+jan christian Frodahl Turbos they are back in f1, but I see what you are saying, it was an entertaining era of f1, when turbos first came in. but now they have better power delivery, more efficient, but v6 configuration with which means bland as hell sound compared to even 4 cylinder turbos. the engines are not the showpiece the 80s turbos were, the better tyres and better chassis have made turbo modern f1 turbo f1 cars far less entertaining then the crazy 80s were. also you don't get 1500hp qualifying special engines that are made to last the outlap, the fast lap, in inlap and then blowup, now teams have to use 4 or 5 engines for a whole season.
I'm fine with the Delta Wing (or derivatives) racing in Le Mans. What I'm not fine with is LMP1 turning into a standardized Delta Wing lookalike class. I don't want to see a field of Delta Wings racing for the title, I want a mixed field showing not only the Delta Wing, but the diesel Audi R18 and the petrol Porsche 919. Le Mans is about proving the technology of the cars. Standardizing cars in the pursuit of "driver vs driver" competition is against the spirit of Le Mans.
Precisely. The tech in this car is very different than in any other car. They have used some very different technical approach, relying heavily on different mathematical equations and solutions for weight, drag, G-forces and suspension to build this car that is very different than any other car. Le Mans should as always be the proving ground for races between different and new technology and not as you say races between drivers.
I agree with all of you above and I truly wish there was a racing competition for land vehicles in general where everything within safety would be allowed. Like every competitor would put their own special ideas down to designing and try for the best result achievable. But, I ve heard the opinion that, this way, the winners would be almost everytime the ones with most money put on the project and that wouldnt make it much of a competition. Nevertheless, that's just one opinion.
Nemesis100000000 Yeah well. The closest thing we have to that discipline would be the current state of Le Mans. Sure, aesthetically there isn't much difference between the R18 e-tron quattro, the 919 Hybrid, and the TS040, but the drivetrains are worlds apart (and that's what I love about LMP1. There is actual R&D that may see its way to road-going cars).
3 years later....look where all of Ben Bowlys projects have ended up? nissans hilarous fwd lmp1 effort, joke. this car? joke only good at one track daytona. if anything ben is a good salesman maybe even con artist considering what he did to panoz
+euroaaRON1 Jesus saved me from the pit of anxiety and depression, and further suicidal thoughts... Jesus loves us so much, that He suffered and died for us, so we wouldn't have to go to hell as punishment for sinning against God... Confess to God that we are all sinners, who desperately need a saviour, and confess that Jesus is your Lord and saviour, and if you really mean it from your heart, you need to stop willfully sinning and the moment you accept Christ, the Holy Spirit will come dwell in you and He will be your helper and comforter, i speak from experience, i accepted Jesus and then received the Holy Spirit, and my life actually changed its not a lie, it pretty much confirms that the Bible really is God's Word, because i felt the Holy Spirit's presence before i even knew what the Holy Spirit did... Im not forcing you to accept Him, but im begging you to consider Him :)
@@aaronisgrate that Nissan LMP1 was a set of unfortunate circumstances. If you knew anything about it you would know that it could've completely revolutionised the sport.
@@andymb601 I know quite a bit about it. The biggest problem was the garbage torotrak flywheel hybrid system. If it worked as they claim the gtr lmp1 would have dominated lemans.
A 50 min episode where Ben Bowlby just blabs on about the technicalities of this engeenering marble would have been awesome! WHY DID YOU CUT IT SHORT! :)
No doubt man. This car is really cool and he does an excellent job explaining things that are far above my understanding and makes it easy to follow. I'd watch that.
I just wanna point out that most work making this car was done by Panoz since they don't get enough credit for it. Nissan didn't do much more than supply the engine, which was a Chevy engine with Juke injectors, and considering the whole ZEOD legal fiasco, I doubt there's much more I need to say.
AndyMB601 yup. If you look closely it says “powered by” Nissan. They must have cut some kind of deal with Nissan for branding in exchange for the engines.
Just for the record the Deltawing (the red show car and the black race cars) were built by Dan Gurney's All American Racers. Panoz didn't build a single part of it. AAR had nothing to do with the car when it was chrome or when it became the Zeod.
Having watched plenty of motor tech interview over the years, I would say this is one of the most enjoyable. Normally it would feel somewhat dragged, but the suspension bit was extremely fascinating. I must have rewind 3-4 times just to hear the explanation again. Great stuff.
Listening to Ben Bowlby talk about the characteristics of this car for 3 minutes makes you realize how incredibly genius the engineers involved in motor racing really are and understanding how to make a car faster/lighter/more efficient/innovative etc etc etc. Would love to see more about the Delta Wing
The more I read and see about this car. The more it amazes me. I really wish they could find a place to race it. Thanks for uploading these great cars for us.
After Looking at this and the LMP1 project, I have to admire Nissan for doing things a bit differently in order to achieve the same goals (and work bloody well). THATS what innovation is.
Martin Stander unfortunately when the designer needed an engine, most companies said no. Nissan said yes, but their name wasn’t to be on it (as they first thought it would crash and kill the driver). Nissan give them a Chevy engine (with Nissan Juke injectors) and claim the whole car design as theirs. Then the designer went to work for Nissan and they make a clone of the original. I believe the first design was a crazy idea for the then (2009) Indy car design, which obviously Indy car thought it as bonkers.
