Panoz could return to ALMS prototype class with algae butanol power
Don Panoz, founder of the American Le Mans Series, wants to return his brand back to the top ranks of the series and possibly bring a new greener fuel as well. Panoz spoke at press conference in the run up to Saturday's 12 Hours of Sebring and announced that the race car manufacturer he owns is working on a LMP1 class coupe. Like the Panoz GTR-1 that ran successfully both in ALMS and in Europe in the late '90s first in GT1 and later with modifications as P1 car, this one would be front-engined, which would make it unique in the class. Unlike the GTR-1, which used a Ford-based V8 engine, the new car will use Chevrolet power, likely derived from the Corvette C6R engine.
To really spice things up, though, Panoz also discussed the possibility of a new fuel to power the car: butanol derived from algae. Like ethanol, butanol is an alcohol, but with four carbon atoms rather than two. This gives it properties closer to gasoline and requires almost no modifications to the engine to use. Producing it from algae is also potentially much more cost effective and environmentally friendly than ethanol production.
When we spoke to ALMS CEO Scott Atherton at the Detroit Auto Show in January, he indicated that there was interest in bringing a fourth fuel into the mix along with diesel, E10, and cellulosic E85. ALMS spokesman Bob Dickinson has confirmed that he was talking about butanol. However, it was another manufacturer that first raised the possibility, so it was something of a surprise to hear Panoz bring it up. We still don't know if butanol will be approved for ALMS, but in the meantime, the new car could possibly race as soon as the season finale at Laguna Seca in October. Thanks to DC for the tip!
[Source: AutoWeek]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nobody 4:46PM (3/20/2009)
While it would be nice to see more competition in P1, I don't believe Panoz has the resources to be competitive at this level. The LMP07 was a disaster and while the Roadster S was quite a machine it needed more development.
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HotRodzNKustoms 5:01PM (3/20/2009)
I love Panoz, I do hope they can build a competitive car which I know they are more than capable of doing.
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phoenix 5:17PM (3/20/2009)
Sorry, but the rumor is rubbish - and Autoweek is already in trouble for printing this.
According to ALMS staff, this is a no-go. Yes, there's been plans in the works -- for YEARS. Panoz wants to put a new car on the track, but it's not gonna' happen this year. Not next year either. They're nowhere near ready to build, much less assemble a team and pray for the skies to open up and rain sponsorship money.
Where does this come from, you ask? Simple - I'm in the media office at Sebring right now, and I just asked Bob Dickinson and company about it.
That said, when the day DOES come, it'll be nice to see another big rumbling Panoz on the track. It just won't be any time soon.
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DC 6:52PM (3/20/2009)
Why would they be in trouble? They are just reporting something that was said at a press conference?
phoenix 6:59PM (3/20/2009)
@DC -- from a journalistic standpoint, what Autoweek did was a boneheaded move. Rather than report on facts, they either broadly expounded on a few sentences, or otherwise just made up a bunch of it. The fact is, there is no car coming from Panoz to P1 this year - and to speculate otherwise is irresponsible and asinine.
I *can* report that some consideration was given to re-tooling an existing GT2-class Panoz Esperante to run as a hybrid (petrol/electric), but that's since been put on the shelf. I guess the crack(-addled) reporter from Autoweek missed that one.
That's OK though, there's plenty of others up in here who don't mind providing far more accurate reporting.
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DC 10:28PM (3/20/2009)
Well I guess you have to take all news with a grain of salt, but I really hope Panoz can somehow put together another run at the LMP class in the near future.
tbyron 1:31AM (3/21/2009)
And the bit about butanol from algae is just wrong. The value of algae as a feedstock is as a provider of oil, commonly dreamed of as a future source of biodiesel. Butanol is produced from sugars which, in the US, are generally going to come from starches which come from grains such as milo, barley, wheat and corn. While the final product is more similar to gasoline than is ethanol, it is much less efficient (and therefore economical) to produce. Quite appropriate actually that this was in an article about Panoz' dream.
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phoenix 7:06AM (3/21/2009)
Just to clarify a little bit, last year at Petit Le Mans, Mazda showcased a car (passenger car, not racer) running on "bio-butanol."
Swede 8:59AM (3/21/2009)
Dude, that car clearly has the capability to snort massive amounts of coke! I've never seen a car with greater snorting potential before!
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JerryB 5:18PM (3/21/2009)
Too bad Panoz can't figure out how to make it run on ugly. It would take the checkered flag!
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aztek 2:25PM (6/08/2009)
actually Tbyron, the bit about algae butanol is correct. I think the researchers want to convert algae carbohydrate sugar into butanol by distillation. i dont know if a prior biofermentation process is also involved, as in grapes converting fructose/glucose into ethyl alcohol (wine) via yeast. I dont know if sugar can be converted directly to butanol. It seems a more expensive proposition than just extracting the oil for biodiesel but that is the goal. Meanwhile the algae biodiesel guys are already going down in flames. keep tuned. Futuristic for sure but who knows?
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