Gas 2.0

DeltaWing Concept Could Mean Big Changes For Racing

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 10:18 AM PST

Part Bat-Mobile, part jet fighter, all race car. That is the best way to describe the DeltaWing IndyCar Concept, which is on display at the Chicago Auto Show right now. The DeltaWing’s creators hope that the revolutionary design could be “the future of open wheel racing”. It certainly looks like something straight from the future.

The DeltaWing combines slick aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, the DeltaWing should be able to achieve speeds in excess of 200 mph using less horsepower and as much as half the fuel of current Indy cars. It is slated to begin testing this summer.

The big enemy to all high-speed cars is air resistance, or drag. Lots of drag is present underneath cars, which is why stock cars and Indy cars are so low to the ground. But the DeltaWing goes a step further, adopting the design of fixed-wing fighter jets with its dart-like front end and wide, wing-like rear. Two air inlets on either side of the cockpit channel air through the body rather than around it, while the “open wheels” are partially covered. The large vertical wing helps stabilize the DeltaWing, which weighs in at just over 1,000 pounds.

Another interesting feature of the DeltaWing is the engine. Current Indy cars generally feature a 3.5 liter, naturally aspirated V8 engine putting out around 650 horsepower. The DeltaWing uses a four-cylinder turbocharged engine, which would have to make at least 300 horsepower to reach speeds over 200 mph. Another big difference is that the engine is being designed to go 4,000 miles before needing a rebuild. While that may not seem like much, consider that many race car series from Indy to stock car to drag racing, rebuild the engine after every race.

A working model of the DeltaWing is due out in August. I for one am looking forward to any car designed to go fast as efficiently as possible.

Source: The Detroit Bureau | Images: DeltaWing LLC

Bob Lutz: Hybrids Unlikely To Ever Make Up More Than 10% Of U.S. Market

Posted: 16 Feb 2010 09:53 AM PST

Love him or hate him, you’ve got to admire Bob Lutz’s ability to speak his mind, consequences be damned. And, as GM’s Vice Chairman and Volt front man, he’s somebody the world tends to pay attention to.

The same guy who once called global warming a crock of crap has now remarked that the hybrid car market is unlikely to ever comprise more than 10% of the U.S. market. Furthermore, Lutz seems to think that General Motors will always lose money on hybrids, driving up the costs of its other cars. If you ask me, that seems like a bit of a paradox.

Admittedly, Lutz has done a lot of good for GM. He was a big proponent for the Volt, GM’s plug-in electric extended range car due out this fall. He also pushed hard for the return of the Camaro, which sold so strongly that GM recently had to add a second shift to the Oshawa assembly plant where it is built. Lutz is an old school car guy, and to a certain extent, that is a good thing.

But sometimes he doesn’t seem to think before he talks (I can relate to that). Right now, hybrids comprise just 3% of the market in the U.S., with the Toyota Prius selling more than all other models combined, according to Edmunds Green Car Advisor. Considering the Prius has been on sale for about a decade, and year-over-year sales of hybrid cars are continually increasing, 3% of the market is actually a pretty impressive share. Every major automaker either has a hybrid car, or plans on releasing one in the near future. So it really won’t take much to reach that magic 10% that Lutz thinks is the ceiling on hybrid car sales.

But let’s just say that Lutz is right, or that he may think that electric cars will surpass hybrids in popularity rather quickly. He then went on to say that the money GM loses on hybrids will drive up the cost of other cars. Sounds like Lutz lacks faith in GM to be able to sell a hybrid people are willing to pay for, even though they sell a $110,000 Corvette ZR-1. Well now, if so few cars sold are money-losing hybrids is it really going to drive up the cost of other cars? Lutz seems to think people want fuel efficient cars, but are unwilling to pay the extra cost for the technology. It is unclear how much, if any, money the Prius earns Toyota, but that doesn’t mean it won’t one day contribute to the bottom line. GM has already acknowledged that the Volt is going to lose them money, at least for the first few generations. But even the Camaro probably still hasn’t turned a profit, despite selling almost 100,000 units in under a year.

Lutz shouldn’t be so quick to give up on hybrids, especially since they are going to need them to meet the 2020 fleet fuel economy average of 35 mpg.

Source: Green Car Advisor | Image: GM