It's not nissan. Nissan just borrow the model concept and strap it with chevy engine and called it their model. They even had internal memo to not double down on that grey area or facing legal battle, which eventually did
No, they love throwing darts in the dark and hoping they stick on the dartboard first time. They dropped both of Bens projects as soon as they realized how uncompetitive they were and the resources needed to make them competitive [in their eyes]. I don't believe either would have ever been competitive anyway though.
The really understated the amount of load on the suspension on that track. I watched many races there and been amazed at the elevation changes that are also acting on the car as it turns. Then I got a ride in a pace car, at a very modest speed, obviously, but wow! And those guys go around that series of horseshoe turns like the were shot out of a cannon. Can't wait until the FIA gets its collective head out of its collective exhaust tubes. Chris Harris is the best! And the fact that he can take a one-off car out and not prang it up is just berries for the champagne.
no kidding, this is the most interesting review of a car I have ever seen. Technical details, elaborate language, exciting story, spectacular pictures, what more can you ask for? Nissan, Chris Harris, drive, I salute you!
The design engineer is brilliant; my mouth was on the floor the whole time they were looking at the suspension system. Excellent content DRIVE. I love this channel!
I wanna see more of these racing around. Imagine a circuit chock full of these things fanging around. A new racing series; has it happened yet? If not it needs to!
Absolutely astonishing what the Drive channel has accomplished in such a short time. While I have been watching most of these people on youtube far longer and knew there potential was high, I never thought in ten months of being on they would be given the privilage to drive what is the most exclusive race car on the planet. Well done by the entire Drive team on air and behind the scenes to build something great. The sum of the parts has certainly added up to greater than the whole.
They need to upload the whole talk they have for all of these Chris Harris on cars episodes. I love hearing about all the technical aspects of these cars but they have to cut it short to make 15 min episodes. I may have just not been able to find them if someone could direct me, but if not I really hope they start showing us their whole chats in a separate video. Amazing show though, simply cant watch enough.
I was at the 2012 Petit Le Mans and was amazed at how competitive the Delta Wing was and it keeps getting better every race. What an amazing car, also Road Atlanta is an incredible track one of the best in the world. Great job by Chris Harris.
This episode is now eight years old, so we have some historical context. Unfortunately, the concept seems to have died soon after. That's a great shame, because it really is brilliant. But radical concepts often don't get as far as the DW, so I suppose we should just be grateful for its brief public life. It's the kind of thing legendary innovator Jim Hall (Chaparral) would be proud to have created, I think. To me, it looked best in this Nissan blue/white livery.
Calling from four years further into the future, and history only looks rosier as the world gets bleaker. IDK if I'd go so far as to say the Deltawing would outrun the current top class, but seeing it do what it did with ~300hp is so much more impressive than the political shithousery that dominates long-distance racing these days. I don't just miss this car. I miss what it represented: a motorsports world that was willing to allow the _idea_ of meaningful variety.
@@mitchell-wallisforce7859 I understand the sentiment, but I also understand why sanctioning bodies tend toward rules that create homogeneous cars. And, really, they always have done. Thankfully, every now and then something cool and different slips through.
One of the most rewarding videos I've watched in a long time. Well done Chris !!!! Such an impressive application of performance, design and innovation in a race car. Nice to see some people still think outside the box.
+vivalaphill I wouldn't doubt that's where the based and stole the main design from this. Most "new age new tech" things especially in aerodynamics are usually taken off planes and jets and just rework to have wheels and stay on the ground.
@@Sykotik_ Not positive but I recall the sr71 having features that reflect less radar(smaller signature) so while it's not nighthawk level stealth I'm not sure calling it stealth is wrong.
The thing that's so hard to wrap my head around is how the damn thing actually manages to go round corners, cos I've got the Top Gear episode with the Reliant Robin stuck in my head. That car is obviously much different - suspension, center of gravity, etc. The Delta Wing is a truly revolutionary and impressive piece of engineering. Probably the coolest episode of Drive yet. Great job guys.
I like Chris Harris's reviews because, in part, he is entrusted with many superb and iconic cars, especially racing cars, but this one stands apart because of the absolute off-the-wall genius of the concept of the Delta Wing and the wonderful way that the designer/engineer explains how the car works. Everything we see about racing cars tells us that a car with a wheel at each corner, with as much tyre width as regulations permit; optimized for comparatively smooth racetracks is the best available option. Well, obviously we were wrong - except this car uses exactly the same set of principles, but in a totally different way. Brilliant.
Way to go Drive, another epic video! Chris deserves to be on TV, always enjoy his insights. When he gets excited about a car, you know it's a good one!
This is real engineering! Chris stands for engineering awesome videos and Nissan for a new generation of race cars! Perfect match. This video gave me chills for what man can do and how we evolve everything we get in touch with.
I absolutely love the science involved in this car. Thank you Chris and Drive for bringing this marvel to understanding for me. I just never could wrap my head around it before this episode. This is an amazing car. Thanks again!
If you have haters, you must be doing something good. Maybe this car will be like cannibis. Those in charge will realize its positive aspects and let it race.
