LMP2 Manufacturers and Engine Suppliers

[Mike E]

Quite right, Knighty... What would your preferred layout have been? Larger displacement with lower revs, more cylinders, turbos?

[knighty]

well, its supposed to be a cost controlled formula with the least ammount of aggro, and not linked to any manufacturer...... so I'd avoid turbocharging, and focus on bigger displacement with and a cross-plane crank, I'm sure one of the GM engine builders could have put together a 600hp version of the Chevrolet LS engine with about 5 to 6 litres of capacity......its a well understood piece of kit and could have gone a very long time between re-builds......but its linked to a manufacturer, which I can understand as manufacturers like Porsche and Nissan have hidden in LMP2 for far too long when they should have gone LMP1 in the first place, so the ACO got a clean-sheet design from Gibson......but for me alarm bells are ringing......time will tell

[Mike E]

So, the LMP3 approach. That makes sense. Imagine the racket!

What sort of power were the 3.4 litre LMP2 engines making?

[knighty]

Originally Posted by Mike E

So, the LMP3 approach. That makes sense. Imagine the racket!

What sort of power were the 3.4 litre LMP2 engines making?

yes, very similar to LMP3........I believe the 3.4L LMP2 engines were in the region of 530hp, but they were a disaster in my opinion, far too highly strung for a low-cost customer endurance race motor.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by knighty

well, its supposed to be a cost controlled formula with the least ammount of aggro, and not linked to any manufacturer...... so I'd avoid turbocharging, and focus on bigger displacement with and a cross-plane crank, I'm sure one of the GM engine builders could have put together a 600hp version of the Chevrolet LS engine with about 5 to 6 litres of capacity......its a well understood piece of kit and could have gone a very long time between re-builds......but its linked to a manufacturer, which I can understand as manufacturers like Porsche and Nissan have hidden in LMP2 for far too long when they should have gone LMP1 in the first place, so the ACO got a clean-sheet design from Gibson......but for me alarm bells are ringing......time will tell

Similar to an LMPC engine then? Think they have a pretty long rebuild duration.

Did Gibson completely start over or is it a design based on something else and badged as Gibson with permission? Does seem like an all new design is an expensive way to go for a low-cost class when there are proven and durable, if older, designs out there.

[Mike E]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Similar to an LMPC engine then? Think they have a pretty long rebuild duration.

Did Gibson completely start over or is it a design based on something else and badged as Gibson with permission? Does seem like an all new design is an expensive way to go for a low-cost class when there are proven and durable, if older, designs out there.

Gibson, formerly Zytek, has an extensive back catalogue of similar engines to draw on. While this is a new design it presumably includes elements of the designs of some of the other engines. I guess.


Other engines (details from Gibson website)

ZA348
Gibson Technology’s ZA348 3.4-Litre engine was introduced to power the A1GP Championship and supplied the entire grid for three years with great success. Following on from this series the engines found a home in the Euro Series 3000 Championship, which in 2010 became Auto GP.
The ZA348 is from the same family as the Le Mans class-winning ZG348, but is developed to run without air restrictors for single make racing formulas.

Technical Data
Configuration 90 degree V8
Capacity 3398 cc
Weight 130 kg
Max Torque 330 lbs ft – 440 Nm
Max Power 530 bhp – 397 Kw

ZB408
The ZB408 4 litre V8 engine proved to be an extremely competitive power unit when it was introduced into the LMP1 class.
Various versions of the engine have been produced for different categories of racing, where it has shown to be both powerful and reliable. The versatility of the ZB408 means it can be used in many different applications.

Technical Data
Configuration 90 degree V8
Capacity 4000 cc ???
Weight 125 kg
Max Torque 435 lbs ft – 590 Nm
Max Power 650 bhp – 480 kW

ZG348
From its first introduction the ZG348 very quickly proved to be an outright winner. During its first season it qualified on pole position in the LMP2 class at Le Mans, and went on to finish second in class.
The engine has also finished second in the Le Mans Series (LMS) championship powering a Gibson ‘Zytek’ 04S LMP2 chassis and it also achieved success in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), taking an outright win at Laguna Seca, whilst breaking the track’s lap record by over 1.7 seconds.

Technical Data
Configuration 90 degree V8
Capacity 3398 cc
Weight 125 kg
Max Torque 330 lbs ft – 440 Nm
Max Power 540 bhp – 405 Kw

ZJ458
The ZJ458 is one of the lightest 4.5-litre endurance engines ever produced, weighing only 119kg.

Based on the highly successful LMP2 3.4 and LMP1 4-litre units, the 90º V8 has an impeccable pedigree. Petit Le Mans saw the debut of a development Gibson ‘Zytek’ 09S powered by a prototype of the ZJ458. The 4.5-litre was then offered to their LMP1 customers.
On its first appearance the ZJ458 powered the 09S to pole position. The engine then made its Le Mans debut, again proving its worth by finishing its first 24-hour race.

