Club Arnage
Club Arnage => General Discussion => Topic started by: Bonio on December 28, 2014, 03:40:51 pm
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Over on Mulsanne Mike's there is a lot of speculation regarding the LMP1 entry from Nissan. The general consensus is that it will be front engined with no rear wing and thoughts like the Delta Wing but running backwards... All sounds a little confusing and whilst I will certainly welcome something that could resemble the Panoz LMP1 effort, I'm not to sure about the concept that seems to be championed at the moment. Anyone else been hearing anything on the grapevine?
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Sounds interesting, always good to see people looking at the regs with new eyes.
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Hello Pat. A bloke came up to me cause i was wearing me Panoz t-shirt the other night in a pub. He loved the cars but had never been to LM bit strange i thought. Do you know him?
Laters
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Well, as everyone else with some interest in the LMP1 category I'm waiting what Nissan will present hopefully soon. However, in the last 3 years they have earned a reputation of using Le Mans just as a marketing tool: Getting maximum media attention and publicity with a minimum of investment (engine supplier for the Deltawing). Coming up with some front engine stuff will for sure give them a lot of attention again.
Let's hope they take it serious and come to Le Mans for the competition also.
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Looking at the first sketches I already saw going round on the internet, it definitely looks butt-ugly !
Guess we'll have to wait untill the Superbowl to see the first real glimpse of the car ...
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http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/exclusive-see-and-hear-nissans-front-engine-gt-r-le-ma-1680363700
Pics just released. It does have a rear wing though, which goes against what Mike Fuller speculated on. Though he still reckons it maybe in COTA configuration and the wing will be dropped for the 24 Hrs. The front wheels are also notably larger than the fronts. Odd looking I think.
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I sure it will look a lot better when it's got it's livery on.
One of the great things about endurance racing is variety, haven't had much of that recently in looks, just variation in power solutions.
IMHO Nissan should be applauded for trying something different, look forward to seeing it in action.
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It does look like its missing Batman and the boy w*n&er ;D, and the engine sounds good but a bit F1.
The Panoz was quite quick for a small outfit, so I wouldn't expect the Micra GTR to be far off the pace. Putting the engine at the front didn't seem to be much of a handicap, and Panoz did win in the ALMS.
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First impression after looking at the pictures : *yuk* :-\. Looks a lot like the Panoz Esperante GTR-1, but stretched out.
Guess we'll have to wait to see in the flesh or with a decent livery on it ... probably at Februari 1st during the Superbowl.
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Yuuccchh indeed. Over my 50 odd years of following racing, I've seen some ugly iterations. This one is right down there with them.
Worse yet, it just doesn't look "right". I didn't like the "look" of the first Indy Turbine (Granatelli's) but at least it did look "right" and go it did. 'Didn't like the looks of the Panoz LMP but again, not liking the appearnace is different than "looking' right, and it worked fairly well. What I've seen of this thing, seperating emotion from instinct; this thing just "don't look right".... I'd like to think, and I hope, I'm wrong.
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Tonight 1 am UK time will be the ad during the Superbowl.
Special show on radiolemans.com also (posted by Hindy on fb)
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Ouch! Super Bowl at 1AM. We have people sh*t-faced enough with it being a 1830 kickoff. For our colleagues abroad, this is pretty much a national holiday here in the US, the country basically shuts down for the day and throws one giant tailgate party. Lots of hangovers, and sick days used tomorrow.
We live in Cincinnati, and my wife is from Detroit, so we're a Bengals-Lions family, but my cousin Dan is an attorney in Seattle, so we're Seahawks fans by default. Go Hawks!
Fax
(Oh yeah, that Nissan is butt-fricking ugly...)
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Go Hawks, I know you beat the Packers, BOO!, but I don't want the Patriots to win.
Cars can be ugly, some butt ugly, some cute ugly, I always likes the Panoz's, not the prettiest cars in the world, but they had character. Let's wait till they roll the car out in livery before we make judgement.
