Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[DeltaWing coming back with major updates, enclosed cockpit]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/09/deltawing-coming-back-with-major-updates-enclosed-cockpit/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/09/deltawing-coming-back-with-major-updates-enclosed-cockpit/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/09/deltawing-coming-back-with-major-updates-enclosed-cockpit/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nissan DeltaWing on track

The development of the DeltaWing is making a break and taking a left turn, with a report on Speed revealing that almost none of the partners who helped make the car possible are involved in its racing plans for 2013. That includes Ben Bowlby, the man who dreamed it up, Dan Gurney's All American Racers, Highcroft Racing and Nissan - all of them have apparently stepped away. The only potential supplier left is Michelin, and it's only potential because Michelin hasn't commented on the matter.

Don Panoz remains, and there's a lot of work going into the three races planned for the DeltaWing this year. A new 1.9-liter race engine with a billet block, direct injection and twin turbos, based off two different Mazda engines, is reportedly being built for the program. Lighter than the Nissan engine formerly used and running on the dyno now, output is at 345 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, meaning it is also more powerful than the Nissan engine.

Its first outing will be at the 12 Hours of Sebring next month, where it will move up to the P1 category. After that, the radical racer will be enclosed - Bowlby originally envisioned a coupe - and it is expected to race at Laguna Seca on May 11 and at Baltimore on August 31. Assuming the racing and performance targets are met, plans are to bring the coupe version of the DeltaWing to market.

DeltaWing coming back with major updates, enclosed cockpit originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ben bowlbydelta wingdeltawingdon panoznissannissan delta wingnissan deltawingpanozproject 56Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20453606/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/09/deltawing-coming-back-with-major-updates-enclosed-cockpit/20453606/article-detail.xml 20453606 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/nissan-deltawing_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/02/nissan-deltawing.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan looks back at the DeltaWing's first year]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing in the paddock

It was a tumultuous year for the Nissan DeltaWing. After garnering the support of sponsors and fielding one of the most unique race cars in recent history, the team suffered an early crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that saw them sidelined during the remainder of the car's debut race. Likewise, a collision during qualifying at Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta put the team at the back of the pack for the race. Even so, the car managed to fight its way through the field of competitors to place fifth overall.

Needless to say, the car, its drivers and its team have learned some serious lessons in its first year. To commemorate the DeltaWing's first season on the world's race tracks, Nissan has worked up a quick retrospective video documenting the car's trials and triumphs in 2012. You can check it out by scrolling below.

Continue reading Nissan looks back at the DeltaWing's first year

Nissan looks back at the DeltaWing's first year originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of le mans24 hours of lemansdeltawingnissannissan deltawingpetit le mansvideoMon, 10 Dec 2012 19:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20398959/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/12/10/nissan-looks-back-at-the-deltawings-first-year/20398959/article-detail.xml 20398959 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/deltawing-video-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/12/deltawing-video-628.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Popular Science</i> magazine's Best Of What's New 2012 all ate up with cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/20/popular-science-magazines-best-of-whats-new-2012-all-at/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/20/popular-science-magazines-best-of-whats-new-2012-all-at/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/20/popular-science-magazines-best-of-whats-new-2012-all-at/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,



Popular Science has named the winners in its Best of What's New awards, the victors coming in the categories of aerospace, automotive, engineering, entertainment, gadgets, green, hardware, health, home, recreation, security and software. The automotive category did not go wanting for lauded advancements:
  • Tesla Model S: the Grand Award winner for being "the standard by which all future electric vehicles will be measured."
  • BMW 328i: it's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gets called out for being more powerful and frugal than the six-cylinder it replaces.
  • Ferrari F12 Berlinetta: towering power, towering top speed, 30 percent more fuel efficient than the 599 Fiorano it replaces.
  • Toyota RAV4 EV: the all-electric SUV accelerates better than many conventional SUVs, goes 100 mph and actually beats EPA mileage estimates.
  • Porsche Cayenne Diesel: 406 pound-feet of torque, 33 highway mpg, up to 800 miles from a single tank and Cayenne style, give 'em a trophy.
  • 2013 Ford Fusion: its three flavors - standard, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid - "are the most efficient models in their classes," that latter one expected to outdo the Chevrolet Volt's EPA mileage rating.
  • The DeltaWing: gets kudos for being "the most efficient racecar in history."
  • Mercedes-Benz Magic Vision Control: a holistic solution to keeping your windshield clean and clear year-round.
  • General Motors' MyLink: takes the in-car computer out of the car, puts it in the driver's smartphone.
  • Infiniti Back-Up Collision Intervention: rear-mounted radar and sonar keep track of what's behind you and brake automatically if an obstacle is detected so you don't hit things when you back that Infiniti up.
The automotive category tied with categories like aerospace and health for the number of awards. Congratulations to all the winners, head on over to PopSci for the full details on each of them.

