DeltaWing LLC, of Indianapolis, introduced the future of open wheel racing today at the Chicago Auto Show, aimed at realigning America’s premiere racing tradition with current automobile industry and consumer trends. DeltaWing calls on technological innovation to return racing to cutting edge relevance in the search for extreme performance with less environmental and financial resources.

“Today marks a fundamental shift in how race fans and the general public will view all racing cars in the future; this is a game changer” said Dan Partel, Chief Executive Officer of DeltaWing LLC. “This radical prototype takes open wheel racing to a new level from both an engineering standpoint and the overall spectator experience.”

The car also marks the next step in the industry’s dedication to becoming more environmentally responsible. DeltaWing has identified that this marketplace trend can be applied to the IZOD IndyCar Series and has developed this concept car using the most advanced American technology.

By targeting reduced aerodynamic drag and lighter weight, the DeltaWing design achieves record breaking on track performance with only half the engine power of its recent predecessors.

The unique vehicle design provides optimum and consistent distribution of loading for the Firestone Firehawk tires, which are specifically developed for the dynamic characteristics of the DeltaWing racer. The futuristic form aims to appeal to a younger demographic audience who is increasingly in search of technological innovations to solve the requirement for sustainable personal mobility. DeltaWing LLC will design, engineer and supply a running prototype by August, 2010.

Revolutionary design from every angle

Ultra narrow front track design saves weight, while fairings for the Firestone tires reduces aerodynamic drag and prevents wheel interlocking

Delta plan view shape provides undisturbed airflow to the downforce generating ground effect underbody venturi located beneath the car’s center of gravity just ahead of the widely spaced rear wheels. Highly efficient downforce with negligible wake ensures minimal loss of aerodynamic performance for a trailing car thus enhancing the on-track overtaking spectacle

Uncluttered side view with rearwards driver location provides ideal sponsorship positioning and true single-seater appeal. The highly prominent tail fin replaces the conventional inverted aerofoil in order to broaden the yaw stability envelope without inducing aerodynamic drag on straight-aways

“We are confident that this car will outperform the current generation IndyCar and do it in a more environmentally friendly way,” said Partel. “Auto racing has always been a powerful marketing tool for propelling new technology into the hearts and minds of consumers. This new car was specifically designed to be more closely aligned with the new reality of automobiles that are arriving on the road today. Consumers are choosing cars that provide impressive performance capabilities but with greater fuel efficiency. This prototype IndyCar features those same characteristics, making it much more relevant to the public and the auto industry. It is our goal to make participation in the series highly attractive to the automobile manufacturers as well as the fuel, technology, information and entertainment corporate sectors.”

DeltaWing anticipates the final car will weigh a remarkable 50 percent less than the current generation IndyCar and crucially, generate only half of the aerodynamic drag. This combination requires substantially less horsepower to generate speeds of over 235 miles per hour while delivering a 100% improvement in fuel efficiency.

“Our goal is to have our first prototype on the track in August,” said Partel. “We look forward to an exciting development project with the Indy Racing League to ensure that all of their requirements are met for DeltaWing to become the next IZOD IndyCar in 2012.”
“Today, we saw the future of racing unveiled”, said Bill Lafontaine, Chief Marketing Officer. “This revolutionary car and business concept ushers in a new era in racing and reinforces the strong tradition of innovation in open wheel racing. This initiative reaffirms America’s ability to lead in the automotive field. We look forward to the development of the car and our first running prototype.”

About the DeltaWing IndyCar Prototype

Initial concept work by Ben Bowlby started with a clean sheet approach and began in January, 2009 at Target Chip Ganassi Racing in Indianapolis. The first prototype car will be powered by a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine. Final horsepower figures will be based on the car’s performance on the track, but by using state-of-the-art computer modeling, it is anticipated that the engine will need to produce approximately 300 horsepower to attain the performance targets and will run over 4,000 miles before requiring a rebuild, a dramatic 100% improvement over the current engine.

