Technical Analysis: WRC Cars 2017

[Mirek]

As you say, maybe not that relevant for a present VW Golf, but more for a future 2-seater individual electric transportation pod, where seating is for-aft, and the "car" is made narrow to go two side by side in a normal lane.

For me it makes no sense to introduce something like that.

[OldF]

Tommi Mäkinen said in today’s newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that the problem with transmission in Argentina was caused by jammed planetary gear assembly. This mean that at least Toyota use a planetary centre differential and can use a fixed uneven torque split regardless of grip.

http://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000005215136.html

For some reason Google won’t translate this page.

[NickRally]

Thanks for the info OldF, asymmetric epicyclic centre diff makes a lot of sense.

Incidentally, watching the cars in slow-ish turns, they still understeer quite a lot, so there is still room for improvement, i.e. reducing or even cancelling this understeer without making them too nervous in high speed corners. No doubt large player in this process will be the set-up of the centre diff.

[Sulland]

Looking at the C3 after almost half the 2017 season.
Where lies its strong and weak areas?

[gorganl2000]

Looking at the C3 after almost half the 2017 season.
Where lies its strong and weak areas?

i'm not certain of the technical stuff...i think overall its a decent car with competitive speed but it does seem to want some further refinements maybe with the diff settings and suspension based on media and the forum

actually, i think the weakest area has nothing to do with the car so far this year----its drivers controlling the car

Breen is somewhat of a "junior" wrc driver and he is doing fairly well, but the other two drivers...smh, i don't even want to comment on their performances so far in 2017.

[Mirek]

Shortly after VW entered WRC their technical director Willy Rampf said one thing which in my opinion nicely sums the situation about C3. He said that the first and foremost important feature of the car is to give the driver confidence. If driver isn't confident with it, no matter how advanced it is, he isn't going to achieve anything.

[NickRally]

Shortly after VW entered WRC their technical director Willy Rampf said one thing which in my opinion nicely sums the situation about C3. He said that the first and foremost important feature of the car is to give the driver confidence. If driver isn't confident with it, no matter how advanced it is, he isn't going to achieve anything.

This is a really good point and one that has proven to be the correct over and over again in my career.

[AnttiL]

http://yle.fi/urheilu/3-9647211?origin=rss

This Finnish article suggests that the problem of Citroen this season are Öhlins dampers, which were selected because they couldn't afford better ones

[Sulland]

I thought Øhlins were very good dampers, but have they fallen behind in Rally?

[AMSS]

I thought Øhlins were very good dampers, but have they fallen behind in Rally?

I think it`s a bit unfair to blame Öhlins, they have only become involved since after rally Sweden as consults, the dampers were/are Citroen in house design but now apparently they need help.
Also the reporter has it all wrong, at least in customer racing Öhlins are more on the expensive side compared to many other brands.