Popular Science magazine's Best Of What's New 2012 all ate up with cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>328iBack-up Collision Preventionbmwcayenne dieseldeltawingfordfusiongminfinitimagic vision controlmercedes-benzmodel smylinknissan deltawingporscherav4 evteslatoyotaTue, 20 Nov 2012 17:44:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20381608/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/20/popular-science-magazines-best-of-whats-new-2012-all-at/20381608/article-detail.xml 20381608 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/psawards_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/psawards.jpg <![CDATA[The sights and sounds of the Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: ,

Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans

After being sideswiped at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and suffering a a similar accident during a practice session last week, the Nissan DeltaWing was in danger of becoming known for its crashes more than its racing prowess or unique appearance. That's why we hoped the racecar, competing in only its second race, would finish the 1,000-mile endurance madness of Petit Le Mans.

Thankfully, the Nissan/Highcroft Racing team did more than just that on Saturday, running a flawless race at Road Atlanta and finishing in fifth place overall. The result could have been even higher if pass-around periods during full course cautions would have gone the team's way.

Despite finishing in the top 10 in qualifying, the DeltaWing was relegated to the back of the grid for the start of the race thanks to its unclassified status, but that changed quickly as the car went from 42nd to 8th in its first stint.

Drivers Lucas Ordonez and Gunnar Jeannette drove a smooth and steady race up to fifth place, the car's speed and efficiency helping greatly here. The DeltaWing has just half the weight and half the aerodynamic drag of a typical ALMS prototype, meaning the team could go further between pit stops and change tires less often.

Scroll down below to watch a video detailing the DeltaWing's historic finish at Petit Le Mans or check out our photos from the race in the gallery above.

Continue reading The sights and sounds of the Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans [w/video]

The sights and sounds of the Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deltawingnissannissan deltawingpetit le mansvideosWed, 24 Oct 2012 12:46:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20356106/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/24/the-sights-and-sounds-of-the-nissan-deltawing-at-petit-le-mans/20356106/article-detail.xml 20356106 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing-petit-le-mans_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing-petit-le-mans.jpg <![CDATA[2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under:

2012 Petit Le Mans

The American Le Mans Series headed to Braselton, GA this past weekend for the 15th annual Petit Le Mans and the conclusion of its 2012 season. While some of the championships had already been decided earlier in the season - the Corvette team had already captured the manufacturer, team and driver championships for the GT class prior to the race, for example - there were still several titles up for grabs. The Muscle Milk Pickett Racing team, having dominated much of the ALMS season in the fastest P1 class, needed to finish just 70 percent of the race distance to take home the crown, as did the Level 5 Motorsports team in P2.

While Petit Le Mans remains one of the most important events on the North American motorsports calendar, there were some big names absent from the field at Road Atlanta. Peugeot, having dropped funding for its Le Mans program, wouldn't be around to defend their overall wins from the past three years. Audi, with the World Endurance Championship dropping Petit Le Mans from their calendar and no Peugeot to battle, decided to forgo the trip across the Atlantic as well.

Even so, the field of cars for Petit Le Mans remained strong thanks to the European Le Mans series making the 1,000 mile endurance race their season finale as well. The Europeans proved to be quick, with the Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota taking the overall pole position and the Morgan-Nissan of Oak Racing took the top qualifying spot in P2.

Adding some extra flair to this year's race was the addition of the Nissan DeltaWing, making its first competition appearance in North America. Despite having a scary crash on Wednesday and undergoing extensive repairs, the DeltaWing proved to have significant pace throughout practice and qualifying.

Scroll down for a full race report from the 2012 Petit Le Mans, and check out our exhaustive gallery of high-res images above.

Continue reading 2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans

2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 petit le mansalmsamerican le mans seriesdeltawinggt classlmp1lmp2nissannissan deltawingpetit le mansMon, 22 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20356105/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/22/2012-alms-champions-crowned-at-petit-le-mans/20356105/article-detail.xml 20356105 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/petit-le-mans-2012_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/petit-le-mans-2012.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan DeltaWing repaired and ready for action at Petit Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nissan DeltaWing at Petit Le Mans

After first watching the scary crash of the Nissan DeltaWing at Road Atlanta yesterday, we were worried that the one-off racecar wouldn't be ready for Petit Le Mans on Saturday. We needn't have worried, though, as the car has been quickly repaired by the Highcroft Racing Team in plenty of time. In fact, the car will be running in the night practice session later today and in the practice and qualifying sessions tomorrow.