“The DeltaWing Concept is more than just a new and exciting racing car; it is about creating a platform that moves racing into the new era of information entertainment”, said Bowlby, Designer and Chief Technology Officer. “Once we have successfully production engineered and manufactured the first generation of team cars, those cars will form the beginning of a constant evolution formula. Our intention is to publish the entire design detail via the DeltaWing website where access will be available to everyone and so provide a unique participation opportunity and insight into the engineering world of modern racing cars. Just as we hope to see multiple engine suppliers with different configurations and displacements, we also hope to create a framework that will allow us to see a varied and ever changing grid of racing machines in a sustainable, cost controlled and high value manner. We will be unveiling these plans once the prototype is up and running. As we design the DeltaWing prototype, safety, efficiency, value and cost are our main priorities; the goal is that more teams and drivers will have the opportunity to compete in the IZOD IndyCar series. At this point we anticipate a complete car with engine will sell for $600,000.”

Key Specifications (estimated)

Weight with driver: 1,030 lbs.
Horsepower: 300 BHP
Wheel base: 125 inches
Front track: 24 inches
Rear track: 70 inches
Aerodynamic drag: Cd 0.24

Key Technical features

Engine and transmission are “non-stressed members” of the chassis structural design which allows teams to install a wide variety of lightweight powertrains
The prototype will feature a 4 cylinder turbo charged engine that will produce approximately 300 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and weigh only 160lbs fully dressed
Engine capacity, RPM and configuration freedoms are anticipated given only that the rate of fuel delivery to the engine will be controlled by a specially developed fuel flow rate control unit

Vehicle weight distribution is necessarily more rearward than traditionally seen with 72.5% of the mass on the larger rear tires

80% of the aerodynamic downforce acts on the rear of the car

Inline traction under acceleration through the rear tires is greatly enhanced by rearward weight and aerodynamic distributions

Unique amongst today’s racing cars 60% of braking force is generated behind the center of gravity giving a dynamically stable response

Locking propensity of the inside front wheel on corner entry is greatly reduced

Transmission features 6 speed oval and 5 speed plus reverse road track configurations with sequential paddle shift actuation

Differential features full torque vectoring active technology with driver control of gain for balance adjustment. “Active stagger” removes the expensive necessity for staggered rear tire diameters for ovals

Advanced computer modeling of structures, impact energy management, aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics and tires has been used to develop the virtual DeltaWing car

The car’s performance has been simulated on each configuration of race track encountered during the IZOD IndyCar Series Championship

Modern advanced materials and CNC construction techniques applied to achieve gains in light weight structures and occupant safety

Driver position, restraint layout and energy absorbency facility designed with the latest data on survival criteria

Acknowledgement: Bridgestone and DeltaWing

]]> http://News.PreOwnedCar.com/2009/03/28/funny-racy-ad-for-tires/feed/ 0 http://News.PreOwnedCar.com/2009/02/03/making-of-a-super-bowl-commercial-bridgestone-tires/ http://News.PreOwnedCar.com/2009/02/03/making-of-a-super-bowl-commercial-bridgestone-tires/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:13:40 +0000 Sri Narra http://news.preownedcar.com/?p=727 The theme was drivers who want to get most of their tires. Bridgestone or nothing !

Here is the making of the first commercial – Hot Item. 

The actual commercial that aired. 

and the making of the second commercial – Taters

And the actual commercial that aired. 

Damned, who knew selling rubber would be so much fun !

Bridgestone

Brussels–More than 90% of motorists drive on under-inflated tires which can put their safety at risk. Checking tires condition and pressure, loading carefully the vehicle and using dedicated tires for caravans are some of the key holiday tips given by Bridgestone.