And let's see if it works!!!!!!!
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Here it is
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/02/02/nissan-reveals-le-mans-challenger-during-super-bowl.html
It looks ... err ... different :o
Marc Gene confirmed as first driver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gx_E23VpQQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd1qCi5nSKw
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/entertainment/a24901/the-inside-story-of-the-2015-nissan-gt-r-super-bowl-commercial/
All videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3rBtzrgIEg&feature=youtu.be&list=PLtElEI41NT-lTTUIMfn2eBsykwNNgO4Nq
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Wierd looking thing in it. Very slab sided too- reminds me of the Aston AMR disaster a few years back. Must be some clever aero going on under the bodywork, just look at those narrow rear tyres and the lack of any photos of the rear end. The only rearward shot is an artists impression. What do they have up their sleeve?
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I loved the Panoz o7 Nissan deserve a medal for trying new stuff. Front Wheel drive, very brave and the exhaust exits out the top of the bonnet ! Will it melt the tearoffs? could it melt the wipers? what if the engine blows oïl?
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A 600 horsepower Mini, very brave, with an engine 30% more efficient that last year
The challenges will be getting grip out of the corners, and having enough front downforce for the fast corners
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Wierd looking thing in it. Very slab sided too- reminds me of the Aston AMR disaster a few years back. Must be some clever aero going on under the bodywork, just look at those narrow rear tyres and the lack of any photos of the rear end. The only rearward shot is an artists impression. What do they have up their sleeve?
Arms! ;D :o ::)
I like it....it looks odd. I like odd things! Can't wait to see it blasting around!
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I quite like it. I absolutely love the way 4 manufacturers have taken 4 different roads for LMP1 :D
If the ACO/FIA can keep the regs stable and attractive for a few years I can see it attracting loads more talent and money.
Lots of aero going on at the back
(http://thumbsnap.com/s/xaoGoKiA.jpg) ???
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Looks a bit like a toast rack from the rear.
Lots of aero going on at the back
(http://thumbsnap.com/s/xaoGoKiA.jpg) ???
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Looks a bit like a toast rack from the rear.
and a toast rack doesn't have tail lights either. There are some thin strips that might be LEDs
I suspect the diffuser/venturi tunnel is at the front, and the rest is Swiss cheese
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Like most of you, I don't find especially attractive, but I do like the fact it's different. Thankfully sports car racing hasn't turned into spec racing like most other disciplines of the sport, and Nissan should be applauded for thinking outside the box. That backside treatment is a bit puzzling, and looks vulnerable to rear end impacts (aren't we all) and running over debris. We'll see how it goes once it turns a wheel in anger, it could end up looking totally different by the time it actually races. Sadly tech & safety regs, combined with contemporary aero theory doesn't produce the prettiest racing cars we've ever seen. For my money the early seventies Ferrari 312PB was the sexiest racing car ever built (the photo says it all) but those days are long gone.
Fax
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If it works like they think it should, it will be fast, look at the film from COTA, high downforce circuit, but very little angle on the wing.
If regs allow rumours say they might run without the wing at LM, there's some very tricky aero under the bodywork.
Looks better in the red livery, growing to like it very quickly.
I was looking forward to Silverstone last year with the debut of the new Porsche, but thats nothing compared to looking forward to seeing this car roll out there in April.
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Well, I think it is a looker and a little different. Love the elongated bonnet, though realise it probably needs to be. Crazy exhaust outlets, I think they are, situated on the bonnet facing either side of the cockpit. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but then again I think the 1989 Alfa Romeo SZ, nicknamed the brick, was a gorgeous car with a design well ahead of it's time.
>Martini...LB
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Agree with Martin, I thought the 1989 Alfa Romeo SZ looked wonderful.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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Fer front engined, this was a good looker 30 years ago (Ford Mustang GTP), and looked "right" to boot.
