Acura/HPD's future plans

[skeeskirrt]

Why is the Highcroft car listed as the 01-c? Doesn't it appear that the "c" bits are on the Strakka car and not yet on the Highcroft car?

[broadrun96]

Is it different body pieces depending on the trim needed, downforce vs speed.

[skeeskirrt]

Could be. But the Strakka car shown in testing looks to have a lot of new bits compared to the Highcroft car run at Sebring, which looked a lot like the old 01-b, unless I missed something (totally possible!).

[HORNDAWG]

What you can 'see', is not the sum total of what makes it an 01c, vs. an 01b.
Strakka is using the low downforce bodywork, Highcroft is not yet.







L.P.

[broadrun96]

Same, can't really remember the Strakka and thought I saw them say on speed they were running a high downforce set at Sebring.

[MulsanneMike]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

What you can 'see', is not the sum total of what makes it an 01c, vs. an 01b.
Strakka is using the low downforce bodywork, Highcroft is not yet.







L.P.

Wirth did say that the 01c would entail some mechanical changes as well though for whatever reason he wouldn't tell me what those changes were.

[Jonerz]

Yeah, I think Hindy keeps saying Strakka doesn't have C bodywork yet either. Highcroft continues to use IMSA-spec bodywork, the only difference that I think is catching a lot of us on the Strakka car is the narrow wing, which doesn't necessarily equate to being the C car. Both cars have bodywork that 1) make the car legal in their given series and 2) make them as competitive as possible.

Chris

[MulsanneMike]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Yeah, I think Hindy keeps saying Strakka doesn't have C bodywork yet either. Highcroft continues to use IMSA-spec bodywork, the only difference that I think is catching a lot of us on the Strakka car is the narrow wing, which doesn't necessarily equate to being the C car. Both cars have bodywork that 1) make the car legal in their given series and 2) make them as competitive as possible.

Chris

Strakka was clearly running with 01c bodywork at Paul Ricard. Revised front fenders, new rear bodywork and brake duct location, see 3.11.10 news item:

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/newsmarch10.html

[Jonerz]

Yeah, approaching full "c'" spec? This is all too confusing, especially considering Wirth said further variants will appear.... "d" "e"?

Chris

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Jonerz

Yeah, approaching full "c'" spec? This is all too confusing, especially considering Wirth said further variants will appear.... "d" "e"?

Chris

It is not that hard.
And frankly I am STOKED at the possibility that there will a be d & e series chassis. That being indicitive of new chassis in the years to come, as usually a series of car is utilized for at least a year.
As frankly the ARX chassis future, with Acura withdrawing, was/is quite questionable.






L.P.

[JAG]

So who would take over these new cars, HPD or Wirth?

If Wirth it's quite concievable they'll be badged by another manufactuer, as I can't see Wirth going alone.

[HORNDAWG]

I do not believe they will be run as anything other than an HPD or corp. affiliate. I am all but positive that they do not belong to Wirth.







L.P.

[HORNDAWG]

Marco Werner fills out the Highcroft driver line-up at Le Mans.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...crofts-lineup/








L.P.

[The Badger]

Brilliant line up . Guess that puts an end to the gentleman question regarding Le Mans .

Good , I didnt agree with that either .

[HJJ]

I found this little item in AR1's St. Pete Indycar Blog.

Keep an eye out for HPD to promote their hybrid technology in racing fairly soon. We can only assume that would be in the ALMS

Who knows if it will come to pass.

[aeroehl]

They have a great chassis with a great motor. If LMP2 does become LMP1 they have has good a shot as anyone at Le Mans next year.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by aeroehl

They have a great chassis with a great motor. If LMP2 does become LMP1 they have has good a shot as anyone at Le Mans next year.

We do not know how the Acura/HPD works on Le Mans.
Also the chassis is getting old now, and the room for development is therefor small.

[aeroehl]

We do not know how the Acura/HPD works on Le Mans.
Also the chassis is getting old now, and the room for development is therefor small.

We will know in June how the car does. I would be very surprised if they did not take top honors in LMP2. Wirth has done a good bit of development on the car over the last year, designed and testing the Le Mans aero kit showing there is more work that can be done on the car. If and when LMP2 becomes LMP1 it is going to be a whole new ball game.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by aeroehl

We will know in June how the car does. I would be very surprised if they did not take top honors in LMP2. Wirth has done a good bit of development on the car over the last year, designed and testing the Le Mans aero kit showing there is more work that can be done on the car. If and when LMP2 becomes LMP1 it is going to be a whole new ball game.

