Panoz Abruzzi - Page 6

Canada ALMS fan · 5 Oct 2010, 03:02 (Ref:2769546)

Quote:

Originally Posted by carsten66

Watching again the pictures... and just thinking of all the great looking GT2 cars on the grid... I'm sorry guys and it's just my opion but this car simply looks ugly...

It looks better in person but it is still huge and not very attractive. The livery is nice though IMO.

Rodger Davies · 5 Oct 2010, 06:53 (Ref:2769580)

I think it looks hideous, but I love the added diversity that it brings to the GT2 grid, hope we can see more of the car next year.

Fogelhund · 5 Oct 2010, 06:59 (Ref:2769584)

Let me ask the following. How much did this "thing" cost to build?

I would expect, probably more than it would cost to buy a couple of off the shelf LMP cars.

The GT(2) category is currently the strength of the series, and adding in some cars that are not likely to be very competitive, doesn't do much of anything for the series. Even if we imagined that it was competitive, two more GT cars doesn't really boost the series near the amount two competitive LMP cars would.

Really, outside of some personal idea, this is waste of resources, when something very positive could have been done. Just my opinion.

HORNDAWG · 5 Oct 2010, 07:14 (Ref:2769589)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

Let me ask the following. How much did this "thing" cost to build?

I would expect, probably more than it would cost to buy a couple of off the shelf LMP cars.

The GT(2) category is currently the strength of the series, and adding in some cars that are not likely to be very competitive, doesn't do much of anything for the series. Even if we imagined that it was competitive, two more GT cars doesn't really boost the series near the amount two competitive LMP cars would.

Really, outside of some personal idea, this is waste of resources, when something very positive could have been done. Just my opinion.

Hmm, and who's resources are they? Are they not also trying to create some panache as well here for the Abruzzi, as a sales tool?

L.P.

Simmi · 5 Oct 2010, 10:11 (Ref:2769663)

It's a shame most 10 year old boys cant afford to buy a Panoz because this looks like a car tailor made for that demographic.

On the racing side I wish it every success. I was gutted it didn't get out at PLM but like others have said, it brings some nice variety and I'd imagine it sounds great. Very much hoping to see one or two of these in the flesh at Le Mans next year.

Fogelhund · 5 Oct 2010, 13:37 (Ref:2769765)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

Hmm, and who's resources are they? Are they not also trying to create some panache as well here for the Abruzzi, as a sales tool?

L.P.

So, they are racing a car in North America, to sell cars in Europe? (Not going to be legal in North America) This doesn't really look like a sales tool to me, rather a vanity project, with road cars available to homologate the race car. I can't really see many people lining up to buy this thing anyway.

**joeb** · 5 Oct 2010, 14:14 (Ref:2769779)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

So, they are racing a car in North America, to sell cars in Europe? (Not going to be legal in North America) This doesn't really look like a sales tool to me, rather a vanity project, with road cars available to homologate the race car. I can't really see many people lining up to buy this thing anyway.

Can't say I disagree with you. But didn't you hear there will be both a "Spirit of Sebring" and "Spirit of Petit" version of the car to be sold stateside?
Ok, the car might not be the prettiest, but why did they give it a long ugly name too? Panoz Abruzzi Spirit of Petit Le Mans

MulsanneMike · 5 Oct 2010, 21:32 (Ref:2769990)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_b

The roadcar was the same car shown at Le Mans. Only visible change was the larger carbon air scoop cover on the roof. That wasn't there at Le Mans. One suspects, with my limited aerodynamic knowlege, not enough air was being sucked in as the roof drops away at that point and the boundary layer and turbulence will stop 'clean air' going into the scoop. I noticed the racecar had that too.

I still dont know what the front air intakes do, given the radiator is rear mounted. I wish I went over and had a closer look at the racecar now.

