Nissan LMP1 Discussion

[CyberMotor]

Originally Posted by TF110

Well... not sure what to make of that picture.

It looks like it has very low and streamlined fenders with slits for lights. That would definitely look different than the blunt nose trend of today with large arrays of lights.

[miatanut]

So they keep it covered during the event, and then "leak" a blurry cell phone picture of it being uncovered to pack it up, giving people fodder for speculation for weeks.

Pretty clever!

[deggis]

^

So I was watching one of the Nissan videos on Youtube and I found a little sneak peek of GT-R LM.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...6400915&type=1

[rdjones]

As you all know I was there yesterday, it was a fantastic event. But there are lots of questions that we don't have answers to yet these include who is going to drive it, who is going to run the car, who's building it and more importantly how is going to be powered.

However from what I was told by a couple of people in the know they are learning a lot from this years garage 56 program.

[lms]

Originally Posted by Articus

My fear is they pushed the GTR agenda a little too much...and it could show...and be ugly.

yes, no gt-r styling please! unless its form the gt500

[deggis]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114091

Asked if Nissan had the same level of resources as its future rivals, Palmer said: "We are certainly not spending at the level that I understand the Germans to be spending.

Nissan's factory P1 entry, which was a condition of its entry with the ZEOD RC experimental racer at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours, was signed off in March, Palmer revealed

The engine has been running on the dyno for three months ...

[tyronnezx]

Originally Posted by deggis

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114091

""We are facing a big challenge form highly-respected rivals on a global stage, but for the record messrs Audi, Porsche and Toyota, we are coming to spoil your party, rain on your parade."


cant wait to see them fail and 2016 and get beaten by Toyota

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by miatanut

So they keep it covered during the event, and then "leak" a blurry cell phone picture of it being uncovered to pack it up, giving people fodder for speculation for weeks.

Pretty clever!

I actually can't believe people are speculating about what's under the cover.

Literally nothing of any worth or relation to the programme. They don't even have a chassis built yet. I'm sure along with the cushion there were a few ladders and maybe even a picnic table under there.

It's just a symbolic image/gesture.

[TF110]

Right. Thats why I said "dont know what to make of it". Just a mock up imo. The nose cone is much too high. Imo it was propped up like that so the NISSAN lettering popped out on the front of the black cover.

[FIRE]

Great news.

[juicy sushi]

Originally Posted by Bandicoot17

So there is a car under there after all. Interesting. I figured it was a bunch of cardboard or wires or something.

[juicy sushi]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

I agree, the ruleset shouldn´t be modified unless all the existing manufacturers are happy with the changes.

IMHO there isn´t space in Le Mans for a 5th manufacturer, one manufacturer would be fighting for 6ths or 8ths places and would drop soon.

They might quit quickly, but that doesn't mean there isn't space. If factories want to go for glory, we should encourage and appreciate it, since it doesn't happen very often.

That being said, with all the sniping over F1's rules, LdM's general discontent and Bernie/CVC handcuffing the series, I would not be surprised to see Ferrari here soon, if not actually lobbying to have F1 use LMP1 rules (in order to have it both ways).

[juicy sushi]

Originally Posted by Canada ALMS fan

According to Graham Goodwin on Twitter, other manufacturers (plural) looking at LMP1 as well as rumours of a big budget privateer.

Ferrari and Honda seem most plausible to me. Big privateer could be a Red Bull-run version of Nissan's car (Red Bull is the factory Renault-Nissan F1 team).

[carbon_titanium]

Ferrari obtained a boost for the f1 budget, is unrealistic to think that is interested in WEC (also because fiat group hasn't a great know how in hybrid technology). Honda "denuted" the wirth coupè lmp1 in an lmp2, clearly they have no intention to step in with the work team. Redbull racing is the most important renault engine customer, but clearly is not the factory team.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Starfish Primer

IMHO there isn´t space in Le Mans for a 5th manufacturer, one manufacturer would be fighting for 6ths or 8ths places and would drop soon.

Maybe they just should be better then? Maybe that sounds odd now, after having years of racing where finishing on a podium was pretty much guaranteed for a manufacturer without DNFing and when 3rd place was actually same as finishing second last [from the manufacturer championship cars].

I think already now it is a good test how much of a professional sport WEC is in the end, since above is no longer the case, and with 8 cars, one has to be better than majority of them to even finish on a podium. Unheard situation since GrC years and FIA GT 97-99.

Rising costs with increasing competition might be a bigger concern, because for sure it will be heading into F1-like direction where the teams are looking into smaller and smaller things and margins.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by tyronnezx

cant wait to see them fail and 2016 and get beaten by Toyota

Why?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by deggis

Maybe that sounds odd now, after having years of racing where finishing on a podium was pretty much guaranteed for a manufacturer without DNFing and when 3rd place was actually same as finishing second last [from the manufacturer championship cars].

I think already now it is a good test how much of a professional sport WEC is in the end, since above is no longer the case, and with 8 cars, one has to be better than majority of them to even finish on a podium. Unheard situation since GrC years and FIA GT 97-99.

FIA GT 97-98 would be more appropriate

Anyway people always seem to forget that there were 9 works cars at Le Mans just five years ago (plus few customers running same cars). Just because the Astons had petrol and were underbudgeted and underperforming don't cancel the fact that they were works cars

Anyway I get your message and your points are valid

[MagVanisher]

A good announcement from Nissan, but it still bugs me... If they're branding their LMP1 car for next year as a GT-R, would it be appropriate if it's either make an extreme silhouette car, or just rename it to something else like R392, etc.?

Then again, I'm worried that they're not fully committed to this program at all other than the GT-R branding.

[tyronnezx]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Why?

Andy Palmer getting so cocky don't sit well with me. especially when their "LMP1" car is a mock-up. Dead giveaway of it being an open cockpit. i would not be surprised if thats an LMP2 car

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by tyronnezx

especially when their "LMP1" car is a mock-up. Dead giveaway of it being an open cockpit. i would not be surprised if thats an LMP2 car

Wow.

Why would Nissan have a finished LMP1 car sitting there 11 months before it needs to debut?

Genuinely mystified by some people's expectations.

[Bandicoot17]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

A good announcement from Nissan, but it still bugs me... If they're branding their LMP1 car for next year as a GT-R, would it be appropriate if it's either make an extreme silhouette car, or just rename it to something else like R392, etc.?

Then again, I'm worried that they're not fully committed to this program at all other than the GT-R branding.

Of course they're fully committed...

I guess hell will freeze over before the naysayers are finally silent though...

[deggis]

Originally Posted by tyronnezx

Andy Palmer getting so cocky don't sit well with me. especially when their "LMP1" car is a mock-up. Dead giveaway of it being an open cockpit. i would not be surprised if thats an LMP2 car

When Toyota announced their program in October (2011), they had nothing physical to show either. With the press release they supplied this very artistic drawing. That's less realistic than the one in this picture.

ps. Mark this historic day: I defended something Nissan did.

[MagVanisher]

Regardless with the mock-up, I'm hoping that the design would be fitting for a GT-R badge. Better yet, why not graph a GT-R front fascia if the badge wasn't enough to get the public notice?

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by deggis

With the press release they supplied this very artistic drawing.

If only we could have ever ended up having something as beatiful as that on the grid. Or even fraction of it...

[miatanut]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Why would Nissan have a finished LMP1 car sitting there 11 months before it needs to debut?

Because if they don't, it means they're not really serious.