Thank you Chris for asking the questions about the DeltaWing that I never heard answered before. I'm such a fan of the car that I wish I could buy one and race it every day for the rest of my life.
this car has so many innovative technologies in it. The idea itself of such a design and the solutions found to enhance the already good design is just awesome. This is R&D done right. Huge thumbs up for Nissan on this one!
Holy shit, that thing is even lighter than the Jaguar R4 (the lightest Formula 1 car ever made) and Caparo T1 (a track-focused open wheel supercar which is supposedly the closest to an F1 car), which weigh less than 500 kg!
Nissan SPONSORED the Delta Wing in 2012 and provided the engine (it was a tuned version of the Juke's engine!) - Panoz worked with Ben Bowlby for the initial design and development of the car itself as a proposed IndyCar, and has been the sole development team since. Nissan likes to take credit and claim it as their own, much to the dismay of Panoz.
that would be nice but imagine with the straight bodied vehicle drivers are having a hard time driving it considering the wings on this one disaster lol
Nice idea, don't get me wrong. However, with the speed humps we have in the UK, it could never sell many (assuming they'd sell any at all in the 1st place)
My God, with a race-spec turbo rotary the thing would obliterate pretty much anything in a straight line. There's so little frontal area, and so little aero drag because it doesn't need huge wings to keep it on the ground.
That was my second thought after seeing this marvel. First was "Damn, this things can SERIOUSLY turn! Delta Wing concepts have already been proven as THE best configuration for fighter jets, why not cars?" And then "DAMN IT once again! Imagine this beast with a ROTARY in it... Even LESS weight, AND MORE POWER. Now THAT would have been some sight to see!"... And seeing this thing, is making my lost wish to become an automotive engineer burn once again.
I would indeed love to see more of that.. especially that linkage that makes it damp more when rolling.. very clever.. And about the braking.. he's right about that.. anyone driving a motorbike at high speeds knows that under heavy braking the rear actually comes off the ground, and you're basically balancing an inverted Pendulum..
At first I thought it looked kind of silly, and yeah it does, but I´m growing to like it more and more now. It reminds me of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, which has a very unique look for a plane as well.
Darri42 Very cool plane. Not so cool fuel efficiency, though. As you may know, it was built with gaps in the plating and fuel tank so that, when it got to a higher speed, causing the metal to heat up and expand, the gaps would close, rather than destroying the plane. It actually leaked fuel when on the ground. Very cool plane!
kr00k3d100 it also leaked hydraulic fluid like crazy on the ground when not running because there was not enough pressure in the system which always made a mess.
I'm now in animal rescue (landed there by coincidence), but my heart still is in engineering/cars/techincal stuff like this and the way presented by Chris. I indeed can keep on listening and watching this - insane reports. Compliments Chris!
This DeltaWing is just awesome! Finally something exciting and a completely new way of thinking for the motor-sport world. Having been waiting for ages for something like this to show up. Hopefully it finds a future to keep us entertained and wondering.
The small part of my brain that can even come close to understanding this car is going mad. The way Chris and the engineer go into explaining it is amazing.
One of very few interesting cars that has appeared in recent times. It kept me interested in motorsport while it was around. Its appearance offered motorsport a chance to encourage the development of some radical new ideas but instead the door was closed on it and now we are back to the same old stuff that has been around for years.
So cool for Ben to shake up the car and racing world by defying convention. I love it. His technological and mathematical prowess and education, and many other things, have been expressed as the Delta Wing. It's all wrapped up in a Batman - like skin. I'm glad modern technology has allowed him to materialize his thoughts. Imagine others who were ahead of their time who would make our minds explode if they were alive now. So effing cool.
The best engineers are those that look at history, and decide to change it. Chassis engineering and our understanding of vehicle dynamics have advanced more than you can imagine since the Robin. I believe that this is the race car of the future. This engineer made this thing fairly recently, and it is already competitive with cars that have had their designs perfected for years. When this design is perfected it will blow everything else off of the track.
This guy is a genius. Not only the fact that he designed all this, the rear suspension and all the theory about the balance loads on the front vs the rear but also the way he talks about it. Not in a nerdy statistic way but in a way everyone can understand it. I think it's fair to say Ben Bowlby is the new hero of us, petrolheads?
Phenomenal! I have found the Delta Wing totally intriguing since its outset. I had no idea of how the suspension would work, and how it'd be different from a conventional race car. Keep up the great, great work.
What a trip! I have watched so many races at that track over the past 35 years, and have ridden around it in a PR car, and I could not believe how quickly Chris Harris was going from the get-go. Can't wait to see it, maybe at Sebring in the Spring of 14 if they run then. This is the first really "first principles" racing car since the Chaparrals of the 60s to my way of thinking. I hope the FIA and the organizers will allow more iterations on this theme.
i have to admit. when i first saw pictures of this car it made no sense to me. but now, thanks to your video, it makes a little more sense. and its very exciting. great work... to both you guys... and to a man named Ben.