'Went like bloody 'ell...just wasn't too reliable... :(
(http://www.supercars.net/carpics/5704/1983_Ford_MustangGTP1.jpg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Mustang_GTP
655
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I imagine that a fair amount of aero knowledge gained from the deltawing might well have translated into it. Also echo many of the comment about growing to like it.
And good on Nissan for trying something different - I suspect that any mainstream manufacturer putting a 3-car works team out for the main event, and competing in the WEC, is not going to be just taking a punt at it either.......
Roll on 12 April to whet the appetite!
MG Mark
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See Max Chilton has been given a ride in the Nissan. Is he really the best they could find or is he bringing money to the effort?
I would have thought there must be plenty of better drivers out there, or maybe his remarkable finishing record helped (which tbh given the car he was driving was pretty good).
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See Max Chilton has been given a ride in the Nissan. Is he really the best they could find or is he bringing money to the effort?
I would have thought there must be plenty of better drivers out there, or maybe his remarkable finishing record helped (which tbh given the car he was driving was pretty good).
Mind you though the marussia was reliable and all he had to do was avoid running into his team-mate which he failed at once! and let the quick lads past every few laps. Constantly outpaced by Bianchi too.
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........, or maybe his remarkable finishing record helped
What, starting last and finishing last every time - I know you need consistency in a 24 hour race, but his dad's millions deserved better results
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Huh? That's a strange choice for the driver lineup, I wouldn't think Nissan would need rent-a-schmuck drivers. One of the things I've always liked about sports car racing is that with the big factory teams, the drivers are usually all top hired guns.
Fax
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Buncombe overtook 18 cars on lap 1 at monza last year, not too bad. Chilton? nice hair and is good at video games? We shall see.
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To be honest, I'm shocked that Chilton hasn't landed in Indycar yet, that series has become the favorite destination for kids with mediocre talent, but have parents with fat bank accounts.
Fax
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Buncombe I can understand, (think he is also mates with Button, so that may have oiled the wheels a bit!), and he does seem pretty quick
Chilton did drive an LMP (with his brother) when he was only 16 so he does have a bit of history, but really cant see the logic of putting him in the car.
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Apparently Nissan have had to pack up early whilst testing at Sebring. Really hope they iron out them bugs come the start of the season....
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Seem's like bit's broke on the car. Suppose that's what testing is for.
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Not going to be at Silverstone or Spa, first race LM. :(
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Seem's like bit's broke on the car. Suppose that's what testing is for.
If media reports are correct they've just done 25 laps at Sebring before they packed their gear and left. Sorry, but for a manufactorer the size of Nissan that's a joke - remember, they're working on that project for more than a year now. I'm still suspicious that this whole Nissan engagement is a low-key low-budget marketing campaign focused on getting maximum media attention with that front engine concept (which they already got) than on proper racing against their competitors. The fact that they've announced to leave out Silverstone AND Spa doesn't make me too optimistic - BTW: Has anyone ever seen that they do have a second car at all by now? All pictures I've seen show only #23 - and it's less than 90 days 'til the big one. Let's wait what excuses they'll come up with for a piss poor performance on the Le Mans test day - if they show up there at all. <\rant>.
Werner
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I'm not very optimistic about them lining up on the grid at LM. :(
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Certainly not with three cars anyway.
Isn't this a Nissan America project rather than an actual Nissan project?
There's still a chance for the Viper yet!
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I thought the Viper was already in.
Perhaps I'm mistaken?
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Perhaps I'm mistaken?
Correct. ;)
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"Aston Martin AMR-One" Anyone ?
I think they will be there(too much of a PR disaster not to turn up after all the fanfare) but if they last more than a few hours and are anywhere near the pace I'd be amazed but I do hope they can pull it together.
Supposedly they have a relatively small budget too which explains Chilton.
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Reading on DSC, they have to alter the Rollhoop to pass the crash test. After that, perhaps Sebring proved how fragile the car is? It is, after all, a notorious breaker of cars.