Don had it in his head that the engine heat soak into the chassis is what caused LMP07's flexibility issues. Thus it was his idea to route air directly onto the engine and front of the chassis (despite being informed of the drag impact of doing this). This was when we were looking at doing an LMP, so why it continued on with the GT2 I haven't a clue. Then again, Don also thought the flexibility issue in the LMP07 was tied to the length of the forward carbon structure that the front suspension mounted to. It was his idea to shorten this structure (again, looking at doing an LMP1) and mount the front suspension trailing A-arms to the engine. Yeah, you read that right. So therefore you're moving the engine forward, exactly the opposite of what you want to do. And it was his grand idea to utilize a pointed windshield ala Mosler Raptor. His thought being that since it worked on aircraft (century series fighters for instance) it would work on a car...yeah Don, different relative speeds. Doesn't work that way. Gonna call the University where you got your doctorate from and ask them to take it away. Oh, right, you didn't actually earn it.

CTD · 6 Oct 2010, 05:28 (Ref:2770098)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MulsanneMike

Don had it in his head that the engine heat soak into the chassis is what caused LMP07's flexibility issues. Thus it was his idea to route air directly onto the engine and front of the chassis (despite being informed of the drag impact of doing this). This was when we were looking at doing an LMP, so why it continued on with the GT2 I haven't a clue. Then again, Don also thought the flexibility issue in the LMP07 was tied to the length of the forward carbon structure that the front suspension mounted to. It was his idea to shorten this structure (again, looking at doing an LMP1) and mount the front suspension trailing A-arms to the engine. Yeah, you read that right. So therefore you're moving the engine forward, exactly the opposite of what you want to do. And it was his grand idea to utilize a pointed windshield ala Mosler Raptor. His thought being that since it worked on aircraft (century series fighters for instance) it would work on a car...yeah Don, different relative speeds. Doesn't work that way. Gonna call the University where you got your doctorate from and ask them to take it away. Oh, right, you didn't actually earn it.

Wow, thats the most bitter comment i have ever heard from you

.

But you are right, Don Panoz is a dinosaur, whom is stuck in the same mindset as Enzo Ferrari, except, Panoz didn't get wiser with his age.
But then again, i will always respect him for doing things another way, which has brought along some nice cars, which also where semi-effective in racing (always fulfilling the "black horse" status, and a little extra).

Félix · 6 Oct 2010, 11:21 (Ref:2770229)

The race car's engine is the supercharged LS9 in restricted form right? (aiming to make it a lower-cost engine solution).

Mike you were behind the scenes at Panoz for a while right? Wouldn't the LMP07's flex problem have come from the tubular interface between the cockpit tub and the front chassis? And was there a real problem with the monocoque caused by heat?

The LMP07 is my all-time favourite potentially-great-but-ultimately-very-bad racecar and I would have love to see it keep on improving after it nearly won at the first ALMS race in Texas 2001...

**FIRE** · 6 Oct 2010, 19:25 (Ref:2770497)

Don Panoz' 9 year old grand daughter is lead designer of this project?

rich07 · 7 Oct 2010, 00:38 (Ref:2770601)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Félix

The race car's engine is the supercharged LS9 in restricted form right? (aiming to make it a lower-cost engine solution).

Its the LS9 but does it still have the supercharger or not? I thought that forced induction engines were restricted so heavily in GT2 that made them unattractive? Thats if superchargers or turbos are allowed in GT2 (not sure).

HORNDAWG · 7 Oct 2010, 01:37 (Ref:2770623)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich07

Its the LS9 but does it still have the supercharger or not? I thought that forced induction engines were restricted so heavily in GT2 that made them unattractive? Thats if superchargers or turbos are allowed in GT2 (not sure).

If they do not use the SC (LS9) and stay with a 6.2L it would be an LS3.
http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/Pa...l.jsp?engine=2

L.P.

rich07 · 7 Oct 2010, 01:50 (Ref:2770626)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

If they do not use the SC (LS9) and stay with a 6.2L it would be an LS3.
http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/Pa...l.jsp?engine=2

L.P.

With an LS3 you wouldnt need a supercharger to have the power needed in GT2 anyway.