Saw this freaky beast race at Petit Le Mans. It totally stole the show, even from the show-stealing Rebellion #12 and the blinding-chrome Ferraris. Every time it came around turns 10A and 10B, we all just laughed with amazement and pure pleasure. Whoever designed the rear-fender headlights deserves a huge bonus for artistry. You simply have to see this little monster coming at you, all lit up at 180mph, to believe it's real. Major props to Nismo, and that comes from a die-hard Toyota fan...
It is a fantastic lesson in driving and engineering. The car was built on the principles of what is possible, not specifically for an event This video stands out as one of the finest lessons in engineering, physics and driving feedback I've ever seen.
If you are a car guy/gal WATCH, be amazed, and then LEARN from the Engineer who developed the car. A lesson in Physics not to be missed. Do not think of this car as a certified race car YET. It is a Prototype only. But, oh what a Prototype. Reminds me of my 1949 Ford Coupe! LOL!
Ben Bowlby is a Great Fucking Engineer !! Not everyone is able to explain in a simply way things like this and the amount of forces and knowledge that it's related to this car it's enormous and amazes me!! And he's got real passion , can feel it while he speaks. My best wishes man
Awesome vid Chris!!! Really loved this and love this car. Don't worry about the nerdy stuff I could have heard 30 min more of it for my part what an amazing feat of engineering. Its far too easy these days to think that everything in the "autosphere" has been has all but been perfected and everything new is simply a reiteration of old ideas but what we are dealing with here is some genuine bona fide original out-of-the-box thinking. What a genius that Ben!
It's always fun when engineers say, "Screw it! Let's build it and see what happens."
+Mike which is why I miss F1 back in the 70s... fan car, 6 wheeler, ground effects car...
+speedometer111 I miss the turbo`s :/
+jan christian Frodahl Turbos they are back in f1, but I see what you are saying, it was an entertaining era of f1, when turbos first came in. but now they have better power delivery, more efficient, but v6 configuration with which means bland as hell sound compared to even 4 cylinder turbos. the engines are not the showpiece the 80s turbos were, the better tyres and better chassis have made turbo modern f1 turbo f1 cars far less entertaining then the crazy 80s were. also you don't get 1500hp qualifying special engines that are made to last the outlap, the fast lap, in inlap and then blowup, now teams have to use 4 or 5 engines for a whole season.
yeah it was crazy _p
Don't you mean Can Am ?
I'm fine with the Delta Wing (or derivatives) racing in Le Mans.
What I'm not fine with is LMP1 turning into a standardized Delta Wing lookalike class. I don't want to see a field of Delta Wings racing for the title, I want a mixed field showing not only the Delta Wing, but the diesel Audi R18 and the petrol Porsche 919.
Le Mans is about proving the technology of the cars. Standardizing cars in the pursuit of "driver vs driver" competition is against the spirit of Le Mans.
Precisely. The tech in this car is very different than in any other car. They have used some very different technical approach, relying heavily on different mathematical equations and solutions for weight, drag, G-forces and suspension to build this car that is very different than any other car. Le Mans should as always be the proving ground for races between different and new technology and not as you say races between drivers.
I agree with you 100%
I agree with all of you above and I truly wish there was a racing competition for land vehicles in general where everything within safety would be allowed. Like every competitor would put their own special ideas down to designing and try for the best result achievable. But, I ve heard the opinion that, this way, the winners would be almost everytime the ones with most money put on the project and that wouldnt make it much of a competition. Nevertheless, that's just one opinion.
Nemesis100000000
Yeah well.
The closest thing we have to that discipline would be the current state of Le Mans.
Sure, aesthetically there isn't much difference between the R18 e-tron quattro, the 919 Hybrid, and the TS040, but the drivetrains are worlds apart (and that's what I love about LMP1. There is actual R&D that may see its way to road-going cars).
less regulation more innovation
Obviously Batman had the right idea.
Ben is an incredibly articulate and innovative engineer. He clearly knows his craft and is not afraid to try off-the-wall ideas. Kudos.
Muslim Killer why so strange behavior and username?
3 years later....look where all of Ben Bowlys projects have ended up?
nissans hilarous fwd lmp1 effort, joke. this car? joke only good at one track daytona. if anything ben is a good salesman maybe even con artist considering what he did to panoz
+euroaaRON1 Jesus saved me from the pit of anxiety and depression, and further suicidal thoughts... Jesus loves us so much, that He suffered and died for us, so we wouldn't have to go to hell as punishment for sinning against God... Confess to God that we are all sinners, who desperately need a saviour, and confess that Jesus is your Lord and saviour, and if you really mean it from your heart, you need to stop willfully sinning and the moment you accept Christ, the Holy Spirit will come dwell in you and He will be your helper and comforter, i speak from experience, i accepted Jesus and then received the Holy Spirit, and my life actually changed its not a lie, it pretty much confirms that the Bible really is God's Word, because i felt the Holy Spirit's presence before i even knew what the Holy Spirit did... Im not forcing you to accept Him, but im begging you to consider Him :)
@@aaronisgrate that Nissan LMP1 was a set of unfortunate circumstances. If you knew anything about it you would know that it could've completely revolutionised the sport.
@@andymb601 I know quite a bit about it. The biggest problem was the garbage torotrak flywheel hybrid system. If it worked as they claim the gtr lmp1 would have dominated lemans.
