Nissan DeltaWing - The Unusual Design EXPLAINED (Le Mans 2012)

Let's take a closer look at the unusual Nissan DeltaWing design!
How did it develop from an Indycar to an LMP1 car?
What is the concept behind its unusual design?
How did it perform?
Let me know how you liked the DeltaWing in the comments below!
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[@mannoxv8500]

The original single seater concept was so good looking compared to the two seater from Le Mans

[@klintonkacatin]

It will take some real balls for Indycar and Roger to go back and say, yes to the Deltawing!

[@damag3plan]

This and the FWD Nissan are two spectacular cars. It's a shame they didn't get more development

[@pheasant139]

I'm fortunate enough to meet the designer behind these two. A genius engineer who used to work in Lola.

[@adr1uno638]

I don't how accurate is the Asseto crosa mod I tried, but it has an unusual front authority, very easy to oversteer, but when you get the feel of it, it's a weapon

[@ZedNinetySix_]

Thats how it apparently was IRL too, something to do with more evenly distributed weight shifting on both front wheels, as opposed to a conventional car which has a grip bias on outside wheels during a corner

[@michaelxing7672]

It’s almost like having a insanely stiff ARB at the back so the front wheels got more authority. Plus all the weight is in the back and I assume very low rotational inertia too. It’s a very interesting concept

[@colinbowman8816]

The mod just feels unfinished to me. I would also like to know how accurate it is... I can dig into the files a little, looking for some basic specs and geometry.

[@DasE30Cuz]

@@michaelxing7672 I'm pretty sure that's exactly what Ben Bowlby said too. The rear controls nearly, if not all, of the car's roll.

[@Bourne246]

I read driver interviews, they said that front end grip was unusually strong despite the narrow front width

[@Yosh1az]

I can't imagine the ACOs reaction when the makers look them in the eyes and said "we're going to compete on the top category"

[@rjung_ch]

I loved that design, too bad it was knocked out a few times.

[@ScaniaFung]

+1

[@jeremypope]

I was so disappointed back then wehn indycar declined the deltawing. And I was thrilled to see it coming to lemans. Remember the headline from Racecar Engineering: "Yes it corners!" hillarious!

[@ryang8349]

I'm always a big fan of deltawing! I believe it can be truly competitive in lmp2 class with more money and time to develop. At 2016 Daytona 24, deltawing was actually fighting for the overall victory until the crash that ended their race.

[@herressen1271]

the deltawing always catches me somehow. driving dynamics wise its always stated that trikes with one wheel in the front (although its 2 narrow ones here spaced very shortly apart) is said to be unfavorable for stability reasons. It somehow looks like it makes scence. Is it because the ratio of wheelbase to trackwith is greater and the rideheigth is so low, that it somehow works?

[@tturi2]

both front wheels stay on the ground and contribute more evenly than a typical car

[@beeleo]

Good choice showing a Reliant Robin when referring to speed and aerodynamics.

[@lichh64]

Question about an older video you made and it's something I have been wondering, why do manufacturers still use engines they designed more than a decade ago? Surely they can design a new and improved one, right? In your Porsche 963 lmdh video you said that they are using an engine designed in 2005 so that's why I'm wondering.

[@klintonkacatin]

Costs is the main thing. The main goal for that formula was to bring more manufactures in so for them to buy a chassis from another maker and for them to get an older design only to have BOP "regulate" all of them, seems like a no brainer. Even BMW is using a V8 from the past.

[@test987665]

A decade is not very long for an engine. Most road car engines are in production longer than that, often much longer if you count all the variations. In racing, you have to look at regs. Engine power for LMH/LMDh cars is capped at a certain number. Since that number is relatively low, you can use pretty much any engine you want and meet it. Additionally, with BoP, even getting an engine that's lighter, or smaller, or that has a lower center of gravity, will not affect things that much. So it doesn't really matter if the engine isn't the newest and greatest. Just using a proven design that you don't have to spend much money on to develop, is good enough.

[@Yosh1az]

As Klintonkacatin mentioned, the biggest issue is cost; R&D is highly expensive when designing an entirely new engine for any reason. Toyota uses the same V6 with a new design from the TS050 in the GR010.

[@Argent_99]

Also consider the company in question - Porsche basically raced the turbo variant of the 911 engine from 1974 well into the 1990s (in the 934, 935, 936, their first abortive Indy car, 956 and 962.) by the end, that engine only just barely resembled the original 930 flat 6, but they were nevertheless intrinsically related - and obviously very successful.

[@klintonkacatin]

@@Argent_99 TWR with the Jag chassis and Porsche engine in 96 and 97.

[@thomas316]

As an F1 watcher if the Delta Wing had been the Indycar choice I'd probably have started watching it out of pure curiosity.

[@JoshuaC923]

One of my favourite out there designs

[@rolux4853]

This should’ve been the next INDYCAR, it would’ve boosted the popularity so much!

[@DasE30Cuz]

What a fascinating car. I didn't remember it being open source though, that's an awesome idea. I still go back and watch that video of Chris Harris driving it at Road Atlanta (presumably after Petit Le Mans).

[@retohaner5328]

Such a cool concept, hopefully someone will revisit it some time.

[@gafrers]

So much better than the other Nissan at Le Mans. Loved it since i first saw it and it made/make sense. Always liked this Odd one out. Politics and business killed it as often happens

[@ianng4633]

I want to drive one of these, especially if someone comes up with a short wheelbase version that would be so ridiculously -agile- sketchy.

