I’m not sure I would have the cojones to do what this guy is doing in the video below. Granted it’s a closed course in a controlled environment. However, that “controlled” environment is still an ice-track in the freezing cold temperatures of Finland. And, if I remember correctly, while carbon fiber itself doesn’t get brittle in cold, the panels used in the Porsche 918 Spyder are not 100% carbon fiber, if they were they would fall apart, instead, they are a composite of carbon fibers held together in a polymer matrix. While different polymers become brittle at different temperatures, I have to imagine it’s cold enough for these to become brittle. So, a small misstep into a snow bank could potentially have devastating consequences. Fortunately, the driver of the 918 looks like he knows what he’s doing and it doesn’t hurt that traction is upgraded with 6mm ice spikes on the tires. Porsche 918 Spyder on snow tires with spikes drifting on an ice track in Finland!
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View Comments (4)
Notice that they are using steel brakes vice Carbon-Ceramics on this car. Also, I think it shows the total engineering excellence of Porsche as they do pre-production tests in extreme conditions (heat of Namibia/cold of Nordic countries and Alaska), so they would have noted the properties of CFRP and how different environments would have an effect on it.
I wonder if McClaren and Ferrari have so throughly tested their respective hybrid supercars?!
Were all 4 tires spiked?
It is AWD so yes. I am inspired...to remain in sunny FL.
Chuck, what part of FLA?