A 50 min episode where Ben Bowlby just blabs on about the technicalities of this engeenering marble would have been awesome! WHY DID YOU CUT IT SHORT! :)
You mean engineering marvel? I don't think it's engineered from marble.
DERP.... yeah thanks ;)
Still a lot of room for improvement on my secondary language i see....
No doubt man. This car is really cool and he does an excellent job explaining things that are far above my understanding and makes it easy to follow. I'd watch that.
Hey PampersNorway you gave me a good laugh there you keep up the English you want to speak man.
The didn't even talk about how the car handles turbulence.
I just wanna point out that most work making this car was done by Panoz since they don't get enough credit for it. Nissan didn't do much more than supply the engine, which was a Chevy engine with Juke injectors, and considering the whole ZEOD legal fiasco, I doubt there's much more I need to say.
AndyMB601 yup. If you look closely it says “powered by” Nissan. They must have cut some kind of deal with Nissan for branding in exchange for the engines.
Just for the record the Deltawing (the red show car and the black race cars) were built by Dan Gurney's All American Racers. Panoz didn't build a single part of it. AAR had nothing to do with the car when it was chrome or when it became the Zeod.
Having watched plenty of motor tech interview over the years, I would say this is one of the most enjoyable. Normally it would feel somewhat dragged, but the suspension bit was extremely fascinating. I must have rewind 3-4 times just to hear the explanation again. Great stuff.
Great video. I could listen and watch Ben talk about that car for hours... Thanks Chris.
That is an Engineering marvel....
Aravinda Pathiranage agree 100% i think its a brilliant design
indeed 👍
Love this video. Just the right balance of excitement around the track, followed by the technical wizardry that makes it possible.
Listening to Ben Bowlby talk about the characteristics of this car for 3 minutes makes you realize how incredibly genius the engineers involved in motor racing really are and understanding how to make a car faster/lighter/more efficient/innovative etc etc etc. Would love to see more about the Delta Wing
when i first saw the concept of the car i didn't think it would be such a success.. really amazing stuff right there
I wish we could have heard more of the technical and engineering feats in this car, the engineering is absolutely fucking sublime!
The more I read and see about this car. The more it amazes me. I really wish they could find a place to race it. Thanks for uploading these great cars for us.
After Looking at this and the LMP1 project, I have to admire Nissan for doing things a bit differently in order to achieve the same goals (and work bloody well). THATS what innovation is.
Martin Stander unfortunately when the designer needed an engine, most companies said no. Nissan said yes, but their name wasn’t to be on it (as they first thought it would crash and kill the driver). Nissan give them a Chevy engine (with Nissan Juke injectors) and claim the whole car design as theirs. Then the designer went to work for Nissan and they make a clone of the original. I believe the first design was a crazy idea for the then (2009) Indy car design, which obviously Indy car thought it as bonkers.
It's not nissan. Nissan just borrow the model concept and strap it with chevy engine and called it their model. They even had internal memo to not double down on that grey area or facing legal battle, which eventually did
Almost 7 years later and I still come here to say "damn, this must have been fucking awesome". Chris, love your stuff!
does it have to be around 15mins long, wouldnt mind a longer video
Part of the reason why I love Nissan, they love weird and ingenuity. This car is just so weird! I love it! Good job on the inventive minds behind it
No, they love throwing darts in the dark and hoping they stick on the dartboard first time. They dropped both of Bens projects as soon as they realized how uncompetitive they were and the resources needed to make them competitive [in their eyes]. I don't believe either would have ever been competitive anyway though.
The really understated the amount of load on the suspension on that track. I watched many races there and been amazed at the elevation changes that are also acting on the car as it turns. Then I got a ride in a pace car, at a very modest speed, obviously, but wow! And those guys go around that series of horseshoe turns like the were shot out of a cannon. Can't wait until the FIA gets its collective head out of its collective exhaust tubes. Chris Harris is the best! And the fact that he can take a one-off car out and not prang it up is just berries for the champagne.
no kidding, this is the most interesting review of a car I have ever seen. Technical details, elaborate language, exciting story, spectacular pictures, what more can you ask for? Nissan, Chris Harris, drive, I salute you!
I feel like I'm in school when he's explaining, only i LOVE it! tell me MORE!
The design engineer is brilliant; my mouth was on the floor the whole time they were looking at the suspension system.
Excellent content DRIVE. I love this channel!
I wanna see more of these racing around. Imagine a circuit chock full of these things fanging around. A new racing series; has it happened yet? If not it needs to!
TougeBoss would be called formula delta
Absolutely astonishing what the Drive channel has accomplished in such a short time. While I have been watching most of these people on youtube far longer and knew there potential was high, I never thought in ten months of being on they would be given the privilage to drive what is the most exclusive race car on the planet. Well done by the entire Drive team on air and behind the scenes to build something great. The sum of the parts has certainly added up to greater than the whole.
They need to upload the whole talk they have for all of these Chris Harris on cars episodes. I love hearing about all the technical aspects of these cars but they have to cut it short to make 15 min episodes. I may have just not been able to find them if someone could direct me, but if not I really hope they start showing us their whole chats in a separate video. Amazing show though, simply cant watch enough.
