Lotus in with aero kit in 2012

[Hoop-98]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85623

'Lotus Cars motorsport director Claudio Berro said: "We plan to do our own bodykit. It is a natural evolution of our involvement in the IndyCar Series."


seems like good news?

rh

[SUBARUTEAM]

that is great news. i really think that the IRL have got it right with the new car ("car of tomorrow" if you like)

[SUBARUTEAM]

Hoop, i like your auto signiture man!!

3 Indy car fans to change a light?
1 changes a bulb, 2 discuss how great it was before electricity


that is funny and so true!!!

[NickFalzone]

Good news. For me, this gives the IRL chassis-plan some real legitimacy. Get 2-3 other aero manufacturers on board by the end of the year and I'll be very satisfied.

[Easy Drifter]

Oh Lord, do NOT call it the car of tomorrow!
That thing is a flippin disaster.

[elan 02]

If you listened to BB's video clip about body part kits he says they will need to be approved by him (irl) and built by him (approved manufactor/Dallara) so who wins???

[ezhop7]

The Aero kits will not have that much difference because all of the kits must fit the same style chassis (Dallara) so aero wise one company might build a better aero kit for short ovals whereas another might focus more superspeedways/road courses, but I really don't think you see radical differences. I think in the near term 2 to 4 companies will answer the bell with kits, but aero work is really expensive

So a company looking to get involved in the 2012 Aero kit should also want to have some business to business relationship with a 2012 Indycar engine supplier..... say Lotus-Ford, Honda-Honda, or Dallara-Cosworth. Return on investment will be a key factor in entering this business arena.

[Chamoo]

I'm surprised more people have not commented on this. I thought this would be seen as terrific news! I have been silent lately, but this is a big win for the IICS.

Lotus and Dallara are now confirmed for building the aero-kits for the cars for 2012.

One thing I thought of, is that we will probably see a Honda aero-kit for the cars. No one ever really talks about Honda building an aero-kit for the cars because they are so entrenched in the engine side of the equation, but why wouldn't they want to badge the cars as well. Instead of having a Dallara-Honda win Indy, why not have a Honda-Honda?

[nigelred5]

Sure, any commitment helps, but lotus is not exactly mainstream to joe schmoe, and well, This Lotus it isn't exactly my father's Lotus. I still can't keep track of how that name is being bantered around between race teams and manufacturers and the family.

I'll be excited when I see a couple more mainstream manufacturers jump into the engine game along with a couple chassis/aero companies to provide the plastics. I guess the aero bit is where i see this whole program falls down. Aero development is the bottomless pit of auto racing, and there surely isn't a bottomless pit of money to develop or support it. That said, I expect we'll see more commitment once the particulars of the package are sorted out. hopefully the economy will be sorted out a little better by 2012 as well.

Gimme a VW kit with an engine based on the turbo world engine and it will be just like the good ol kit car days. :)

[NickFalzone]

Kind of a long video, but a lot of interesting details from Gil and Barnhart on the engine and chassis packages. This was from a Q&A last week at Mid-Ohio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUhWMrv2urU

[nigelred5]

Well now I see jimmy vasser and takuma sato driving a Cosworth V6 powered Lotus GT car at Laguna Seca. Soooo, COSWORTH does already have a V6 racing engine. Looks like maybe Lotus could be in with more than just a body kit. KV Racing the " factory" Lotus/cosworth team? Hmmmmmm.

[Chris R]

great news!!!!

[nigelred5]

Pure speculation on my part of course... :)

[grungex]

A massive stretch, as that's the motor from a Camry....

[V12]

Great news if it comes together, one small step and all that - let's see who else declares an interest...