New Nissan to Race LeMans

[Zedyone_kenobi]

it is a 4 wheeled car, but with the front two tires so close together, it has more drawbacks of a trike then advantages of a 4 wheel car. I am sure they did their homework, but this thing is just to darned fragile and slightly unstable. Incidental contact should not send you flying. It was not like he was T-boned. That kind of rubbing happens every week in the continental tire challenge.

At least everybody is okay. Maybe they learned something from all of that.

[conedodger]

Well, they brought more than one. These pictures were taken today at Petit LeMans...

I do think a problem exists that the car solves. That being time in the pits for tire changes and fuel cost time on the race track. Time on the race track is what wins if you can run enough laps. This car runs about 3-4 times farther than most of the other LeMans entries on the same tires and fuel load. I find it an interesting study.

Edited October 19, 2012 by conedodger

[LeonV]

Well, they brought more than one. These pictures were taken today at Petit LeMans...

I do think a problem exists that the car solves. That being time in the pits for tire changes and fuel cost time on the race track. Time on the race track is what wins if you can run enough laps. This car runs about 3-4 times farther than most of the other LeMans entries on the same tires and fuel load. I find it an interesting study.

Agreed.

[conedodger]

I also agree with Zedy, it appears prone to failure when contacted at speed... Gotta finish to take advantage of the time saved not in the pits.

[26th-Z]

Thanks for the pics, conedodger. I read an article some time ago about how we racing fans have all come to accept the 'traditional thought' of race car design and construction for the accepted means of racing. Spec chassis, spec racing, spec showmanship - all standardized, homogenized, neatly packaged into a performance we can all enjoy - how nice! The Deltawing demonstrates something we previously rejected taking efficiency to another level with respect to this (ALMS) type of racing. Audi introduced the concept of alternative fuels and the type of engine design which takes advantage of the rules, thinking outside the box with huge success. Carbon fiber replaced aluminum replaced steel replaced wood and so on. I'm very in favor of seeing success here with the Deltawing. Too bad we have come to accept 'punting'.

[conedodger]

Thanks for the pics, conedodger. I read an article some time ago about how we racing fans have all come to accept the 'traditional thought' of race car design and construction for the accepted means of racing. Spec chassis, spec racing, spec showmanship - all standardized, homogenized, neatly packaged into a performance we can all enjoy - how nice! The Deltawing demonstrates something we previously rejected taking efficiency to another level with respect to this (ALMS) type of racing. Audi introduced the concept of alternative fuels and the type of engine design which takes advantage of the rules, thinking outside the box with huge success. Carbon fiber replaced aluminum replaced steel replaced wood and so on. I'm very in favor of seeing success here with the Deltawing. Too bad we have come to accept 'punting'.

I saw the video of that 'punting' and I am not quite sure what happened. He didn't need to come down on the Deltawing. He had lots of straight to move into the line. If he wanted the inside in the next corner he would need to go around either in front by passing or behind, not through! But in the unedited version of the video I saw, that Deltawing is damn quick!

One of the things I teach is critical thinking. I suppose you could say it is a form of the business adage 'thinking outside of the box'. It involves never accepting that something is as good as it can be. Accepting that the way things are done is as good as it can be, can exclude the possible along with the clearly not. The process is simply to develop a mindset that nothing is as good as it could be and then work to improve it. Once you have improved it, you start the process over. It's circular. I think racing could use a bunch of critical thinking. 8O

[Zedyone_kenobi]

26th, the thing you described is NASCAR, which I loath. Spec racing is what we all need to get away from. Multiple manufacturers with different chassis different engines, all striving to out do each, all built within the same set of rules. I have nothing directly against the delta wing, but if it wants to run with the other cars in the series, then it needs to comply with the rules laid out for all the other cars running. To race out side of the rules does not really prove anything.

IF the delta wing wants a spec series, then they should have one. But the main purpose of racing is to drive innovation and improve the product. Spec racing to me is the antithesis of racing. Porsche improves the 911 every year and puts each model through hell in race after race. They learn and they improve. I respect them greatly for that.

Subaru improved the Impreza WRX STI every year it was in rally and what they learned made it to the street cars (to an extent). I am a huge subaru fan.

Thinking out side of the box is great. But only if it leads to real innovation. Thinking outside of the box just to be different for the sake of being different is not really productive.

[conedodger]

Another from Atlanta...

[26th-Z]

Great Race, great finish, 5th overall - Go DeltaWing! The attached pictures are from Datsun France's web site.

Zedyone, the DeltaWing is exactly what you are talking about, racing innovation and product improvement. I don't think you could get anyone to agree that the design is for the sake of being different. It most certainly isn't and what it proves is that the rules restrict innovation; greater fuel economy, greater tire wear, all at the same speeds and durability seems quite productive to me. And spec racing is not just NA$CAR, it's Indycar as well as Grand Am to name but two series employing spec chassis. I don't know if you have ever seen a gaggle of buzzing Porsches from the GT classes, but they are pretty much 'spec' customer cars, aren't they? We have Spec Miata, Spec Ford, Spec this, Spec that, and not to mention Spec tators. I'm glad to see success with innovative ideas and now the DeltaWing can even claim to be crash tested!

[LeonV]

Great Race, great finish, 5th overall - Go DeltaWing! The attached pictures are from Datsun France's web site.

Zedyone, the DeltaWing is exactly what you are talking about, racing innovation and product improvement. I don't think you could get anyone to agree that the design is for the sake of being different. It most certainly isn't and what it proves is that the rules restrict innovation; greater fuel economy, greater tire wear, all at the same speeds and durability seems quite productive to me. And spec racing is not just NA$CAR, it's Indycar as well as Grand Am to name but two series employing spec chassis. I don't know if you have ever seen a gaggle of buzzing Porsches from the GT classes, but they are pretty much 'spec' customer cars, aren't they? We have Spec Miata, Spec Ford, Spec this, Spec that, and not to mention Spec tators. I'm glad to see success with innovative ideas and now the DeltaWing can even claim to be crash tested!

Well put, took the words right out of my mouth! (Except the "Spec tator" bit, nice touch )

Edited October 22, 2012 by LeonV

[conedodger]

A bit of the front end...

[conedodger]

It occurs to me that Spec racing is an idea who's time has passed. "Let's make everything equal and then the best driver/team wins." Little room for innovation, and even that little bit of room gets squished by politics sometimes. I say, dial back the specs and see what they come up with. Give them room to create. Who knows? It might lead to hovercraft technology! 8)