The quick turnaround is due to the fact that the crash didn't cause as much damage to the car as initially thought. Ben Bowlby, the car's designer, tells us that while the accident looked severe it didn't compromise the integrity of the chassis.

"There was skin damage to an enormous number of parts - both sides of the nose, the side pods, the tail, one mirror - were all damaged, but the chassis wasn't other than a few scratches," he tells us.

The suspension system and engine have also been swapped out so as to have a fresh start before the race. In all the repairs took right around 24 hours.

You can see our photos of the fully repaired Nissan DeltaWing in the gallery above, and check back this weekend for more coverage of the car and Petit Le Mans.

Nissan DeltaWing repaired and ready for action at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deltawingnissannissan deltawingpetit le manspetit le mans 2012Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:19:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20354561/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/18/nissan-deltawing-repaired-and-ready-for-action-at-petit-le-mans/20354561/article-detail.xml 20354561 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-petit-le-mans-pit_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-petit-le-mans-pit.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Nissan DeltaWing's scary crash in Atlanta]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Yesterday, we caught word on Twitter that the Nissan DeltaWing had crashed during testing for this weekend's Petit Le Mans. Now Nissan has provided us with some frightening footage of how the incident went down. The important thing is that driver Gunnar Jeannette is okay, but this is yet another setback for Nissan and its radically experimental prototype racecar.

Just like the DeltaWing's crash at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this wreck was a result of the car being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Heading into Turn 11 at Road Atlanta, Jeannette was passing the Green Hornet Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, competing in the GT-Challenge class, when the Porsche veered into the side of the DeltaWing right in front of the left rear wheel. This crash might bring in to question not just concerns over the racer's visibility to other drivers, it might also raise stability concerns for the wedge-shaped car since it appears the PIT-maneuver-like contact with the Porsche would have just sent most cars into a spin rather than flipping over.

The good news for the DeltaWing is that Nissan's Steve Yaeger, technology and motorsport communications manager, says the damage wasn't that severe, and it is hoping to have the car back on the track today.

Scroll down to watch the frightening crash.

Continue reading Watch Nissan DeltaWing's scary crash in Atlanta

Watch Nissan DeltaWing's scary crash in Atlanta originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crash videodeltawingdeltawing crashdeltawing racinggunnar jeannettenissannissan deltawingpetit le manspetit lemansvideoThu, 18 Oct 2012 10:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20353709/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/18/watch-nissan-deltawings-scary-crash-in-atlanta/20353709/article-detail.xml 20353709 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-crash-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/deltawing-crash-628.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan DeltaWing will compete for points in 2013 ALMS season]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing

The Nissan DeltaWing is set to tackle the American Le Mans Series as a fully classified car for 2013. That means the odd-looking racer will be eligible for points starting next year, but we won't have to wait until the new season kicks off to see the machine on North American soil. As we've previously heard, the DeltaWing will run in this weekend's Petit Le Mans competition unclassified as a factory entry. Nissan campaigned its racer in a similar fashion at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans. IMSA plans to collect data on the DeltaWing at the upcoming race at Road Atlanta in order to craft a set of rules for the race car.

Organizers should have no shortage of information to analyze. Petit Le Mans is a 10-hour slog that covers 1,000 miles in 2.54-mile laps of Road Atlanta. This weekend's race kicks off at 11:30 AM EST on October 21.

Nissan DeltaWing will compete for points in 2013 ALMS season originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesdeltawingimsanissannissan deltawingroad atlantaTue, 16 Oct 2012 10:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20350065/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/16/nissan-deltawing-will-compete-for-points-in-2013-alms-season/20350065/article-detail.xml 20350065 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/10/nissan-deltawing.jpg <![CDATA[24 Hours of Le Mans delivers something old, something new [SPOILERS]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/17/24-hours-of-le-mans-delivers-something-old-something-new-spoil/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/17/24-hours-of-le-mans-delivers-something-old-something-new-spoil/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/17/24-hours-of-le-mans-delivers-something-old-something-new-spoil/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



If you don't want to know who finished where in the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, then you should head to another post this instant...

