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December
2007
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| 12.22.07
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| 12.20.07*
Aero development will be on going with a least one week in the wind tunnel per month budgeted for 2008. *Corretion 12.21.07, we're informed that the Aerolab wind tunnel was actually used. That is, the new (2004 commision) wind tunnel facility located in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy. Aerolab is a joint venture between Fond Tech and Dallara and lists amongsts its customers both Porsche (RS Spyder) and Peugeot (908). |
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 Here
we see the mold for the monocoque of the EE-LMP1-07. The intent had
always been for the closed top LMP1 version to be complemented by an open
top LMP2 version. This can be achieved through clever mold making
by placing parting lines that double as the transition points for the two
different versions. |
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 A
comparison of the CAD rendering of the early generation car to that of
the current version shows rather substantial development over the past
12 months. |
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 Few
surfaces have been left unchanged. The most notable difference is
the complete reworking of the nose/spliter. The length of the overhang
has been reduced as well. The top exit exhausts have been eliminated
in favor of more conventional side exit ahead of rear wheels. The
engine intake is completely different. It has now been pushed back
to the trailing edge of the cockpit bubble reducing, if not eliminating,
its projection into the frontal elevation. The side pods also are
lower, more than likely to the 400 mm height minimum. Heavy sculpting
can just be seen on the leading edge of the side pod in the valley between
the side pod and the front fender trailing edge. The Dome S102 (below)
exhibits that characteristic as well. Subsequently the side profile
of the trailing edge of the front pontoon fender is stepped to provide
regulations compliance (bodywork seen from the side can be no more than
150 mm inset into the car). While difficult to see in the low resolution
version here, the brake intakes are inset into the inner face of the front
fenders, flush to the surface. On the wind tunnel model they can
be seen just sticking proud of the surface. It's also interesting
to note that the mandatory trailing edge structure at the rear of the car
is different on the wind tunnel model compared to the CAD model.
The wind tunnel model drives the full size car so this suggests the CAD
version was tried in the wind tunnel and supplanted for what we can now
see on the wind tunnel model. |
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| 12.16.07
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 12.14.07
>>With the impending release of the Nissan GT-R production car it comes to our attention that none other than Yoshi Suzuka was responsible for the car's aerodynamics. Mr. Suzuka is best known on these pages as the father of the Nissan GTP cars. |
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| 12.8.07
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 The
powerplant is unique as well, being a 4.0 liter, twin turbo, 90°V8
engine called the YR40 and developed by YGK (yes,
that YGK) under
the supervision of Professor Hayasi. YGK claims the YR40 engine is
50 mm shorter and 20 kg lighter than the famed VRH35Z Group C engine and
boasts good fuel economy and reliability having been developed over the
course of the past 7 years. The YR40 has an aluminum alloy block
and cylinders, steel crank shaft, and titanium connecting rods.
It is our understanding that this is a
concerted effort to bring the Japanese academic world and industry together
and that the project has much student input.
Information courtesy of Hidenori Suzuki's www.sports-carracing.net |
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| 12.7.07
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 But
it wasn't to be. In the end Euro Racing would run the Wiet Huidekoper
designed T-92/10 in the World Sportscar Championship in '92, finishing
5th in the Teams Championship (driver Heinz Harold Frentzen finished 13th
in the Drivers). But the Kremer project never got beyond what is
seen here. Says Sam, "A shame the combination shown here would see
only the lights of the photographer's studio and not La Sarthe." |
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 It's
with some irony and interest that the model of the Kremer K9 bears a passing
resemblance to the T-92/10... |
>>As
hinted in our December 16th news item, the Dome S101.5 was out testing
around Sugo in preparation for the Judd engine installation in the Dome
S102. This essentially was just a systems test as this is the first
time the Judd engine, X-Trac gearbox, and Zytek paddle shift system in
combination with the X-Trac gearbox have been assembled together in a Dome
chassis. According to 
>>First
image of the Epsilon Euskadi EE-LMP1-07 wind tunnel model. It's been
some since our last Epsilon update, but the project has fully launched
and the car is currently under construction. John Travis tells us
that no fewer than 12 weeks have been spent in the Aerolab wind tunnel
in Italy. That's quite a bit of development and works out to about
600 hours of tunnel time. The model has been naturally designed by
Epsilon and subsequently built by Aerolab and is maintained and updated
by them between tests eliminating the need to transport it back and forth
to Spain.
>>Images
released today from Dome show the S102 closed top LMP wind tunnel model.
This is the first clean sheet design that Dome has undertaken in 7 years
with the previous S101.5 tracing its origins back to the S101 LMP900.
Given that the bar has been raised in LMP1, it is logical that any new
LMP project would require a fundamental rethink. The S102 has been
designed to current regulations and is not a new (2010) rules car.
Wind tunnel testing was initiated with first a 25% model (left) from which
the general concept was established. Then in November a 40% model
was brought on line in order to flesh the concept out further (below).
Production has already begun with the completed chassis due out in February
some time. Track testing of various systems for the S102 will begin
next week on the back of a Dome S101.5.
>>While
we don't have the complete picture for the moment, word is coming out of
a new LMP program from Japan. Based out of Tokai University in Tokyo,
Japan, the program is being run by Professor Yoshimasa Hayasi, none other
than the man behind the Nissan VRH35Z 3.5 liter twin turbo V8 Group C engine
(as well as the Nissan P35 V12). The LMP is designed around a Courage
LC70 monocoque due to the costs associated with the design and construction
of a bespoke tub.
>>In
preparation for their 50th anniversary, Lola's Sam Smith has been digging
deep into the company's archives and stumbled across these gems.
Sam writes, "In the off-season of 1991-1992, German sportscar aces Kremer
Racing planned a full-scale assault on the FIA Sportscar World Championship
with a pair of the dramatic new Lola T92/10 Group C chassis."