Club Arnage

http://yfrog.com/f/mvd1rij/

Maybe going the open cockpit route for 2011?

Seems they have pulled out the PLM as well.

(http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab79/Dr_S/2377b788.jpg)

I saw that pic too, if it does end up looking like that then it will be one of, if not the, best looking LMP cars for years!
Lets hope it gets the sound to match!

Just had a 'crisis'

Those 'gills' look very AM DBS I think.

Car looks great, just hope it has the same memorable sound as the 2009/2010 LMP1 car.

Not that keen tbh. the dorsal fin does not help but lets hope it gets built and races.

Understood that the dorsal fin is an ACO requirement for 2011, or was I drunk at the time?  ;)

Yes, and probably yes. ;D

Yep it is, the new lola has a similliar device, designed to stop the sideways blowover (oh orrr) and it is required by the ACO i understand.

The "fin" is obligated on the LMP cars in 2011. 
All cars would look so much better without it ...

Nope, not keen I'm afraid. Prefer closed cars (without silly fins)

Not sure if I like that, don't like the fins, and I also prefer coupes.
Have to wait to see it 'in the carbon'

No V12 for this car I'm afraid. Its getting a bespoke racing engine of AM design. Probably a V8.

Luckily for us the old Lola AMR Coupe will be 'Grandfathered' into the new regs so we will still get that glorious noise at Le Sarthe in 2011

Been chatting to your mate again? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. ;)

>Martini...LB

The good news is that fins are now only required on newly built LMP cars. Existing LMP cars are not required to fit them and can run without them. :)

OMG who came up with that butt ugly thing?

I understand they have their hands tied on the fin but did they have to make it look like the ba$tard offspring off an F1 car and a LM prototype?

I will of course reserve final judgement until I've seen it from all angles (because it might look gorgeous from the front) for myself but first impressions are not favourable.

Dx

For what reason are the fins required? not for safety surely!
The fins make any car side on look horrendous. who started it off was it A1 GP or something that goes round in circles  ;D I can't remember.
They certainly have done nothing for the look of an F1 car  :o  :o  :o

They stop the car getting airborne if it go in to a sideways slide.
With no incentive for closed cars there all going to look very similar.

More space for ads, thinks Barry cynically.

Well I do not really want to go against the grain, BUT, I actually like the look of it, ok I know the front end goes a long way toward the looks, I wonder if there was a lot of conversation about the bump on the C & D types or were the lumps there for another reason. If there there was never any change we would all be driving model T Ford's or similar.

>Martini...LB

Probably best to stick to being a vodka consultant!

And if that allows fuller grids, and better racing, where's the harm?

This topic has got me thinking back to the current Aston LMP1 car. Dave Richards said at the time, they had taken an ugly ducking (Lola) and made it into a swan. (Aston).

Sorry David, the more I look at the Aston, its the other way around. The Lola is a much pretty design to look at than the modified Aston / Lola. The only thing going for the Aston is the Gulf colours.

Yes, as mentioned it is for safety. When a current car goes sideways the airflow over the body creates lift. This fin stalls the airflow and causes an area of high pressure over the car which keeps it sliding rather than flying.

As for the front of the car. Yes it is very pleasing on the eye. There will be some more pics coming soon.

A fin provides directional stability at high speed.  Given that the straights at Le Mans are surrounded by trees etc, you probably have less cross-wind issues, so when you want to achieve low drag at a circuit like Le Mans when the Mulsanne and the run to Indianapolis make up such a high proportion of the lap, without the feeling of everything going light and wobbly at high speed, perhaps it means you could run less aerodynamic downforce, so less drag, and a higher speed, or the same speed for less power and less fuel consumption on the straights??

MG Mark

There's an article by Lola Cars in this month's Motorsport magazine which explains all.

I tried reading it, but suddenly felt quite zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

If this pic is anything to go by asthecially what a massive step in completely the wrong direction  :o  :'(  >:(

Maybe Gene saw a relection of the car & crashed cos it's so ugly  ;D

http://www.lemans.org/en/news/Peugeot-90X-suffers-accident-on-the-Aragon-circuit_2402.html (http://www.lemans.org/en/news/Peugeot-90X-suffers-accident-on-the-Aragon-circuit_2402.html)

I like the shiney silver roof!

F

The pug's fin looks like a sheet of MDF that someone has sprayed satin black with an aerosol ;D

a very feminine technical appraisal there Fran.

Now back to the washing up dear ;D ;D ;D

Yadda yadda!!

 :P