With Peugeot's withdrawal from the world's greatest endurance race, everyone was looking to the rookie Toyota team and its two petrol-hybrid TS030 race cars to provide some kind of worthy competition for the two diesel-hybrid Audi R18 e-tron quattros and two Audi diesel R18 Ultras. And they did. Five hours from the drop of the green flag, Nicolas Lapierre in the No. 7 Toyota passed Benoit Treluyer in the No. 1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro on track to take the lead.

At almost the same time, Anthony Davidson in the No. 8 Toyota was getting launched into the air when a GT Pro-class Ferrari turned into him heading into Mulsanne Corner. Both drivers had massive impacts with the tire barrier, ending their races, and Davidson is now lying in the hospital with two fractured vertebra. Worse yet, the second Toyota had fallen to second due to a pit stop during the safety car period, and on the restart it crashed into the Nissan DeltaWing. That DeltaWing's race was ended after a solid run in its experimental class - its biggest issue appeared to be that other drivers couldn't see it. The Toyota returned to the pits for repairs and got back on track, but retired with engine failure about 12 hours in.



That left the four Audis to box for the victory, and they took the boxing seriously, making contact with tire walls, with other cars and with each other before the No. 1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro driven by last year's winners Treluyer, Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler took the win, the first Le Mans win by a hybrid-powered car. Second was the No. 2 R18 e-tron quattro of "Mr. Le Mans" Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello, then the two diesel-powered R18 ultras in third and fifth. Nicolas Prost, son of four-time F1 champion Alain Prost, took fourth in a Lola Toyota, breaking up the Audi family.

The LMP2 class win was snagged by Ryan Dalziel in an HPD-Honda, pursued heavily by the Oreca-Nissan team. Giancarlo Fisichella took the AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia to victory in the GT Pro class after having crashed the car so badly on Wednesday that the team had to start the race at the back of the pack; the GT Am Corvettes were beset by mechanical trouble and on-track incidents. Redemption for the home team came from Pedro Lamy in the Labre Corvette C6.R, who claimed GT Am honors ahead of the Imsa Porsche team.

24 Hours of Le Mans delivers something old, something new [SPOILERS] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of le mansandre lottereraudiaudi r18 e-tron quattroaudi r18 ultrachevroletcorvette c6.rcorvette c6rdeltawingferrarile mansmotorsportsnissannissan deltawingr18r18 e-tron quattror18 ultratoyotatoyota ts030ts030Sun, 17 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20260279/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/17/24-hours-of-le-mans-delivers-something-old-something-new-spoil/20260279/article-detail.xml 20260279 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/00-2012-24-hours-of-le-mans-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/00-2012-24-hours-of-le-mans-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Toyota racer Anthony Davidson's terrifying airborne crash at Le Mans]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/16/watch-toyota-racer-anthony-davidsons-terrifying-airborne-crash/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/16/watch-toyota-racer-anthony-davidsons-terrifying-airborne-crash/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/16/watch-toyota-racer-anthony-davidsons-terrifying-airborne-crash/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Anthony Davidson of Toyota's terrifying Le Mans wreck

The LMP1 racer standing on its nose is the No. 8 Toyota TS030 driven by Anthony Davidson, having just recently begun his driving stint and only five hours into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while the red car next to it is the No. 81 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia driven by Piergiuseppe Perrazini. Davidson took the inside line down the Mulsanne Straight, and based on the vantage point in the video, it looks like Davidson had got a decent chunk of the Toyota ahead of the Ferrari when Perrazini turned into him.

The result were hard runs into the tire wall and the end of the race for both drivers. Davidson got out on his own but was sent to the hospital for observation until Monday morning, but thankfully Toyota has released a statement saying Davidson shows "no signs of any injuries." However, reports indicate Davidson has fractured two vertebra, and he soon tweeted from the hospital "Well that was a big one! Lying in a French hospital with a broken back wasn't what I had in mind at this stage in the race..."

The safety car came out while the accident was cleared, but the Toyota team's woes were compounded when the No. 7 TS030 driven by Kazuki Nakajima drove into the Nissan DeltaWing of Satoshi Motoyama on the restart. The contact sent the DeltaWing into the wall (and despite efforts to revive it, out of the race) and the No. 7 Toyota headed back to the pits for repairs and a steep drop down the order. As of this writing, Audi's brace of R18 E-Tron Quattro racers appear to have the inside track on a victory.

Scroll down to watch videos of both Davidson's crash and the DeltaWing accident (along with aftermath footage).

