What's the story with the Nissan Delta Wing at Le Mans?, Strange looking machine Options

[DNHunt]

What could be the advantages and disadvantages? Maybe weight and aero advantages. What would be the front suspension issues?

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.racintoday.com-598-1339856566.1.jpg)

Dave

[Richard Casto]

I am a fan of the engineering and hard work that went into the concept and in no way was I wishing them any bad luck, but I am absolutely against this being used as an example of how we should be building prototype (or other) race cars in the future.

I think that the broad goal was to be able to use smaller and more fuel efficient engines in the top levels of racing without reducing the size of the spectacle (i.e. speed). If you follow racing at all, there is much talk about "relevancy to production cars" and "green technology" such as hybrids, energy reuse, different fuels, etc. which are all important to auto manufacturers. So the concept with the Deltawing was 1/2 the power, 1/2 the weight, 1/2 the drag but all of the fun. The reduction to three wheels was the big factor on reduction of size (weight and drag). The lower drag allowed a lesser amount of power to generate lap times in the range of heavier and more powerful traditional designs.

But while I think they achieved their goals, I don't think this car is the only or best solution to that problem. Assuming that the problem even exists. The FIA/ACO just released new rules for 2014 and the includes a smaller footprint (including narrower maximum width which decreases frontal area and overall drag) plus I think a lower weight. Additionally they are working on a fuel restriction system with displacement, turbo, etc. being relatively open. In many ways, much like the Group C days of the 1980's. So the 2014 cars will be lighter, smaller and more efficient. Pretty much the same goals of Deltawing, but also being more relevant to road going cars plus keeping tradition alive.

Richard

[ThePaintedMan]

I am a fan of the engineering and hard work that went into the concept and in no way was I wishing them any bad luck, but I am absolutely against this being used as an example of how we should be building prototype (or other) race cars in the future.

I think that the broad goal was to be able to use smaller and more fuel efficient engines in the top levels of racing without reducing the size of the spectacle (i.e. speed). If you follow racing at all, there is much talk about "relevancy to production cars" and "green technology" such as hybrids, energy reuse, different fuels, etc. which are all important to auto manufacturers. So the concept with the Deltawing was 1/2 the power, 1/2 the weight, 1/2 the drag but all of the fun. The reduction to three wheels was the big factor on reduction of size (weight and drag). The lower drag allowed a lesser amount of power to generate lap times in the range of heavier and more powerful traditional designs.

But while I think they achieved their goals, I don't think this car is the only or best solution to that problem. Assuming that the problem even exists. The FIA/ACO just released new rules for 2014 and the includes a smaller footprint (including narrower maximum width which decreases frontal area and overall drag) plus I think a lower weight. Additionally they are working on a fuel restriction system with displacement, turbo, etc. being relatively open. In many ways, much like the Group C days of the 1980's. So the 2014 cars will be lighter, smaller and more efficient. Pretty much the same goals of Deltawing, but also being more relevant to road going cars plus keeping tradition alive.

Richard

Richard, I don't want this to sound like flaming but I respectfully think you missed the point completely. First of all, it DOESN'T have three wheels. Its four. Everyone got it? Good.

The shape of the car should have nothing to do with its relevance to the automotive marketplace. The whole point of the car is to stretch the imagination and truly test manufacturers to see what can be created when we think laterally as opposed to paradoxically. Why do cars look the way they do? Well, because thats whats always "worked". But motorcycles look nothing like cars, yet they aren't necessarily considered irrelevant, correct?

You're right in the sense that a car the shape of the deltawing is largely impractical for a family of four on vacation. But the concept of lowering frontal area to the extreme harkens back to many of the other things born at Le Mans and in sportscar racing which were once considered impractical or even "crazy. Disc brakes, seat belts, fiberglass and carbon fiber construction, fire protection, safer guard rails, HANS devices... the list goes on.

I don't think its the only, or even best solution either. But I don't believe it was intended to be. I think it did exactly what it was intended to do: challenge the status quo and make us think about what is possible.