Honda bringing Twin Turbo V6 to 2012

[Mark in Oshawa]

Interesting stuff. I am glad they didn't buy into this notion of less power such as was proposed with the Delta Wing project...

[anthonyvop]

VW/Audi is still in the mix but talks have stalled. It does look good as long as interim President Mark Barnes is made permanent

Fiat sPa. is interested one day then not on another.

Porsche is still hanging around but forget it if VW/Audi is involved(Same company)

Ferrari rumor is just a media bargaining chip.

Nissan/Renault was interested but have been silent as of late.

Cosworth is studying it and working on a preliminary design.

GM isn't returning calls(thank god).

Chrysler is Fiat

Ford is putting their money in a new series that is about to launch.

Forget Toyota

[SarahFan]

Ford is putting their money in a new series that is about to launch.

really?

[anthonyvop]

really?

Yep! Not a Formula series though.

[ezhop7]

Yep! Not a Formula series though.

Why not BMW or Mazda!

[anthonyvop]

Why not BMW or Mazda!

For?
The IRL? Asked them.

[Jag_Warrior]

Neither Daimler-Benz nor BMW sent a rep to the initial manufacturer's meeting, did they? As for Mazda, I don't think I've heard their name come up before either. I have heard a rumor that Roger Penske (Ilmor?) is working on a badging deal with an OEM - and it's not Honda. But I don't know who it is. It sounded rather odd when I heard that, but I don't know what Ilmor's current relationship with Honda is.

As for Ferrari, that name tends to be brought up by people who don't understand the relationship between FIAT and Ferrari. To them, they hear "FIAT", read that FIAT owns Ferrari and then they put 2 & 2 together and get 7. Maybe Maserati was a possibility at one time. But I thought that both FIAT and Porsche had dismissed the idea of producing an engine for the series. Maybe something has changed?

As of right now, all I really expect is Honda and some cobbled together vapor deal from Kalkhoven/Cosworth.

[nigelred5]

ILMOR is contracted to do some of hte rebuilds for HOnda currently aren't they? I would assume they will likely continue a similar arrangement if they need that capacity. If another manufacturer comes in and splits the field, they may not need that capacity.

Fiat could be Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, Maserati, Ferrari....

Mazda woudn't suprize me given their participation in all the lower formulae. Another deal with Cosworth could work, but is the $$ there? Cosworth got a guaranteed number of contracts for hte current F1 deal and they didn't exactly start from scratch on the current F1 engine package. I don't know of another series that run a V6TT. I like the open engine formula, hower I will be suprized to see anyone choose something other than what Honda has already announced they will compete with. That's not to say a 4 cylinder can't make the power of the V6, but there's definitely a difference. VW does seem to like the odd 5/10 cylinder configurations

[Hoop-98]

No matter how many participate they will not be the battles of yesteryear. The future will be about reducing rotating inertia, crank case pumping losses, driveability and fuel economy, not peak HP (IMHO).

The V6 and the 4 are different in the rotating mass, crankcase construction areas and their may be pluses and minuses for each.

I think the big plus, if it comes true (it didn't for the DP01) is a lighter , more nimble, more powerful (P/W) road and street car for the future.

The trailing car interference situation will be interesting to watch. Of course many put everything on lap times, but a return to 1992 corner speeds and braking could lead to better racing than we have now but not necessarily quicker lap times.

My guess is they will keep similar aero/weight ratios and we will see the quickest road/street lap times ever because so many are focused on that and it is relatively easy to achieve.

jm2c
rh

[garyshell]

The trailing car interference situation will be interesting to watch. Of course many put everything on lap times, but a return to 1992 corner speeds and braking could lead to better racing than we have now but not necessarily quicker lap times.

And I, for one, would love to see that. As someone pointed out (Starter I think) the tracks like Mid Ohio were more competitive when the cornering speeds were lower in that era. This would put the drivers as a more important part of the equation again.

Gary