**Aysedasi** · 7 Oct 2010, 13:05 (Ref:2770849)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

I think it looks hideous, but I love the added diversity that it brings to the GT2 grid, hope we can see more of the car next year.

On the money there Rodger - agree 100%. Anything to add variety to the Fiats and the Porkers is good in my book and you wouldn't take it to Tesco, so it's OK with me.....

KA · 7 Oct 2010, 14:52 (Ref:2770893)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

On the money there Rodger - agree 100%. Anything to add variety to the Fiats and the Porkers is good in my book and you wouldn't take it to Tesco, so it's OK with me.....

Well, I might take it to Tesco, but only in the dark....

OK, it's not the prettiest of cars, but as you say, it's always good to add more variety to the scene (though I still wish they'd done an LMP instead...). Let's just hope that they can get it to go respectably quickly, unlike a certain other GT2 project....

One thought- it doesn't seem to be on the provisional entry list that was posted in the Zhuhai thread. IIRC, someone posted a few pages back that the car was still scheduled to be making the trip to China. Has there been any change I've missed, or is the provisional entry list simply not 100% up-to-date?

Victor_RO · 7 Oct 2010, 15:36 (Ref:2770905)

It seems as if it's the list that is not 100% up-to-date, because there is an article on Endurance-Info quoting a press release from Benjamin Leuenberger which stated that the car will be doing a few days of testing this or next week before being shipped to China for the race. http://www.endurance-info.com/versio...ance-5469.html

HORNDAWG · 7 Oct 2010, 15:43 (Ref:2770906)

It is not the best looking, but if the proper livery were to be applied.... Say if it was blacked out in the frontal inlet areas and splitter then a Mach 5 livery applied to it, you have an instant cult classic! Or run with the Batmobile livery, in either instance it could be great fun and be instantly recognized by everyone, while drawing attention to the series in a light hearted positive manner!

L.P.

Simmi · 7 Oct 2010, 16:01 (Ref:2770916)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HORNDAWG

It is not the best looking, but if the proper livery were to be applied.... Say if it was blacked out in the frontal inlet areas and splitter then a Mach 5 livery applied to it, you have an instant cult classic! Or run with the Batmobile livery, in either instance it could be great fun and be instantly recognized by everyone, while drawing attention to the series in a light hearted positive manner!

People will definitely route for this car. Batmobile livery would be amazing. What are the chances of Christian Bale driving an Abruzzi in the next Batman film!

In a word. Slim. Maybe Andy could mock up some livery designs for the race car.

MJ_N_09 · 16 Oct 2010, 04:06 (Ref:2775635)

It's a monster!!! God, I love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOd5H...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVxIj...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6a_-LXZKso&NR=1

GT2-R · 16 Oct 2010, 04:30 (Ref:2775639)

I might be the only one but I love the classic livery as displayed in Road Atlanta! Anyway, the car will be a good addition to the already gorgeous GT2-field for next year. Hope they will be able to be in the mix from time to time

.

rich07 · 16 Oct 2010, 04:43 (Ref:2775642)

Classic livery doesnt look half bad at all. How evil does that car sound!

WMUCarGuy · 16 Oct 2010, 08:01 (Ref:2775671)

I have to say that especially as a race car, the Abruzzi is slowly growing on me. I saw both at Petit and the road car is still a pretty big joke (It's like $400K and had build quality far worse than that of a $13,000 Kia), but the race car is just badass and it certainly looks as good as its going to with the old DPR livery and sounds mean as hell. Now it just needs to GO!

HJJ · 21 Oct 2010, 02:15 (Ref:2777736)

No China. Sebring will be the first race.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...sebring-debut/

Canada ALMS fan · 21 Oct 2010, 03:06 (Ref:2777749)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HJJ

No China. Sebring will be the first race.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/artic...sebring-debut/

Sounds like only one car now too. At Petit they were saying 2 cars, full season. This project could make the Jags look good the way it's going.

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