I was at the 2012 Petit Le Mans and was amazed at how competitive the Delta Wing was and it keeps getting better every race. What an amazing car, also Road Atlanta is an incredible track one of the best in the world. Great job by Chris Harris.
This was more of a panoz project. Nissian just happened to give them a little money to source Chevy engines
Isn't that the reason we probably won't see it? Pretty sure I heard somewhere that there was/is litigation.
@@kaiying74 Yes. Settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, as usual.
Brilliant segment on a brilliant design thanks for a very entertaining show. Thanks to everyone involved in making this for your time and efforts.
This episode is now eight years old, so we have some historical context. Unfortunately, the concept seems to have died soon after. That's a great shame, because it really is brilliant. But radical concepts often don't get as far as the DW, so I suppose we should just be grateful for its brief public life. It's the kind of thing legendary innovator Jim Hall (Chaparral) would be proud to have created, I think. To me, it looked best in this Nissan blue/white livery.
Shame the politics of racing seems to have done what all politics have done, kill innovation.
@@stevenwilliams1805 politics seems to be a big issue in F1 too
Calling from four years further into the future, and history only looks rosier as the world gets bleaker. IDK if I'd go so far as to say the Deltawing would outrun the current top class, but seeing it do what it did with ~300hp is so much more impressive than the political shithousery that dominates long-distance racing these days.
I don't just miss this car. I miss what it represented: a motorsports world that was willing to allow the _idea_ of meaningful variety.
@@mitchell-wallisforce7859
I understand the sentiment, but I also understand why sanctioning bodies tend toward rules that create homogeneous cars. And, really, they always have done. Thankfully, every now and then something cool and different slips through.
One of the most rewarding videos I've watched in a long time. Well done Chris !!!! Such an impressive application of performance, design and innovation in a race car. Nice to see some people still think outside the box.
from the top it looks like a sr71 stealth jet.
vivalaphill becausedeltawing
+vivalaphill I wouldn't doubt that's where the based and stole the main design from this. Most "new age new tech" things especially in aerodynamics are usually taken off planes and jets and just rework to have wheels and stay on the ground.
+Peanutsreveng3 And the twin vertical "fins"..
Except the SR-71 isn't stealth :^)
@@Sykotik_ Not positive but I recall the sr71 having features that reflect less radar(smaller signature) so while it's not nighthawk level stealth I'm not sure calling it stealth is wrong.
Incredible video.
One of Drive's best, from the commentary to the camera work. All very well done.
Amazing, British engineering talent.
One of the best technical descriptions of engineering I've heard in...... we'll, a long ass time! Excellent. Good luck to the project!
Just being anal but the 2CV had wider tyres than this - 125mm vs 100mm. I feel so much better for getting that off my chest
Anal or not it was a nice addition of information, cool to know this goes around corners with even narrower tires.
@Jeremy Robertson 2cv are front wheel drive.
ANAL...
😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@MrCalverino no Rocco, not that kind of anal you are thinking of.
@@energymc22 I had a Beavis & Butthead moment 😂
The thing that's so hard to wrap my head around is how the damn thing actually manages to go round corners, cos I've got the Top Gear episode with the Reliant Robin stuck in my head. That car is obviously much different - suspension, center of gravity, etc. The Delta Wing is a truly revolutionary and impressive piece of engineering. Probably the coolest episode of Drive yet. Great job guys.
You know it has to work when youve got Bill Nye the second explaining it to you ;P
I like Chris Harris's reviews because, in part, he is entrusted with many superb and iconic cars, especially racing cars, but this one stands apart because of the absolute off-the-wall genius of the concept of the Delta Wing and the wonderful way that the designer/engineer explains how the car works. Everything we see about racing cars tells us that a car with a wheel at each corner, with as much tyre width as regulations permit; optimized for comparatively smooth racetracks is the best available option. Well, obviously we were wrong - except this car uses exactly the same set of principles, but in a totally different way. Brilliant.
Can we get like a 4 houre video of them talking like that about the car please
Last week was disapointing, but this episode is fantastic.
I learned a lot about this awesome racecar, thank you so much Chris for all the good work.
Truly amazing...
Way to go Drive, another epic video! Chris deserves to be on TV, always enjoy his insights. When he gets excited about a car, you know it's a good one!
Anyone else notice he about ran the dude over at 6:15?
yep
@@GIitchclan12 it didnt hurt because of how light the car is.
Isn't that the dude's job to stand there and help the car stop? 🤔🤔🤔🤔
This is real engineering! Chris stands for engineering awesome videos and Nissan for a new generation of race cars! Perfect match. This video gave me chills for what man can do and how we evolve everything we get in touch with.
this is brilliant!
I absolutely love the science involved in this car. Thank you Chris and Drive for bringing this marvel to understanding for me. I just never could wrap my head around it before this episode. This is an amazing car. Thanks again!
If you have haters, you must be doing something good.
Maybe this car will be like cannibis. Those in charge will realize its positive aspects and let it race.
Thank you Chris for asking the questions about the DeltaWing that I never heard answered before. I'm such a fan of the car that I wish I could buy one and race it every day for the rest of my life.
Wanted to see Chris powerslide this beast into turn 1 lmao.
Haven't been amazed at a piece of engineering in while.
Watched the races, it is just awesome!
I want more... engineering explained
this car has so many innovative technologies in it. The idea itself of such a design and the solutions found to enhance the already good design is just awesome. This is R&D done right. Huge thumbs up for Nissan on this one!
Batman would definitely buy one...
I love watching Chris’s videos. He’s such a good driver but humble. Best automotive journalist out there..👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
417kg
When you actually weigh a quarter of your car...
Edit: as an engineer this is sublime
Holy shit, that thing is even lighter than the Jaguar R4 (the lightest Formula 1 car ever made) and Caparo T1 (a track-focused open wheel supercar which is supposedly the closest to an F1 car), which weigh less than 500 kg!
@@MDDeGrande1994 lightest F1 car was the 1958 Lotus Climax weighing in at 320kg or 706lbs
Wow... Just wow. This car is an absolute engineering masterpiece. Gets me all excited for the future of racing.
Was it Nissan or panoz that developed the deltawing?
Initally, it was Nissan who prepped this car back in 2012. From 2013 onwards, Panoz prepped it.
Nissan SPONSORED the Delta Wing in 2012 and provided the engine (it was a tuned version of the Juke's engine!) - Panoz worked with Ben Bowlby for the initial design and development of the car itself as a proposed IndyCar, and has been the sole development team since. Nissan likes to take credit and claim it as their own, much to the dismay of Panoz.
@@admkbldwn It was not Nissan engine at all. RML engine based off a Chevy Cobalt. Nissan supplied the throttle Body only.
I'd quite happily listen to how the car works for 50 minutes. Absolutely brilliant.
I really wish they would try to develop a road legal version of this car.
that would be nice but imagine with the straight bodied vehicle drivers are having a hard time driving it considering the wings on this one disaster lol
Nice idea, don't get me wrong. However, with the speed humps we have in the UK, it could never sell many (assuming they'd sell any at all in the 1st place)
This car was one of the most exciting things to watch at that race. Every time it went by you couldn't help but smile.
Imagine if Mazda had stepped in instead... it would have a rotary engine as well! =D
My God, with a race-spec turbo rotary the thing would obliterate pretty much anything in a straight line. There's so little frontal area, and so little aero drag because it doesn't need huge wings to keep it on the ground.
Imagine having the engine of the Mazda Furai in this thing...😍
It would sound pretty cool, but that's it.
That was my second thought after seeing this marvel.
First was "Damn, this things can SERIOUSLY turn! Delta Wing concepts have already been proven as THE best configuration for fighter jets, why not cars?"
And then "DAMN IT once again! Imagine this beast with a ROTARY in it... Even LESS weight, AND MORE POWER. Now THAT would have been some sight to see!"...
And seeing this thing, is making my lost wish to become an automotive engineer burn once again.
Not a huge race fan and didn't understand some of it.. BUT Easily one of the most interesting stories I have watched in a long time. Thank you
The camera work was pretty poor when he was explaining the rear suspension and the roll damping. Otherwise another great episode from /DRIVE
I would indeed love to see more of that.. especially that linkage that makes it damp more when rolling.. very clever..
And about the braking.. he's right about that.. anyone driving a motorbike at high speeds knows that under heavy braking the rear actually comes off the ground, and you're basically balancing an inverted Pendulum..
Listening to the engineers talk, it gives me goosebumps knowing how much thought and intelligence has gone in to this amazing machine
Can you please put a 800hp V10 in the back and make it a racing series that shits on current F1?
it still would be slower but would love to watch
800hp v10 in a 400kg chassis> 900hp v6 in a 600 kg chassis
Slower? F1 cars have 800 hp. This car has just over 300 hp. Think about that for a bit.
nowhere near the amount of downforce
and a 800 hp v10 would way about 200kg on its own..
Chris, I could watch your videos for hours. Great as always.
The car honestly is exactly like a penis. It looks terribly ugly, but it's very effective at its job.
At first I thought it looked kind of silly, and yeah it does, but I´m growing to like it more and more now. It reminds me of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, which has a very unique look for a plane as well.
Darri42 Very cool plane. Not so cool fuel efficiency, though. As you may know, it was built with gaps in the plating and fuel tank so that, when it got to a higher speed, causing the metal to heat up and expand, the gaps would close, rather than destroying the plane. It actually leaked fuel when on the ground. Very cool plane!
not at all, it's unconventiona, yes, but that's what makes it beautiful. To me at least, it's very cool.
kr00k3d100 it also leaked hydraulic fluid like crazy on the ground when not running because there was not enough pressure in the system which always made a mess.
TURTLEMMC23 hydraulic fluid is nasty too, highly corrosive.
I'm now in animal rescue (landed there by coincidence), but my heart still is in engineering/cars/techincal stuff like this and the way presented by Chris. I indeed can keep on listening and watching this - insane reports. Compliments Chris!
I'm so afraid of balding
Dont worry, I started balding at the age of 18. :)
niceprince When you are having a good life like traveling the world regularly its easy not to even car anymore.
+niceprince don't be brah, i've been balding since 18, been shaving my head for years and fucking love it
That rear suspension is SICK, the whole thing is sick. Just wow, what a total departure from what we all understand is how a car works.
me love it
it will stop, double the wheels
Awesome footage and intriguing yet very logical theory of the Delta Wing. Looks awesome to drive.
I think it's crap, I really do
+coawler oz
that's what your mother said when you were born
+coawler oz that is what your gf said
+coawler oz no one cares
This DeltaWing is just awesome! Finally something exciting and a completely new way of thinking for the motor-sport world. Having been waiting for ages for something like this to show up. Hopefully it finds a future to keep us entertained and wondering.
Great / Interesting / informative / beautifully shot video.
Thanks Chris.
The small part of my brain that can even come close to understanding this car is going mad. The way Chris and the engineer go into explaining it is amazing.
That thing is superb..... i could listen to this stuff all day as well!! Great Car design and it looks as if it is quite easy to drive..... superb!!
Truly amazing that a machine does the opposite to what you would have expected. Great job and great video.
One of very few interesting cars that has appeared in recent times. It kept me interested in motorsport while it was around. Its appearance offered motorsport a chance to encourage the development of some radical new ideas but instead the door was closed on it and now we are back to the same old stuff that has been around for years.
So cool for Ben to shake up the car and racing world by defying convention. I love it. His technological and mathematical prowess and education, and many other things, have been expressed as the Delta Wing. It's all wrapped up in a Batman - like skin. I'm glad modern technology has allowed him to materialize his thoughts. Imagine others who were ahead of their time who would make our minds explode if they were alive now. So effing cool.
Just perfect shots! Awesome camera work!
The best engineers are those that look at history, and decide to change it. Chassis engineering and our understanding of vehicle dynamics have advanced more than you can imagine since the Robin. I believe that this is the race car of the future. This engineer made this thing fairly recently, and it is already competitive with cars that have had their designs perfected for years. When this design is perfected it will blow everything else off of the track.
Thank you Chris all you work...if you can call such a dream job "work." I always wondered how this car worked and you made it happen. Thanks again.
Such a great video. Amazing technology. Chris Harris shines again
Best video i've seen for litterary a month.
Thank you!
Might be best video I've seen for the Delta Wing. Really hope that it's given enough time to grow. Would be crazy to see a class of these racing.
This was awesome! Nice mix for us who want to see the grit your teeth driving and us gear geeks too.
This guy is a genius. Not only the fact that he designed all this, the rear suspension and all the theory about the balance loads on the front vs the rear but also the way he talks about it. Not in a nerdy statistic way but in a way everyone can understand it. I think it's fair to say Ben Bowlby is the new hero of us, petrolheads?
Phenomenal! I have found the Delta Wing totally intriguing since its outset. I had no idea of how the suspension would work, and how it'd be different from a conventional race car. Keep up the great, great work.
What a trip! I have watched so many races at that track over the past 35 years, and have ridden around it in a PR car, and I could not believe how quickly Chris Harris was going from the get-go. Can't wait to see it, maybe at Sebring in the Spring of 14 if they run then. This is the first really "first principles" racing car since the Chaparrals of the 60s to my way of thinking. I hope the FIA and the organizers will allow more iterations on this theme.
i have to admit. when i first saw pictures of this car it made no sense to me. but now, thanks to your video, it makes a little more sense. and its very exciting. great work... to both you guys... and to a man named Ben.
Chris- wish you had done more on this interview and topic. This is astounding tech that will change the landscape of racing.
This is a car powered by science and magic. Kudos to the DeltaWing team for being able to make a low drag race car work.
What an awesome piece of engineering. I wouldn't mind a longer and more in-depth episode.
Saw this freaky beast race at Petit Le Mans. It totally stole the show, even from the show-stealing Rebellion #12 and the blinding-chrome Ferraris. Every time it came around turns 10A and 10B, we all just laughed with amazement and pure pleasure. Whoever designed the rear-fender headlights deserves a huge bonus for artistry. You simply have to see this little monster coming at you, all lit up at 180mph, to believe it's real. Major props to Nismo, and that comes from a die-hard Toyota fan...
It is a fantastic lesson in driving and engineering. The car was built on the principles of what is possible, not specifically for an event This video stands out as one of the finest lessons in engineering, physics and driving feedback I've ever seen.
If you are a car guy/gal WATCH, be amazed, and then LEARN from the Engineer who developed the car. A lesson in Physics not to be missed. Do not think of this car as a certified race car YET. It is a Prototype only. But, oh what a Prototype. Reminds me of my 1949 Ford Coupe! LOL!
Watching this video of CH is like watching Attenborough when he was young .... CH so different and new to this :)
The F40 vs. F50 video, now this? Chris Harris is killing it
Ben Bowlby is a Great Fucking Engineer !! Not everyone is able to explain in a simply way things like this and the amount of forces and knowledge that it's related to this car it's enormous and amazes me!! And he's got real passion , can feel it while he speaks. My best wishes man
Awesome vid Chris!!! Really loved this and love this car. Don't worry about the nerdy stuff I could have heard 30 min more of it for my part what an amazing feat of engineering. Its far too easy these days to think that everything in the "autosphere" has been has all but been perfected and everything new is simply a reiteration of old ideas but what we are dealing with here is some genuine bona fide original out-of-the-box thinking. What a genius that Ben!