[@cademckee7276]

I’d like to see you go more into detail about the Deltawing coupe than ran later on in IMSA and ALMS run by Panoz. That car unfortunately seemed to love to destroy its diff

[@DaylightDigital]

Panoz also made a delta wing, it's in the museum at Daytona if you ever visit!

[@stug77]

I like to image what a three wheeler version would handle like. Trikes are considered motorcycles in the US thus have way easier safety and emissions, making such a design marketable. Maybe with a 335 wide sport cup 2 or 330wide Avon chopper tire as the front tire and lots of caster for lots of camber gain it would have enough grip to turn and brake.

[@stug77]

Woah somebody makes a 360mm wide tire.

[@dhkdlhdyodyoclydtkd96494]

how would the steering column package work tho

[@stug77]

​@@dhkdlhdyodyoclydtkd96494lol I don't know, really long forks like a chopper? A standard double wishbone and steering knuckle is my guess.

[@MartlRS]

Still love the Deltawing. Back in the day I didn’t realize how crazy special that car really was.

[@Mikolt1911]

I have to say, I didn’t care for the delta wing car when I first saw it. After watching this video I have reconsidered this car. It has become a lot more interesting after watching this video. 👍🏻

[@bruhnomento7079]

I L O V E this car, and would love to see it back in leman again with a hybrid/hydrogen power train

[@marcandres7113]

can you talk about the Porsche 919 hybrid next?

[@Lothringer54_]

What a wonderful car that was

[@jamsbong]

I think the Deltawing is a brilliant design. It does look weird and this is probably why it hasn’t “taken off”. 😜

[@sambitdas9416]

I love it

[@amytysoe2292]

I always loved the car but the backroom shenanigans (Nissan coming in last minute as a sponsor but then very much pitching the project as their idea all along, poaching bowlby, and then doing ZEOD on their own rather than keeping Panoz involved) were just the far side of skeevy that the whole thing felt quite uncomfortable at times

[@TheSkilllor]

So... are there any major drawbacks? I wonder why this concept wasn't developed further.

[@kolonmelon8173]

Jorkin my Deltawing

[@vivianwilfred1768]

How did the car steer? There doesnt seem much space for turning the wheels

[@tomassvenningsson6260]

Wasn't the differential more about rear wheel RPM optimization than torque control?

[@jeps1332]

Panoz in shambles

[@pi620]

Are the designs still available? If so has anybody found a link or site to download them from. I can’t seem to find them, just lots of articles mentioning they are available but no links…

[@klintonkacatin]

this car is the litmus test to see if someone actually knows anything about this sport.

[@ruddgrandprix-speedrunraci8515]

Cool. not something I drive on the sim every day.

[@wololo10]

I think a water drop design would be faster and more efficient

[@boudewijnb]

The rear suspension doesn't seem that unusual to me. It just looks like pushrod with the rockers having rods to probably another set of left/right rockers, where the springs/shocks are mounted. These are probably connected with a tube to act like a anti-roll bar, but this is all guessing since I can't see it in the picture properly.

[@HannyDart]

trust me; it is special. The design allows for different motion ratios for roll and heave respectively. if you know what youre doing you can resolve the conflict between roll and heave damping. all that in a relatively lightweight package and without fancy heave-roll-dampers

[@boudewijnb]

@@HannyDart Do you have a source of better images, or a better explanation of the suspension? I'd like to take a look at it.

[@milan9209]

Hello

[@loopie007]

Great car except the designer forgot that "Rubbin' is racing". Every time something else rubbed it, it was totaled. Three-wheel cars don't rub so good.

[@colinbowman8816]

Painting it matte black may have been a mistake.

[@colinbowman8816]

And maybe 3wheelers don't deal with touches as well as normal cars, but it definitely didn't help that everything it touched weighed 2x and had more downforce too.

[@LucaTgaard]

It was never rubbed… only hit very hard

[@rodclark5831]

Rubbin' has become racing; with the massive safety increases, video games and nascar attitude. I do not want to see mangled cars and humans strewn about the track, yellow or red flags. I do like gladiatorial consequences; that insist on respect, true talent with clean, hard racing (ie. sportsmanship). A field of delta wing Indy cars would have been closer to this ideal. Racing should develop future road cars' creating scaled (speed/efficiency) evolution. Allowing disrespect amongst racing drivers directly translates and spreads to the road. Turn golf courses (hunt the golfers to extinction) into quiet (bikes and e- machines) race/parks , loud cars on purpose built road courses. Outcome more available water, better drivers with more natural parklands.

[@steenlassen5718]

I remember it as fast as fuck, but competitors kept hitting it...., baaad habit!

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

A truly intelligent answer to the question "racing car". Unfortunately, just as with road cars, it is much preferred to build mediocre, overweight cars with complicated drivetrains instead.

[@juaneer]

A mountain bike weighing 100kg what

[@HannyDart]

i think he meant the weight distribution although i also dont think thats right, as you have to account for the steepness of mtb tracks and the corresponding weight shift to the front

[@AR_434]

Ugly, but a very cool overall concept!

[@DesertDweller1]

No need to explain. Guys like things shaped like weiners and balls: cars, jets, guns, guitars, knives, hammers, shovels, hatchets, beer bottles, rockets, etc etc etc...thats it's. That's why it looks like that. Mystery solved 🥱 Golf clubs and balls, baseball bats and balls, electric shavers with a charging base, flashlights, wood fired pizza ovens, heck even a woman if you think about it.