Technical Data
Configuration 90 degree V8
Capacity 4496 cc
Weight 119 kg
Max Torque 435 lbs ft – 590 Nm
Max Power 700 bhp – 525 kW

VK45DE
The VK45DE engine project was initiated after entering into an exclusive partnership with Nissan Motorsport International (NISMO) to provide engines for the LMP2 sportscar class.
The engine is based on the highly successful normally aspirated Nissan VK45-SGT GT-R Championship-winning engine which is used in the Japanese Super GT Series.
With these impressive credentials and the combination of both Nismo and Gibson Technology’s extensive engineering resources and manufacturing facilities, it has given the engine an ideal platform to become the most competitive and dominant power unit in the LMP2 category.

Technical Data
Configuration 90 degree V8
Capacity 4494 cc
Weight 150 kg
Max Torque 427 lbs ft – 580 Nm (Regulation Air Restrictor)
Max Power 450 bhp – 337 kW (Regulation Air Restrictor)

[joeb]

From an Autosport article:

Gibson operations director John Manchester revealed that the new powerplant retained the architecture of the company's 3.4-litre P2 V8 used up until 2011 and the introduction of production-based engines.

He explained that 65-70% of the internal components were new.

From a different article:

the naturally aspirated 90-degree DOHC V8 weighs just under 300 pounds and is rated at 600 horsepower with 410 lb-ft peak torque. A Cosworth ECU will control fuel and spark

[Ospi]

It's going to sound glorious that's for sure. Also so glad for the move away from magnetti marelli.

[Matt]

Let's hope it sounds more like the A1 engine, that was incredible.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Matt

Let's hope it sounds more like the A1 engine, that was incredible.

And with the old Zytek firecrackers on overrun too.

[The Badger]

I never liked the manufacturer limits or engine limits either .... look at BR with 8 chassis on their hands and a grandfathered car that wont work .

Sad really

[Juntos]

If BR has 8 chassis in their hands they must consider their own one make series.

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Juntos

If BR has 8 chassis in their hands they must consider their own one make series.

Heck do a Russian series, a couple euro events, maybe a Chinese round.

Invite CN and LMP3 to join the party.

8 nearly new LMP2 as the headline class is a pretty good prospect for any field. Go with a 2 driver pro-am format, 2hr race or something, like a mini Enduro incubator.

Wonder how many LMP2 friendly Tracks there are in Russia? All I can think of is Sochi and Moscow Raceway

[TF110]

RPS, Russian Prototype Series- brought to you by BR engineering and SMP Racing

[hondafan37]

In addition to BR, A lot of Ligiers (2016) and the open cars (Gibson, Morgan) will be available. I read something a few months ago that V de V is considering accept these cars. I guess they will also be able to run in the Dunlop British Prototype, and in some of the Germany series.

[hondafan37]

Originally Posted by hondafan37

In addition to BR, A lot of Ligiers (2016) and the open cars (Gibson, Morgan) will be available. I read something a few months ago that V de V is considering accept these cars. I guess they will also be able to run in the Dunlop British Prototype, and in some of the Germany series.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/0...n-my-mind.html

[Akrapovic]

These cars will still be available to run AsLMS too.

[MagVanisher]

Then again, nobody pays attention to AsLMS these days.

[Akrapovic]

Because historically the car count has been low. And then the car count is low because nobody is paying attention. And then the attention is low because the car count is low, etc.

What it needed was a sudden influx of cars that were cheap and relevant to the rest of the world. The new LMP2 regulations in America and Europe will ensure this by suddenly having a lot of older LMP2s available, for cheap. This could be the break AsLMS is looking for.

[MagVanisher]

Yeah, but the series is being overshadowed by GT Asia and Super GT.

[Akrapovic]

Yeah, again because it's no where near as interesting as those. But if you dropped in a bunch of teams that are well funded (we know some European teams are interested) with previous generation LMP2s, then it looks a bit more interesting.

AsLMS is also a winter series, so runs during Super GTs off season. There is an overlap (but not clash) of one race this year and that's it. It isn't like the problems of this weekend where Blacnpain and IMSA/WEC are racing on the same day.

AsLMS is currently not very good, totally agree. But the LMP2 changes are a good opportunity for the series.

[Mike E]

It's also a way onto the Le Mans entry list, or at least into the ACO's good books. Probably its most valuable attribute.

[Coach Ep]

Might Ginetta have been ready to enter the LMP2 arena if they were allowed to it? Sure sounds like it: http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/0...on-part-2.html

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Might Ginetta have been ready to enter the LMP2 arena if they were allowed to it? Sure sounds like it: http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/0...on-part-2.html

Nice promo article.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Might Ginetta have been ready to enter the LMP2 arena if they were allowed to it? Sure sounds like it: http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/0...on-part-2.html

Given how quickly they dropped LMP3, I don't see the ACO allowing Ginetta to build LMP2s.