In some regards, the Porsche 918 Spyder and Porsche 911 GT3 are cut from the same cloth. Both have engines behind the cabin, both have quick-shifting PDK transmissions and both have been designed as track-tuned monsters aiming to provide maximum driver enjoyment.
It is there however that the similarities end. Whereas the GT3 utilises a rear-engined naturally-aspirated 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine pumping out 475 hp and driving the rear wheels, the 918 Spyder’s powertrain is far more complex.
It combines a screaming 4.6-litre V8 engine delivering 608 hp with one electric motor driving the front wheels and another driving the rear wheels, meaning it is all-wheel drive. Oh, and it also delivers 887 hp making it one of the most accelerative cars on the planet.
So what do you think would happen when you pit the two together in a standing-star street race? Obviously the 918 will win but the soundtrack produced by the two cars is the real headline. When you combine the brutish bark of the 918 with the high-revving wail of the GT3 with an aftermarket exhaust, you have a cacophony to put the world’s best symphony orchestras to shame.