Acura/HPD's future plans

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by Makaze

With Porsche getting the waiver for the 2017 911 RSR GTE for being mid-engine,that will most likely lead to a waiver for Honda's NSX Hybrid GTE too.

I doubt it, as a hybrid!




L.P.

[TF110]

Its going to happen one day. Maybe Honda breaks the ice.

[kvenom]

Hey There!

http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/12460...D_o4b_update_1




My guess is the diveplanes made all the difference

[Deleted]

They really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want people to take their brochure and phone number back home don't they.

I love to defend HPD, but... can't they even bother to photograph it outside in sunshine, or photoshop the background. It's like they just left the thing rot for 10 months in some Detroit warehouse, then went back to fiddle around with it for 3 hours, and finally before heading for bar someone flipped a phone photo and sent it to their press people because why not.

Oh well. Still the most beautiful LMP in the world right now.

[TF110]

That car is far from beautiful imo. But maybe they should try to convince someone they can have at least 3 or 4 years with it in Asia.

[Deleted]

You think TS040 looks beautiful. I find it absolutely dreadful (2012 TS030 was nice thou)

I think ARX-04 looks beautiful (apart from shark fin). You find it far from beautiful.




Btw I don't think anyone in ASLMS is gonna care about it if they cannot run it in Le Mans too. And even the other by-then-obsolete-models are gonna have better (and probably cheaper) support from the manufacturer too, you know spares and whatever. Some ancient Courage Oreca 03 is gonna be as cheap as LMPC by 2018-19

[Pandemonium]

I do have to say the TS040 looks amazing and the ARX-04 looks just alright.

[TF110]

I dont think the TS040 is beautiful. Looks pretty good, but the 2012 TS030 otoh, to me that was the best. This car has an awkward shaped windscreen/cockpit design in my eyes. The bodywork is cool, but that front has that German ww2 flying wing- horten 229 look

[wdave0]

Why on earth would anyone want to buy this thing? The only known performance was poor so will surely need much development, it has limited eligibility, the engine is about obsolete. It is pretty comparable to a Mazda Lola, so it would have to be dirt cheap at best.

[Coach Ep]

Because HPD would offer a great incentive to run the car, that's why!

O wait.....

[Deleted]

They should sell the chassis with a contract that says HPD will donate 15 million dollars to the team in question if they manage to get within top3 in the overall prototype championship at the end of the year. If not, no "donation money"

But I don't think these guys deal in Bellagio.

[BrentJackson]

If HPD has any common sense, they'll either get the car legal for IMSA for more than just 2016 and 2017 (if its only legal for those years, NOBODY is gonna spend money on it) or abandon the project and get cracking on a GTLM-spec NSX. As it stands now, the car will never race again unless HPD does it themselves. They may have better luck with the NSX at this point.

[PorscheFanNo1]

It does seem a bit strange. Similar to the BR01. Its a shame these new LMP2 rules effectively ends the life of these two coupés.

[bentley speed 8]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

It does seem a bit strange. Similar to the BR01. Its a shame these new LMP2 rules effectively ends the life of these two coupés.

And the Dome too...

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by bentley speed 8

And the Dome too...

Yeah but they are not trying to race the Dome anymore. The HPD and the BR01 they are still trying to race as long as possible and trying to find customers.

[bentley speed 8]

Again, Strakka might have stuck with the Dome a little longer if not for the rule changes.
I'm not so sure that we will see the ARX-04 race again either (though I hope it will.)

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

If HPD has any common sense, they'll either get the car legal for IMSA for more than just 2016 and 2017 (if its only legal for those years, NOBODY is gonna spend money on it)

Something I think you and a lot of others aren't taking into account...

HPD doesn't sell chassis anymore - they lease them, and as part of the provide TONS of trackside support.

This is actually an ideal program for anyone that wants to get a leg up on the 2017 P class but can't/does not want to BUY a car yet. It's easier on the pocketbook and you get expert support to help learn the ropes.

Additionally, if the partnership works well you can find yourself on HPD's good side come 2018 when they can ONLY provide engine and bodywork rather than a whole car, which will surely be of benefit itself.

