RE: Le Mans TVR hit 183mph on Mulsanne
Thursday 13th January 2005
Le Mans TVR hit 183mph on Mulsanne
Caine's T400R just 1kph behind Porkers last year
No-one said that TVRs were slow but one statistic from last year's Le Mans 24 Hours has emerged from the race yearbook.
Analysis shows that, in the GT class, the faster of the two TVR T400Rs, the number 89 car (right), driven by Michael Caine, Chris Stockton and Bob Berridge, was the third fastest car, just 1kph behind two highly developed Porsches -- 294 kph against the TVR's 293 kph. A bit of calculation shows they must have attained over 183 mph on the Mulsanne Straight.
Fastest of all was a bio-ethanol fuelled NASAMAX prototype at 330kph (206 mph).
Thanks to www.dailysportscar.com for the tip and picture.
Discussion
Remember this from the Drivers briefing by MC at Le Mans last year. Only issue I have with it, is the lap times were more than a little down on the Porkas which means they have some more serious handling shortfals to deal with before they are truely competetive IMHO. Re the restrictors, I thought it was 25 production cars to get the restrictors removed
. On the plus side though 
how quick will they be then. I understood the cars to be 60-100bhp down due to them being fitted 
. Eitherway really looking forward to Le Mans this year.
Harry
Harry, - OK, what I'm after is for us to see the full potential of the race engine realised!
At P&P in Cardiff, Cainer said to expect some suprises at LM 2005 - so here's hoping!
One point tho' - I got the impression that the terminal speed quoted was back-calculated from lap times rather than car telemetry.....The point being that if they were that close to the porkers (with mega-buck developemnt budgets and experience)along the Mulsanne then lap times would say they handle reasonably well. To be honest, I can't remember any of the individual laps - - but its still a good story!
Nick
PS How and when are you going?
At P&P in Cardiff, Cainer said to expect some suprises at LM 2005 - so here's hoping!
One point tho' - I got the impression that the terminal speed quoted was back-calculated from lap times rather than car telemetry.....The point being that if they were that close to the porkers (with mega-buck developemnt budgets and experience)along the Mulsanne then lap times would say they handle reasonably well. To be honest, I can't remember any of the individual laps - - but its still a good story!
Nick
PS How and when are you going?
diddyman said:
Just picking hairs but 293khp = 182mph
Just picking hairs but 293khp = 183.125mph
What calculator did you use?
1kph = 0.621371192mph
293*0.621371192=182.061759256
Picking hair/splitting hairs and khp, you are all just picking up little mistakes so stop being so childish!
>> Edited by midgster on Thursday 13th January 14:16
they may have had some handling deficiancys earlier on in the year at le mans but look later on in the year at the results of what must have been some continual development, running 3rd at silverstone LMES and falling down because of an exhaust spring, qualifying 4th at spa 4/10's off the pole at a circuit that has more corners than straights!
my prediction if RSR takes on the development. 2005 the year of the T400R
my prediction if RSR takes on the development. 2005 the year of the T400R
GCerbera said:
my prediction if RSR takes on the development. 2005 the year of the T400R
Correct
Big things for them this year for sure and not just the bills!
ACO willing.
I'm not sure about the T400R, but the revised height of the front splitter in the LMP1 regulations is just right for splitting hares.
Roy C said:
ccharlie6 said:
my prediction if RSR takes on the development. 2005 the year of the T400R
Correct
Big things for them this year for sure and not just the bills!
ACO willing.
Need to make a few more road cars, then the ACO will be a bit more willing...
one would be a start !!!!From my readings of last years ACO regs for the GT class, if TVR doesn't sell/build 25 road cars (assuming they are a small manufacturer ie. <2500 cars annually), they get a 5% restrictor reduction and 30 kilos ballast.
If they don't build 9 road cars per race car (18 for a two car team), they get an additional 5% restrictor reduction and 20 kilos ballast.
So, if they've only built 1 or 2, as it seems, they will be running a 10% smaller restrictor and 50 kilos of ballast compared to the Porsches. Which is what they had last year.
I'd say they did pretty damn well considering.
Gary
If they don't build 9 road cars per race car (18 for a two car team), they get an additional 5% restrictor reduction and 20 kilos ballast.
So, if they've only built 1 or 2, as it seems, they will be running a 10% smaller restrictor and 50 kilos of ballast compared to the Porsches. Which is what they had last year.
I'd say they did pretty damn well considering.
Gary
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