I am disapointed not to see the car run at Silverstone and Spa, but if they ran, and it broke after 5 laps, what would we be saying about them then?
Also, think back to Toyota, didn't they forgo the opening rounds to fettle the car? They weren't called cheap or PR chasers. I am prepared to give them the benefit of trust at the moment. Lets see what happens in the next 2 months
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/03/17/nissan-delay-start-to-wec-lmp1-campaign-gt-r-lm-to-debut-at-le-mans.html
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"Aston Martin AMR-One" Anyone ?
That's going through my mind since the first time I saw a picture of the Nissan.
Showing up at LM without racing at Spa ? Bad choice if you ask me ...
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Also, think back to Toyota, didn't they forgo the opening rounds to fettle the car? They weren't called cheap or PR chasers.
Jason, Toyota entered the WEC 2012 actually unplanned. Their plan for 2012 was a full year of testing and eventually one or 2 races in preparation for a full WEC entry 2013. But when Peugeot suddenly pulled the plug completely in February 2012 the ACO urged Toyota to jump in, so there would be at least one challenger for Audi in the new WEC. Toyota did so on short notice - and could not race at Spa because the only existing car at that time was destroyed in an accident while testing at Paul Ricard in April - and originally they never intended to race this early in the season. So their performance at Le Mans 2012, where they even led the race for a couple of laps, was actually very respectable.
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If the Nissan project is a one off for this year then not racing before LM is a mistake, but if, as I suspect, it's a multi-year project then they are almost certainly using 2015 as a learning year however many races they do. It does sound like it's a car designed specifically for LM though.
No excuses next year!
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And they're out of the WEC and Le Mans ...
23 December, 2015 (Yokohama, Japan): Today, Nissan announced that it will withdraw its LMP1 entry from the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Nissan entered LMP1 in the 2015 season with an innovative new, and bold concept, with the ambition to compete at the front of the field.
The teams worked diligently to bring the vehicles up to the desired performance levels. However, the company concluded that the program would not be able to reach its ambitions and decided to focus on developing its longer term racing strategies.
Racing is a core part of the Nissan DNA, and the company has a proud history of innovating to win. Nissan's commitment to motorsports remains strong, as evidenced by its victorious track record in the 2015 season – from achieving the overall winner of Super GT two years in a row in Japan, to winning the Blancpain Endurance Pro Class, Bathurst 12hr race with the GT-R GT3. Nissan will continue its support of WEC through its various engine programs including recent introduction of LMP3 engine.
https://newsroom.nissan-global.com/releases/151223-01-e
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That's a real shame to see - at least they had a go with something innovative, but probably too much so, albeit it was quick in a straight line.
Despite the commitment to make it work after LM this year, from recent news they still couldn't get the whole package to work together. Wonder if they'll be back with something new in 2017?
MG Mark
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Its a shame, but I suspect that its an admission that it will never be competitive and will not help their image and hence sell cars or as they put it "would not be able to reach its ambitions".
Whilst there were some good ideas there, one being not to make an Audi copy, Nissan/Nismo should have realised, at the drawing board stage, that Bowlby's ideas were a bit too strange.
They'll be back, when they can find something quicker. They ought to go 50/50 with Renault, but they're wasting their money on F1 again
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They tried to Boldly Go.... and for that I applaud them. Some might say they failed. I say there is no adventure IN the garage. I bet collectively and individually the team learned a lot. I predict they will be back with something better. Innovation is never easy.
Phil
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It's all a bit of a mess isn't it. Reading various reports on the matter doesn't instil any confidence that they will return at all. The entire engineering team were fired by email just moments before the announcement were made. All property is to be returned and the locks have been changed at the teams base in Indy. A bit of a slap in the face to the poor buggers who have no doubt bust a gut in an ill fated attempt to turn that sow's ear into a silk purse. The Motorsport industry is tight knit, and such treatment won't be forgotten in a hurry.