Acura/HPD's future plans

[MulsanneMike]

We've got much clearer images posted...

[Stefvh]

Raised nose, finally

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by MulsanneMike

We've got much clearer images posted...

Thanks Mike, I'll post the link............

Acura LMP? images

Courtesy of Mulsanne's Corner.

[deggis]

I hate the nose (visually), but rear is quite curvy with those partly exposed tyres.

[Aslak Vind]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Thanks Mike, I'll post the link............

Acura LMP? images

Courtesy of Mulsanne's Corner.

Looks very impressive

Thank you!

[Javi]

It is just me or is there a curious "diveplane", curved that link the fender with the raised front wing???

I like the ultra sculpted sidepods. The front overhang seem big, altough i guess it´s just the perspective of a very short front fender. Visually also the front suspension pick up points see really low...

[mattcat]

Wow...the nose really looks like that of an F1 car. It looks pretty nice, I like the lines. It does look pretty different compared to anything currently out there, it will be very interesting to see how it performs come Sebring.

[Hugewally]

Isn't that the P2 car?

[Javi]

Originally Posted by Hugewally

Isn't that the P2 car?

Well, altough I am sure it´s the P1 car, visually it could be a new P2 also..., i don´t think there´s anything in this picture preventing it from being P2..., well, that´ll be a surprise!

[mattcat]

Originally Posted by Hugewally

Isn't that the P2 car?

Yes of course. I wonder what the P1 will look like! Closed top turbo for sure!

[Hugewally]

Of course why would the de Ferran team be testing a P2 car then? Maybe the P1 car is at Homestead?

[LeMans.pt]

How nice.... another Formula 1 with covered wheels....
That "Formula Le Mans" name for the support series that ACO and Oreca created for Europe would be better applied to the main series.

When will this stop, or, how will this end? Is ACO thinking that the only way to captivate more fans to sportscar racing is resembling the cars to Formula one cars? Having two seats (LOL), covered wheels and widther flanks don´t make them much more different from open wheels.

I know that some of you like the current design from the LMP concept, but, let me express my different point of view. The first "evo" rules, with the LMP looking closer to road car wasn't the way (prototypes or sport-prototypes are... prototypes) but the way this is taking do not create a clear and different personality to sportscar car design.

[Stefvh]

They design it that way cause they're convinced it works better.

[LeMans.pt]

Originally Posted by Stefvh

They design it that way cause they're convinced it works better.

No doubts about that... not talking here about how it works, just how it looks, and for me, IMO, look like a covered wheel F1.

[SebringMG]

Bit of an ugly beast - will wait for the livery to be put on though

[deggis]

Originally Posted by LeMans.pt

When will this stop, or, how will this end? Is ACO thinking that the only way to captivate more fans to sportscar racing is resembling the cars to Formula one cars? Having two seats (LOL), covered wheels and widther flanks don´t make them much more different from open wheels.

"2011 - No fundamental chassis modifications". So I guess yes.

[mattcat]

Originally Posted by LeMans.pt

Having two seats (LOL), covered wheels and widther flanks don´t make them much more different from open wheels.

Sure it does. It makes them look a hell of a lot nicer than any open wheel car I have ever seen.

[Kiki]

I AM surprised. The side pod (body) shape is very unique. In a similar regard to Allard's uniqueness, I guess. I wonder what the aerodynamic benefit is to the new shape. I can guess that a raised nose might allow more air to travel back to the rearward aero bits I guess but the sculpted side pods' downward slope to the read fenders is pretty interesting. Looks like there's a lot of air to be travelling between the front pontoons and the side pods. Probably makes a metric **** ton of downforce too.

Maybe this IS the reason Audi bailed. They might have thought "crap, these guys have decades of F1 experience, and we don't even build our own sports cars."

Maybe Honda thought "hey this isn't as hard as it looks, lets just put fenders on last year's F1 car, change a few bits and beat the pants off these guys!"

[Francesco]

i am quite surprised too.. the front is very aggressive and i think the best will come when we will have a clear "detailed" photo from the front... also the look of the front splitter seems very strange with that "curved" profile... the side pod is certainly the biggest difference for now, very particular shape...

looking forward to seeing it with the patròn colors

[CTD]

Pretty radical!.
But the car is testing with the 2008 rear wing!, so it will have to change!.
Also, there are a lot of wing-lets on the front, so this must be a high downforce version!.
The Low downforce (Le Mans) version must be more clean and i believe more pretty .
But ill give Kiki right, except im serious, Honda's F1 design department could really have had a finger in this car!

[Hugewally]

It doesn't have to change if the ALMS keeps the currant aero rules in place. And the track was wet so of course they used more downforce.

[Stefvh]

The car is not supposed to compete at Le Mans.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Hugewally

Isn't that the P2 car?

Wouldn't a P1 have to have red numbers?
*runs and hides*

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Stefvh

The car is not supposed to compete at Le Mans.

It's not?.
Not in 2010?

[Stefvh]

I don't think so, sadly.