It’s not often that old technology gets the spotlight at major auto shows, but Porsche debuted a 111 year old design at the Geneva Motor Show.
Way back in 1900, Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche unveiled the world’s first full-hybrid car – the Semper Vivus (“always alive” in Latin). In order to commemorate that occasion, the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart has spent the last four years painstakingly recreating the Semper Vivus, with the project now ready for its world debut.
Appropriately, the Semper Vivus made its world debut on the Geneva stage alongside the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid. Like the Cayenne S Hybrid, the Panamera S Hybrid mates a supercharged 3.0L V6 with an electric motor, combining for 380 horsepower. The Panamera S Hybrid will spew just 159 g/km CO2, making it the most efficient Porsche of all time.
The Semper Vivus wasn’t quite as thrifty – nor as luxurious and fast. It features two combustion engines and two electric motors located in the massive front wheels, which eliminated the need for a driveshaft and transmission.
More than 300 Semper Vivus models were built before the patent was sold off. The original cars were built for Ludwig Lohner and Company, a Vienna coachbuilder.
