SYDNEY: Porsche has put its ultimate car to the ultimate Australian test. The brand took its $1.5 million 918 Spyder to Alice Springs for a crack at the Northern Territory’s open speed limits.
With five-time Carrera Cup champion Craig Baird at the wheel, the Porsche trundled out of down on electric power at 60km/h before shattering the outback serenity with a new speed record for a production car on Australian roads.
The stunt was completed lawfully on derestricted roads north of Alice Springs, where the NT government has extended a trial period without speed limits on the Stuart Highway.
Porsche used spotters to make sure the highway was completely devoid of traffic, taking advantage of clear roads to reach 350km/h in just 40 seconds.
The left-hand-drive 918 Spyder is not available for sale in Australia. Porsche brought out an example of the 652kW supercar as a technical showcase for what it can achieve.
