Nissan DeltaWing: the full story
The inside line on Nissan's DeltaWing, from designer Ben Bowlby and driver Marino Franchitti
You may not have heard of it (yet), but it could be the future of world motorsport
Yes, it looks like the Batmobile - can we move on?
The DeltaWing project has been knocking around for a while, and though having secured a place at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours under the Automobile Club de L'Ouest's 'Project 56' experimental technology entry, it hasn't had an engine to power it. Until now.
Nissan has now revealed it will be backing the DeltaWing project as an official partner with the tripod-like racer getting a 300hp, 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor loosely related to that of the top-spec Juke 1.6 DIG-T. Not the sonorous V12 or intricate experimental petrol-electric hybrid powertrain you might have been hoping for given the car's Batman's-trackday-toy looks. But the stealthy racer is really quite an innovative, well thought out and truly relevant project, based on existing technology in order to keep costs (relatively) low and maximise efficiency.
Nissan backing literally writ large on DeltaWing
And there's that word most of us wouldn't associate with the glamour and excitement of motor racing - efficiency. But while most driving enthusiasts see it as a byword for dull and drab motoring, with power reined in to improve fuel economy efficiency in racing actually means more speed.
The whole concept has been based on a strategy of half the weight and half the drag of a conventional LMP car, and in doing so has allowed the DeltaWing's engineers to halve the tyres' effective contact patch at the front, therefore halving the friction and drag thanks to that cigar-like front profile. Importantly, that means fuel consumption is also cut by 50 per cent.
Concept inevitably proven in windtunnel first
On the pace
Bowlby is bullish about the programme's prospects, citing, "the ACO has given us a target lap time of 3:40 around Le Mans [that's in between LMP1 and LMP2 pace] with an intended top speed of 300km/h." The latter of which DeltaWing has already exceeded in testing.
Bowlby (foreground) is confident about pace
With backing from Dan Gurney's All American Racing outfit, American Le Mans Series founder and owner Don Panoz, two-time ALMS champions Highcroft Racing and now the might of Nissan in the engine department, DeltaWing carries some serious clout.
So how does it drive?
According to Marino Franchitti, now confirmed to drive the car at Le Mans, "it's like a normal racing car - it has its own idiosyncrasies but it's easy to drive. You have to apex a corner with the rear wheels as opposed to the fronts in a normal car, due to the rear being the widest point, but it handles really well and is easy to position. Everything is very progressive and the aerodynamic balance is very consistent and controllable - it's just like a normal car when it breaks away."
Half of everything is the theory...
That's because the car's weight distribution is biased rearwards to the tune of 73:27, putting all the mass behind the centre of gravity and offering excellent stability, especially in a straight line and under braking. The car's brake balance is weighted towards the rear too, making use of the significantly larger 12.5-inch wide rear tyres. That rearward weight distribution should mean less weight transfer under braking (well over 50 per cent of the braking force is behind the centre of gravity), as well as more traction under power, equating to a less wayward tail than you might otherwise imagine.
Going the distance
"With only 40 litres of fuel to carry and much less mass we're hoping to go further on a stint than the regular prototypes," reckons Franchitti. And we can well believe him. From the time the Scot has already spent behind the wheel of the DeltaWing, he outlined that triple-stinting tyres at Le Mans won't be an issue, and that the car's inherent, almost benign balance - despite its outlandish looks - means degradation in the rubber won't upset the chassis or bite the driver.
DeltaWing has proven itself on track
According to Nissan Europe General Manager, Darren Cox, "DeltaWing is about innovation and relevance to road cars. The developments in efficiency will challenge the way people think about motorsport and benefit road car progress in a sustainable way through real-world technology - downsizing and improving aerodynamic efficiency as two examples."
That's all well and good for the future, but in the here and now the DeltaWing has a job to do.
"The car is the first real wholesale change since putting engines in the back of Formula 1 cars or the development of wings - fans are drawn to it and it's so important in engaging the next generation of sportscar followers. It's great to be involved in something so exciting," believes Franchitti.
It won't be competing for the podium proper, unfortunately, as it's in an experimental class of one. The team has been warned by the ACO to not get in the way of anybody's race, and it's well aware of that. Given the claims it's making though, Franchitti and Co. might not have to be checking their mirrors all that frequently.
I have been a fan of this project from day one and the more I see the more I hope that really does work on the track.
How cool would it be to see one pulling out from behind an Audi down the Mulsanne whilst being chased down by a Toyota...
I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it.
This is what our sport needs, a bit of visual diversity and scope for proper left field thinking.
Great stuff.
I would guess the wider track at the rear gives stability and keeps the car flat while cornering, while the narrow body gives a smaller drag coefficient for better fuel efficiency/top speed etc.?
I'm sure there was more than one post where people said "If it ever gets beyond the drawing board, I'll [insert action they never imagined they'd have to carry out here]"
Great to see something so different racing - Up there with the Lotus 88, Arrows 'Doodlebug', Fan cars and other crazy looking projects.
I could cope with a field of deltawing racers, personally.
Regardless of how successful it is, I like it!
M
Anything this radical is interesting and whilst I don't fully understand how they are going to get it to handle, I have no real reason to doubt the people behind it.
Seeing this sort of thing at LM is wonderful. I've not gone as much as I used to in recent times as the Diesels bore me to tears and the lower categories whilst more interesting, haven't really lit my fires either.
Seeing innovation like this is a reason to go, so more of this radical thinking please!
Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff