets. And so actually, this in some senses may have worked out well for Porsche because it would have been difficult to get Porsche to kind of work on the corporate average fuel economy standards.