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Sunday, November 1, 2009
Racing Car Honda Indy project Concept Car by Yutian Li, the vehicle's designer.
0 comments Posted by Qcist at 7:44 AM
The Honda and the Indy Racing League was sponsored by Honda Indy Racing Car project. Yutian Li,the vehicle's designer, is a graduate of the Transportation Design course at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. Yutian also holds a bachelors degree in vehicle engineering and a masters in industrial design from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
The overall shape of the Honda Indy Racing Car was inspired by modern architecture - but more specifically Zaha Hadid's work which is greatly influenced by topological patterns found in nature and has a high degree of fluidity and continuity. Yutian applied this theme to vehicle design by using a combination of blended surfaces, and crossing/overlapping shapes in order to bring a whole new look to the future Indy Car Series.
Honda Indy Racing Car
Aside from bringing completely new forms to the racing world, the Honda Indy Racing Car has also been designed to offer superior aerodynamic performance. The large integrated rear wing located above the engine creates downforce over the rear axle. This downforce is increased once the engine is up at operating temperature because of the pressure difference between hot and cold air. The side panel directs the air to go around the wheels so that rotating drag is reduced. The air box on either side of the driver and the large air intakes in the front ensure sufficient airflow to the engine.
As with all racing vehicles, driver safety in the event of a crash is the utmost priority. The driver of the Honda Indy Racing Car concept is protected by a structure which was inspired by the shape of leaves. This unit is designed to diffuse the energy of the collision, and at the same time keep the interior cockpit structure intact.
Aside from keeping the rear tires firmly in contact with the track surface, the expansive rear spoiler also acts as a prominent billboard which could make the Indy series more attractive to sponsors. The stripe which divides this spoiler in two contains a thermally sensitive material which changes color depending on engine temperature. This is designed to add more excitement to the race and the spectators.
German tuner- Wheelsandmore has released another variation on the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4. The performance of the Gallardo is amped up to 620 hp and 580 lb-ft of torque (785 Nm). Wheelsandmore achieves this increase by means of ECU tampering, a carbon airbox and a stainless steel exhaust system with valve control.
The Gallardo also comes with a beefed-up brake system to match those extra horses. 8-piston calipers are fitted at the front and 6-piston ones for the rear wheels, with 14.96 and 14.17-inch discs at front and back, respectively.
20-inch wheels are also part of the tuning kit, wrapped in 235/30/20 Dunlop Sport Maxx tires at the front (for the 8.5 x 20" rims) and 305/25/20 at the back (11.5 x 20"). The 3-piece forged rims are lightweight and come in various color and surface configurations.
The suspension gets a special coilover installed that goes up to 1.77 inches by hydraulic lift. Carbon parts added to the exterior include a rear diffuser, frontflap and side mirrors. Carbon finish is also part of the interior redecorating.
Subaru of America's in house performance division, STP (which stands for Subaru Performance Tuning), will reveal a custom-built Impreza WRX STI at the Las Vegas SEMA Show next week. The WRX STI gets all sorts of goodies from the SPT catalog such as a sportier exhaust system that boosts the 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer engine's output from 305 HP to 315 HP at 6,000 rpm with peak torque remaining stock at 290 lb.-ft. at 4,000 rpm and a turbo heat shield.
To improve handling, SPT equipped the Impreza WS STI with a set of 19-inch Prodrive GT2 alloy wheels finished in Glitter Gold and wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 245/35R19 performance tires while the car's suspension is upgraded with STI performance springs, an SPT strut tower brace and an SPT lower chassis brace.
Cosmetically, the tuned model is said to feature SPT billet oil cap and billet battery hold down, an STI front lip spoiler and SPT exhaust finishers.
Interior appointments include an SPT boost gauge, a media hub digital music integration system and an auto-dimming mirror with transflective display and HomeLink transmitter plus an STI shift knob and all-weather floor mats.
