Nissan Splits from the DeltaWing!

by XPR Roadrunner Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 21:26

Following Tuesday’s SPEED.com exclusive, revealing Don Panoz’s plans to expand the DeltaWing program to new chassis and engine options, Nissan has confirmed that it will not continue its partnership with the revolutionary program, with immediate effect.

The Japanese manufacturer proved to be an instrumental player in the debut of the Ben Bowlby-designed car, which ran unclassified, but aligned to the P2 class, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Petit Le Mans last year.

Drivers Gunnar Jeannette and Nissan GT Academy graduate Lucas Ordonez drove the Nissan DeltaWing to a fifth place overall finish in the 1,000-mile, 10-hour Road Atlanta enduro, utilizing Nissan’s 1.6-liter DIG-T engine, developed by its partner, RML.

“The Nissan DeltaWing was an exciting project that challenged all conventional thinking and that is why Nissan put its support behind it,” said Darren Cox, director of global motorsports for Nissan. “We are committed to developing innovative and exciting cars both on the track and on the road.

“Nissan wishes Dr. Don Panoz and all the other partners involved in the DeltaWing all the best for the future and we look forward to supporting their progress from the sidelines at future races.”

Panoz confirmed to SPEED.com’s Marshall Pruett that work is underway to install a new 1.9-liter twin-turbo engine, derived from Mazda’s MZR powerplant, in the DeltaWing for next month’s Twelve Hours of Sebring.

A closed-top model of the car is set to debut in the ALMS round at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in May.

I hope that this spells the end for the car...so stupid.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/alms-nissan-confirms-deltawing-exit/

by **CQR Rogue** Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 21:28

im sorry but why was it stupid lol!

This could be a good thing to have a 675 dp class

by **Richy59** Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 21:33

I liked it Sad

by **CQR Rogue** Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 21:36

I know shame but its not gone dr panoz will let it run.

by XPR Roadrunner Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 21:37

I read up on the other article and they are going to drop in some new Mazda Engine's out of Don Panoz's engine group.

Also, a Coupe Version is being planned....

I want to kill it! SUCH a stupid car. Great idea, but not practical.

by Standaman94 Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 21:50

A coupe version would look like a spaceship. And spaceships are cooool Very Happy

by RumbleBee 392 Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:15

Would it shoot laser beams and abduct cows?

by F4H bandicoot Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:16

I wonder why they actually split. Unless they're developing their own car for P1 or something.

by Wooflers Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:18

Shame it got knocked off at LM last year. I really liked it, though thankfully we didn't see the crumple zones tested Very Happy

by RumbleBee 392 Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:25

I like the technology behind it, but the car it self was distasteful IMO. All those engineers on it and that couldn't even make it resemble a car, but had to rely on an airplane design :/

I think they split cuz Don P. said "hey I can make it better" and they said ok. And Nissan pulled cuz their parts when gonna be in it.

by **CQR Rogue** Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:27

nissan pulled for p1

forward thinking technology is always laughed at

by ShrinkingSteven Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:28

Its all about the Green GT H2. lol!

This years ACO money scheme. Hilarious

by XPR Roadrunner Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:34

maybe Nissan finally firgured ou tit was a waste of time/money

by F4H bandicoot Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:37

It's very marmite isn't it aha. People always have split opinions over new stuff though, then a few years later the concept can becomes the norm.

by F4H Carrera Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:40

Mazda engine hahahahahahhahahahahahahhahah. Might last two hours with some trips to the garage in between!
Edit - oh wait it's not the diesel. My moment of laughter has now gone.

by F4H Bullet Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 22:47

Lolz at Ash. Razz

by RumbleBee 392 Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 23:10

So the future racecars will look like planes? scratch

by HCR generaltso Wed 6 Feb 2013 - 23:39

F4H bandicoot wrote: Unless they're developing their own car for P1 or something.

i think it's because they are the leading supplier of P2 engines and they dont want it doing battle against other p2 cars that may possibly pop up in the new grand am/alms merger

though i really dont know. maybe the don selling everything off spooked them even more.

by XPR Roadrunner Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 0:04

DW is STUPID!

I hope someone (me..) goes to the factory and burns every single one and then deletes all the stuff from their computers so they can't make it ever again.

trololol.

But seriously...dumb dumb dumb

by Ax4x Chaddy Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 0:34

DeltaWing looked good and it did work, plus it had a Scotsman driving it! Very Happy

by nickyf1 Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 1:04

This is good, it opens up an opportunity for what the Delta Wing was intended for, the basis of an open formula.

Albeit, not as an Indycar..
Nissan Splits from the DeltaWing! 2012-delta-wing-indycar-race-car-concept_100306147_l

Nissan Splits from the DeltaWing! 2012-delta-wing-indycar-race-car-concept_100306147_l

by Mr Akina Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 1:10

Hopefully RML will take the engine and stick it in the back of a Micra.

I'd pay to go and watch a Deltawing race. I liked it. Needed Batman sponsorship though.

by **LMR DarthMario** Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 1:13

closed cockpit? it looking more like a fighter jet?! i'm plenty curious now!!

by TG Wormburner Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 1:25

It's designed that way so that it is efficient.

I once nearly made a complete idiot of myself. I got to go to Petit as a VIP with Turn 10 before the Forza 4 launch. I had participant passes and everything, it was really neat. I was walking with the head guys from Turn 10 and a few developers and we went into the Porsche tent then left to go into the Panoz tent. The Abruzzi wasn't racing but was sitting there and we go in and idiot Simmons here says "I just thought that thing was ugly in pictures and tv. It looks disgusting in person." I was immediately shushed and left the tent and told that Panoz and all of those people were really close to me when I said it. A few of the guys were laughing about it and said yes it was ugly but damn. I felt like the biggest fool on earth.

BTW, the Delta Wing in person is a lot better than pictures do it justice. I'd take it over that damn Abruzzi!

by XPR Roadrunner Thu 7 Feb 2013 - 2:10

I'm not saying it LOOKS stupid. It does look rather badass.

The whole concept of having a rather shortend front track then the rear, leaves it acting like a Reliant Robin (as witnessed at Petit Practice last year) when anything massive hits it.

Plus it's a hazard when no one else can see it on track (as witnessed at Le Mans...2x)

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