Don't expect too much!
And in 2011, Acura/HPD will be dominated by Peugeot and Audi!, their old car will be seconds off Peugeot/Audi's pace!

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by CTD

Don't expect too much!
And in 2011, Acura/HPD will be dominated by Peugeot and Audi!, their old car will be seconds off Peugeot/Audi's pace!

Wrong!!







L.P.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Wrong!!

And why not?.
The Acura ARX-01b (c) is in base as old as the 908 (2007).
Any chassis has a limit of development, and i do not believe that there is much more in that chassis!
What maybe could be used is the ARX-02a (modified of course).

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by CTD

And why not?.
The Acura ARX-01b (c) is in base as old as the 908 (2007).
Any chassis has a limit of development, and i do not believe that there is much more in that chassis!
What maybe could be used is the ARX-02a (modified of course).

You believe! That is why, there is no evidence in either case, it is an opinion, and I do not agree with it.



L.P.

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by CTD

And why not?.
The Acura ARX-01b (c) is in base as old as the 908 (2007).
Any chassis has a limit of development, and i do not believe that there is much more in that chassis!
What maybe could be used is the ARX-02a (modified of course).

The Pescarolo C60/01's basic design is over 10 years old, and Henri and co kept it competetive though last year, and I'll bet you that if another 10 year old design, the Audi R8, had the same R&D done on it that Audi did to the R10 or R15, it would be as fast if not faster at most circuits than the current cars aside from maybe the diesels, and even then it could be a pain, especally outside of Le Mans.

Who's to say that Nick Wurth and co can't squeeze a little more speed out of the ARX-01 until they need a new car, considering that the ARX-01 only shares the tub with the Courage LC70/75(grant you, a design that's several years old now), and even that was beefed up by HPD/Wurth(and Oreca likely did the same to their cars when they bought controlling interest in Courage in 2007).

However, since the ARX-02 was a home-brewed advance on the Courage sourced ARX-01, some of those ideas will undoubtedly pop up, considering that Wurth has said that he is designing a new car-and that it might not be purely an Acura, as he also has wanted to design a customer car, too.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

You believe! That is why, there is no evidence in either case, it is an opinion, and I do not agree with it.L.P.

Why is it we always come out discussing personal opinions .

But agreed it's my opinion, you can say you don't agree with it, but you can't state it as wrong.

Originally Posted by chernaudi

The Pescarolo C60/01's basic design is over 10 years old, and Henri and co kept it competetive though last year, and I'll bet you that if another 10 year old design, the Audi R8, had the same R&D done on it that Audi did to the R10 or R15, it would be as fast if not faster at most circuits than the current cars aside from maybe the diesels, and even then it could be a pain, especally outside of Le Mans.

Who's to say that Nick Wurth and co can't squeeze a little more speed out of the ARX-01 until they need a new car, considering that the ARX-01 only shares the tub with the Courage LC70/75(grant you, a design that's several years old now), and even that was beefed up by HPD/Wurth(and Oreca likely did the same to their cars when they bought controlling interest in Courage in 2007).

However, since the ARX-02 was a home-brewed advance on the Courage sourced ARX-01, some of those ideas will undoubtedly pop up, considering that Wurth has said that he is designing a new car-and that it might not be purely an Acura, as he also has wanted to design a customer car, too.

Yes the Pescarolo use the same basic design for all their cars, but the tubs have evolved. The tubs are the base of all development, and there is a reason why Peugeot and Audi only develops on a tub for 3 years.
But i yes maybe Wirth can pull some more out of the ARX-01, but there is a limit and I Believe that, that is soon hitting it's end.
Remember how much talk there has been around the 908 being old against the "brand new" R15!

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by CTD

Yes the Pescarolo use the same basic design for all their cars, but the tubs have evolved. The tubs are the base of all development, and there is a reason why Peugeot and Audi only develops on a tub for 3 years.
But i yes maybe Wirth can pull some more out of the ARX-01, but there is a limit and I Believe that, that is soon hitting it's end.
Remember how much talk there has been around the 908 being old against the "brand new" R15!

I disagree!!! Most chassis development occurs in/through aero and suspension which bolt to the tub as ancillaries.




L.P.