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OPINION: Racing for the next generation
“Win on Sunday, sell on Monday!” This axiom has driven most automakers to get involved in some form of motor racing over the years, but will the old saw stand the test of time with the eco-oriented vehicles of the future, asks Jeremy Burne?
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12 Oct 2009
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RE: OPINION: Racing for the next generation
Quote: There is no reason why "green" cars can't be fast, sexy, cool and fun and they can be promoted as such.
Sadly, there is a decreasing relevance between most of today's race cars and those sold to the public.
It is very timely article. F1 is using the best available technologies to go as fast as possible. Recently the cost plays a role, although it was mandated.
The same could be done for the street cars to achieve the efficiency, cost need not to be mandated, consumers will take care of that using their wallets. But such things like weight/passenger and limit value for drag coefficient [i.e.: Cd=0.2 max.] could be imposed. The designers could play their games [with lines and the look] as they wish, as long as they do not screw the Cd (see Intrepid/Chrysler 300…). In most cases, the aerodynamic shapes are beautiful… without designers’ input.
The problem is, our politicians have no spines to do right things… It is all about politics… Engineers know exactly what should be done, and how to do it with existing technologies… How can we prod the politicians to listen to the right people? That would be a “tall order,” - not to make the efficient cars…
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12 Oct 2009
by Mark Kmicikiewicz
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