A team that isn't currently a frontrunner but is still stuck with a DP at this time would do well to seriously consider it. Even if the car is still junk despite it's modifications, there's a lot that can be learned which could be of great benefit come the DPI era.

[TzeiTzei]

Originally Posted by bentley speed 8

Again, Strakka might have stuck with the Dome a little longer if not for the rule changes.

Why? They realised that the car wasn't fast enough and there was nothing they could do about it.

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Something I think you and a lot of others aren't taking into account...

HPD doesn't sell chassis anymore - they lease them, and as part of the provide TONS of trackside support.

This is actually an ideal program for anyone that wants to get a leg up on the 2017 P class but can't/does not want to BUY a car yet. It's easier on the pocketbook and you get expert support to help learn the ropes.

Additionally, if the partnership works well you can find yourself on HPD's good side come 2018 when they can ONLY provide engine and bodywork rather than a whole car, which will surely be of benefit itself.

A team that isn't currently a frontrunner but is still stuck with a DP at this time would do well to seriously consider it. Even if the car is still junk despite it's modifications, there's a lot that can be learned which could be of great benefit come the DPI era.

Seems to me that not one team agrees with you. I wonder how a season with HPD would cost?

[Deleted]

Yet Strakkas "Dome season" went better than post-LM with the old Zytek... it would've been okay chassis with some time, just like the 04 would've been. No, the real reason was the spec nonsense + Dome itself giving up + customer service and spares being easier to deal with local supplier

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by TzeiTzei

Seems to me that not one team agrees with you. I wonder how a season with HPD would cost?

They only just made the tweaked car available. There hasn't been time for anyone to jump at it.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

There hasn't been time for anyone to jump at it.

And nobody is going to, not now. Even if the lease deal you bring up is true, how much does that cost? The car's done racing, just like the Dome S103 is done racing. Nobody in IMSA's prototype division is gonna spend the money on a car that's obsolete in two seasons, regardless of cost or arrangements. If that car is gonna see the track, it's gonna have to be HPD who does it. And if they won't do it, there is no point in continuing to work on it.

Blunt and rather sad, but reality. Chiana is right on why nobody's bothering now.

[HORNDAWG]

Sounds like a good deal for Dyson. About their time frame for chassis these days.










L.P.

[BrentJackson]

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Sounds like a good deal for Dyson. About their time frame for chassis these days.

L.P.

They got a great thing going in PWC these days, and Chris Dyson personally told me (this last May) that they were focusing on running the Bentley team and winning with it.

I reiterate that statement. HPD needs to either nut up and race in IMSA themselves with that car (with the 3.5-liter engine in the back), or abandon it.

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

They got a great thing going in PWC these days, and Chris Dyson personally told me (this last May) that they were focusing on running the Bentley team and winning with it.

I reiterate that statement. HPD needs to either nut up and race in IMSA themselves with that car (with the 3.5-liter engine in the back), or abandon it.

That, at this point, is far from a done deal. Everything is still on the table!

http://sportscar365.com/gt/world-cha...16-pwc-return/





L.P.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by BrentJackson

And nobody is going to, not now. Even if the lease deal you bring up is true, how much does that cost? The car's done racing, just like the Dome S103 is done racing. Nobody in IMSA's prototype division is gonna spend the money on a car that's obsolete in two seasons, regardless of cost or arrangements.

By that logic, there would be no IMSA prototype class right now since, as things stand, EVERYONE is spending money on cars that will be obsolete in two seasons.

People will spend money on whatever they feel suits their goal. Simple as that. The Dome S103 project was ended because Dome decided it wasn't worth developing since they won't be involved in P2 moving forward. HPD will be - they intend to build engines and bodywork for IMSA teams. To HPD, there is still benefit in running the car. To teams that would want to work with HPD, there is benefit to partnering with them early.

It's just a question of whether or not anyone will bother. And we have no way of knowing for certain if anyone will.

I reiterate that statement. HPD needs to either nut up and race in IMSA themselves with that car (with the 3.5-liter engine in the back), or abandon it.

IMSA's rules forbid them from running the car themselves. LMP2 and DP rules both forbade factory-run teams, and those rules were maintained in the merger. They have to partner with an existing team.