Batman to race at Indianapolis

JRS

JRS

JRS

Soldato
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Seriously. Paint it black, stick a few Bat motifs on it, it'd make a hell of a good Batmobile....

A company called DeltaWing Racing has created a concept for a new IndyCar racer. Their blurb notes the following:

Key Specifications (estimated)


  • Weight with driver: 1,030 lbs.
  • Horsepower: 300 BHP
  • Wheel base: 125 inches
  • Front track: 24 inches
  • Rear track: 70 inches
  • Aerodynamic drag: Cd 0.24
Key Technical features


  • Engine and transmission are “non-stressed members” of the chassis structural design which allows teams to install a wide variety of lightweight powertrains
  • The prototype will feature a 4 cylinder turbo charged engine that will produce approximately 300 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and weigh only 160lbs fully dressed
  • Engine capacity, RPM and configuration freedoms are anticipated given only that the rate of fuel delivery to the engine will be controlled by a specially developed fuel flow rate control unit
  • Vehicle weight distribution is necessarily more rearward than traditionally seen with 72.5% of the mass on the larger rear tires
  • 80% of the aerodynamic downforce acts on the rear of the car
  • Inline traction under acceleration through the rear tires is greatly enhanced by rearward weight and aerodynamic distributions
  • Unique amongst today’s racing cars 60% of braking force is generated behind the center of gravity giving a dynamically stable response
  • Locking propensity of the inside front wheel on corner entry is greatly reduced
  • Transmission features 6 speed oval and 5 speed plus reverse road track configurations with sequential paddle shift actuation
  • Differential features full torque vectoring active technology with driver control of gain for balance adjustment. “Active stagger” removes the expensive necessity for staggered rear tire diameters for ovals
  • Advanced computer modeling of structures, impact energy management, aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics and tires has been used to develop the virtual DeltaWing car
  • The car’s performance has been simulated on each configuration of race track encountered during the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship
  • Modern advanced materials and CNC construction techniques applied to achieve gains in light weight structures and occupant safety
  • Driver position, restraint layout and energy absorbency facility designed with the latest data on survival criteria
Some pictures:










I love it. It'll never race though (I'm sure TPTB will pick something much more conventional and dull when the time comes to bring a new car to the series), and that's a crying shame :(
 
Street circuits could be fun with that front end. Turning circle of a barge. :D

Looks very cool. Wouldn't want to have to try and make it practical though.
 
I would think if it ever managed to hit a race circuit it'd need the front track widening (read: doubling, at least). I guess the trick diff' might go some way to helping it though.

I just love the whole concept, even if it didn't look like the Batmobile it'd be cool. Smaller, less powerful and more fuel efficient engine but retaining the +230mph top speeds. It'd help keep the weird-beard, sandal-wearing, Grauniad-reading, vegetarian, Prius-driving nitwits placated while still putting on a decent show for the racing fans.
 
ShakenNstirred said:
wouldnt have thought it be that good round corners with the front wheels like that
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Eh, who really cares? If it has to crawl around tight corners on a road/street circuit, it has to crawl around them. As a concept, it gives the Indy boys a route to retain the high speeds we have now at a reduced emissions level. That has to be good.
 
I saw this in Autosport along with far more conventional but equally epic looking Lola concepts I think.

They are suggestions for new IndyCars to solve the IndyCar 'problem'?

What exactly is the indycar problem? Im assuming its a lack of ability to follow closely at high speeds resulting in a lack of overtaking and processional races?
 
The 'problem' is the same one NASCAR has faced several times - it just got stale. Overtaking and action decreased, races started getting predictable, fans drifted away.

That, and Danica has left to go NASCAR racin'. As did Juan Montoya, with a Formula One stint in the middle. And several other very good drivers have buggered off in search of greater thrills and greater purses. It doesn't need much effort to sort it out - just allow some ******* technical freedom. Build a series where a 'conventional' IndyCar can go up against the DeltaWing Batmobile in a battle for supremacy. Big engine + normal aero against small engine + bodywork out of a sci-fi film.

Get some bloody excitement back!
 
Skeeter said:
I saw this in Autosport along with far more conventional but equally epic looking Lola concepts I think.

They are suggestions for new IndyCars to solve the IndyCar 'problem'?

What exactly is the indycar problem? Im assuming its a lack of ability to follow closely at high speeds resulting in a lack of overtaking and processional races?
Click to expand...

The problem is that there isn't much to differentiate it from F1. It's a top flight open wheel formula, that isn't a feeder for F1 yet is seen as inferior.
 
Alibaba99 said:
The problem is that there isn't much to differentiate it from F1.
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Other than it being completely different? About all they share is that both mandate V8 engines and four wheels. IndyCar is a spec-racing series, with everyone using the same Dallara chassis design and the same Ilmor-Honda V8 engine. Despite the FIA's best attempts, F1 hasn't become spec-racing just yet.
 
JRS said:
Eh, who really cares? If it has to crawl around tight corners on a road/street circuit, it has to crawl around them. As a concept, it gives the Indy boys a route to retain the high speeds we have now at a reduced emissions level. That has to be good.
Click to expand...

they do have corners on ovals too lol
dragsters have there front wheels like that and there great round corners n bends :D
its a concept nothing more, a prototype wont even get made, it will stay on a computer
 
Agreed.

But I think its more a way of getting people to go "oooh, check that out, hmmmm, maybe ground effect could be a good idea?"

I assume the turbulence out the back of a ground effect car is much less than a traditional winged car?
 
Flibster said:
Not that much different - but without a front wing it'll allow the cars to follow closely as ground effect isn't dramatically effected by it.
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As I understand it, this is the point - the dirty air out of the back of the cars is still there, but they're a lot less sensitive to it. I'l defer to anyone with greater knowledge though!l
 
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