DeltaWing coupe to debut at Sebring [UPDATE]

Just when we thought the DeltaWing couldn't get any weirder, DeltaWing Racing Cars unveils a new enclosed version of the experimental racer. The coupe is set to bow at Sebring International Raceway this week, complete with an all-new tub to help it comply with 2014 LMP1 regulations. The new racer, to be campaigned without former sponsor Nissan, also features a new engine worked up by the minds at Elan Motorsports Technologies. The open-top machine will still get around the track thanks to a revised version of its old turbocharged 2.0-liter mill. So, why put a hardtop on the car?

Engineers say adding the roof offers up an obvious safety advantage, protecting the driver's head from debris, rollovers and the like. The design also moves the driving position to dead center instead of off to the left or right, also as a safety precaution. Drivers Andy Meyrick and Olivier Pla will helm the machine at its inaugural race this weekend which could be as soon as Laguna Seca.

UPDATE: A clarification – the DeltaWing coupe will not race at Sebring, it will merely be displayed. The open-top version of the car will be campaigned with a new, larger engine until the coupe is ready to race.