Under inflated tyres put safety at risk

We’ve heard it before, but few of us do it correctly: “Check your tyre pressure regularly, and especially before long journeys.” It is a fact that driving on incorrect pressure can be both dangerous and costly. The most common fault is under inflation because tyres loose air pressure naturally over time, like a balloon. If your tyre pressure is too low, you lose handling control and your tyres become less durable due to stress and heat build up. Low tyre pressure also costs you money: the wear life of a tyre is halved if pressure falls from 2.2 bars to 1.0 bar. Worse still, it adds an extra load on the environment. Low pressure increases your tyre’s rolling resistance on the road, leading to increased fuel consumption and higher emissions. It really does make sense to check your tyre pressure regularly.

Don’t forget your caravan tyres

If you’re towing a caravan this summer, pay special attention to the tyres. Caravan tyres are similar to car tyres, but are designed with higher load capacity and greater resistance to lateral forces to improve stability in the wind. These differences are key – don’t ever be tempted to fit car tyres on a caravan!Another difference with caravan tyres is that they are used less often; maybe only once a year. Tyre condition should therefore be checked very carefully before the vacation. Firstly, check that there is nothing that could cause vibration, such as stones lodged in the tread. Then check the pressure while the tyres are cool. And check for tread wear. Most owners don’t go to their dealer for a new set until the tread surface has dry cracks. This is already much too late. Even without any visible signs of wear, caravan tyres should be changed after 10 years on average. See your tyre dealer for more information.

Load it carefully

It’s fun loading a caravan for vacation – but don’t get carried away! Try not to take more baggage than you need, don’t overload the rear, and spread the load evenly across the caravan to reduce the risk of zig-zag and instability. Remember: driving an overloaded caravan is not only an offence, it can be very dangerous too. And always carry a spare; you never know when you might need it.

Bridgestone studies show much work to be done

Unfortunately, too many drivers still fail to check their tyres regularly. In conjunction with the FIA Foundation, Bridgestone has conducted more than 67,000 tyre inspections across Europe since 2005 as part of the global “Think Before You Drive” road safety campaign. The findings are alarming: more than 90% of motorists drive on under-inflated tyres and 40% have at least one tyre significantly below the recommended pressure. If you are driving your family on vacation this year, please make sure you check your tyre condition and pressure before leaving. For your safety, your wallet, and the environment. A lithium ion battery with a charge capacity of 6.8 Ampere-hours (Ah) serves as an auxiliary energy storage device with a maximum power output of 22 kW. The battery is charged by recovered braking energy (recuperation) or by the fuel cell. This increased functionality and efficiency does not impair the interior space of the vehicle. The battery system is installed in the trunk beneath the dual cargo floor available on the production Tiguan. The 700 bar hydrogen tank was integrated in the area beneath the floor in the rear bench seat and cargo area. It can hold up to 3.2 kilograms of hydrogen (H2).

Basic operation of fuel cells

The key component of each individual fuel cell – a number of them are combined into a stack – is a proton-conducting membrane. It is located between each anode and cathode pair. Hydrogen flows on the anode side, and air flows into the cell on the cathode side. When many of these cells are combined in a stack, enough energy can be generated to drive a vehicle. In each cell, hydrogen and oxygen react to form water on the cathode side. The fuel cell thereby converts chemical energy directly into electrical energy in an oxidation, or “cold” combustion process. The generated “exhaust” is clean water vapor. The fuel cell is supplied fuel from the hydrogen tank and oxygen from the air by an external air inlet and outputs the electrical energy it generates – the power – via a converter and a downstream electrical system rectifier – to one or more electric motors. The Tiguan HyMotion is nearly silent when driven, and it is emissions-free.

Bridgestone Europe NV/SA

Bridgestone Europe NV/SA – with European headquarters in Brussels, Belgium – is a key division of the Bridgestone Corporation. It develops and manufactures top-quality tyres in Europe which, through its 17 subsidiary sales companies andother channels, are distributed all over Europe including the Eastern European markets. Products are also exported outside
Europe, including to Japan.