Continue reading Watch Toyota racer Anthony Davidson's terrifying airborne crash at Le Mans

Watch Toyota racer Anthony Davidson's terrifying airborne crash at Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 22:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of le mansanthony davidsondeltawingle manslemansnissannissan deltawingsatoshi motoyamatoyotatoyota ts030ts030videoSat, 16 Jun 2012 22:23:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20260160/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/16/watch-toyota-racer-anthony-davidsons-terrifying-airborne-crash/20260160/article-detail.xml 20260160 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/anthonydavidsonlemanscrs_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/anthonydavidsonlemanscrs.jpg <![CDATA[Panoz wants to race fields of DeltaWings in American Le Mans Series]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/25/panoz-wants-to-race-fields-of-deltawings-in-american-le-mans-ser/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/25/panoz-wants-to-race-fields-of-deltawings-in-american-le-mans-ser/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/25/panoz-wants-to-race-fields-of-deltawings-in-american-le-mans-ser/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing

In pretty much any racing series you go to, the cars tend to progress in an evolutionary, not revolutionary fashion. This year's crop of Formula One cars, for example, may have those ungainly stepped noses, but they otherwise look pretty much the same as last year's cars, which looked mostly the same as the cars the year before and the year before that, and so on and so forth. The same could be generally said of Indy, Le Mans prototypes...even stock cars. The DeltaWing project, however, is another story altogether.

Designed and developed by an alliance of some of the biggest names in racing and recently backed by Nissan, the DeltaWing represents a comprehensive rethink of what form a race car can and should take. The idea was originally fielded as a proposal for the new IndyCar chassis, but that series' organizers went once again for something much more conventional. So the brain trust behind the project adapted it for endurance racing and are taking it to Le Mans this year.

But surely they didn't put all that work into it just to race it once - outside the classifications as a demonstration only - did they? Not if Don Panoz has anything to say about it. One of the partners in the DeltaWing project and the father of the racing car manufacturer that bears his name, Panoz hopes to find a way to race the DeltaWing in the American Le Mans Series which he essentially founded.

A way to equalize its performance with either the LMP1 or LMP2 classes would need to be found with the IMSA and the FIA, but considering how it was adapted from an IndyCar proposal to a Le Mans racer, the platform seems pretty flexible. But Panoz doesn't want to race just one. Sure, a solitary entry in the full ALMS calendar would be a great start, but Panoz reportedly envisions assembling a quantity of DeltaWings at his factory in Georgia that has over the years built cars for Indy, Champ Cars, Superleague Formula and of course Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series.

Just how many remains to be seen, but with powerhouses like Panoz, Nissan, Highcroft, Chip Ganassi and Dan Gurney on board, we would be very surprised if the DeltaWing ran just the once.

Panoz wants to race fields of DeltaWings in American Le Mans Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 May 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesdelta wingdeltawingle mansnissannissan deltawingpanozFri, 25 May 2012 16:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20243688/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/25/panoz-wants-to-race-fields-of-deltawings-in-american-le-mans-ser/20243688/article-detail.xml 20243688 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/02nissandeltawinglaun_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/02nissandeltawinglaun.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Top Gear</i> building its own Nissan DeltaWing race car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/21/top-gear-building-its-own-nissan-deltawing-race-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/21/top-gear-building-its-own-nissan-deltawing-race-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/21/top-gear-building-its-own-nissan-deltawing-race-car/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Nissan DeltaWing

Think back to childhood for a moment. What did you do when you wanted, say, a new skateboard, but mom and dad were dragging their heels about ponying up for one? That's right, you built your own, out of bits of scrap plywood and some old wheels discarded by an older sibling. And it sucked.

We see the same situation playing out here. The children at Top Gear are absolutely gaga for the DeltaWing race car, which Nissan will be campaigning at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. And even if they are Top Gear, nobody at Nissan is going to just give them an experimental race car for futzing around. So they are building their own. Or at least a simulacrum of the DeltaWing, out of what appears to be junk.

Details are scarce, but the image gallery Top Gear has on its website tells enough of the story that we're pretty sure they aren't going to come anywhere close. Not only does the 1,100-pound curb weight of the revolutionary race car present something of a challenge when you're basically welding the thing up from scratch, but whatever that ancient engine sitting in the nose of the Top Gear project is, we're plenty sure it won't be packing the 300-plus horsepower of Nissan's turbocharged four.

But just as your pre-pubescent charm and pluckiness eventually prevailed in the skateboard scenario, we're thinking Top Gear might be on to something with its fanboy-ish DeltaWing replica. After all, mom may have embarrassed you in the skate shop, but she did get you the real thing, didn't she?

Top Gear building its own Nissan DeltaWing race car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 May 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've seen the Nissan DeltaWing running shakedown laps, but now the bonanza of teaser vids will truly begin as the DeltaWing prepares in earnest for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since it has shown it can actually handle a track at speed, the latest step in the process is to verify how it handles the wind.

Nissan Europe will be producing a video roughly every two weeks tracking the DeltaWing's evolution, and after the race Audi's sequel to Truth in 24 will be joined by a documentary on Nissan's isosceles racer. Scroll down for Nissan's take in words and video.

Continue reading Nissan launches new DeltaWing video series with wind tunnel teaser

Nissan launches new DeltaWing video series with wind tunnel teaser originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of le mansdeltawingle mansnissannissan deltawingvideovideosyoutubeMon, 16 Apr 2012 14:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20216006/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/16/nissan-launches-new-deltawing-video-series-with-wind-tunnel-teas/20216006/article-detail.xml 20216006 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/deltawingwindtunnel_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/deltawingwindtunnel.jpg <![CDATA[Watch Nissan's crazy DeltaWing racer test at Sebring]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/19/watch-nissans-crazy-deltawing-racer-test-at-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/19/watch-nissans-crazy-deltawing-racer-test-at-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/19/watch-nissans-crazy-deltawing-racer-test-at-sebring/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



Nissan took the new DeltaWing racer out for a quick parade lap at Sebring last week. The funky-looking car wasn't exactly tackling each apex at competition speeds, but the demonstration suggests development is on the right path. Nissan says the design weighs half as much as a typical competition vehicle and has half the aerodynamic drag as well, making it far more efficient. Likewise, the car requires less power to maintain the same level of performance (Nissan has fitted the DeltaWing with a turbocharged, direct-injection 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine). Despite the way it looks, it even appears to go around corners.

According to the press release that accompanies the footage after the jump, the DeltaWing won't run as a classified entrant in this year's running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but will be present as a demonstration of what the design has to offer the world's race teams. Hit the jump for a look at two videos; one (sadly audio-free) clip from the public display at Sebring and another look from testing at another facility from inside the car.

Continue reading Watch Nissan's crazy DeltaWing racer test at Sebring

Watch Nissan's crazy DeltaWing racer test at Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>delta wingdeltawingdeltawing at sebringnissannissan deltawingsebringvideoMon, 19 Mar 2012 13:15:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20196158/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/19/watch-nissans-crazy-deltawing-racer-test-at-sebring/20196158/article-detail.xml 20196158 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/nissan-deltawing-at-sebring-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/nissan-deltawing-at-sebring-628.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan backs DeltaWing racecar, headed for Le Mans [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/13/nissan-backs-deltawing-racecar-headed-for-le-mans-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/13/nissan-backs-deltawing-racecar-headed-for-le-mans-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/13/nissan-backs-deltawing-racecar-headed-for-le-mans-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



The DeltaWing project now has two major corporate backers and, more importantly, an engine. Nissan and Michelin have signed on with the innovative project of designer Ben Bowlby, Dan Gurney's All-American Racers and Don Panoz. Now called the Nissan DeltaWing, the Japanese firm will provide a turbocharged, direct-injected 1.6-liter, four-cylinder with an output of around 300 horsepower. Known as DIG-T, the powerplant shares the same roots as the engine in the Nissan Juke.

That's about 200 hp down on the 510 horsepower developed by the diesel V6 in the Audi R18 e-tron Quattro and about half the horsepower developed by other LMP1 racers. However, Nissan says the engine is half the weight of a typical LMP1 motor, and paired with the DeltaWing's minimal aerodynamic drag, the lap times are said to be somewhere between those of the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. Why does this matter? Because Nissan and Co. are taking this needle-nosed baby to Le Mans.

Of call cars and classes, Nissan says this strangest looking effort is one that will "showcase the pioneering technology that will show one potential direction for the future of motorsport and will feed into the research and development of future technologies, that filter down to Nissan's road car product range."

The Nissan DeltaWing will be allowed to run in the 24 Hours of Le Mans following a special dispensation for an experimental car that doesn't follow any technical guidelines offered by ACO, the organizer of Le Mans. It will use Garage 56, it will wear Number 0, and won't be classified in the results. Even so, we'll be watching closely. Follow the jump for a video of the racecar's development and a press release detailing Nissan's involvement.

Continue reading Nissan backs DeltaWing racecar, headed for Le Mans [w/video]

Nissan backs DeltaWing racecar, headed for Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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