HPD ARX-01e

[Ru-fus]

ultimatecarpage.com
Highcroft Racing has unveiled its new Honda Performance Development ARX-01e LMP1 machine - the new car which the back-to-back American Le Mans Series champions will take into battle at the 2011 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

While the tub and engine of the ARX-01e may have come from last year's championship-winning LMP2 ARX-01c machine, that is where the similarities end.

The new car features a heavily revised aerodynamic and suspension package design and built by HPD's partner, Wirth Research.

In LMP1 spec, the engine is fed by a larger air restrictor to combat the additional 50kg required for the LMP1 class (900kg).While the HPD engineers toiled away on the durability testing of the engine at the higher power specification, Wirth Research worked hard to develop the new aero package, which has been designed with an eye to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Compared to the LMP2 car, the ARX-01e also features wider Michelin tires on both the front (wider by 1.18") and rear (wider by 2.36").

"The way the rules have gone this year, it seemed like a natural fit to take the engine that has been so successful in the LMP2 class and use the basis of that for the LMP1 class," said Steve Eriksen, HPD Vice President.

"With the change in restrictor size and wheel/tire package available, we believed we could have a pretty competitive package, especially considering the ACO's desire to better balance the performance of the diesel and petrol powered cars.

"This package represents a good, solid base to compete in LMP1."

Since the commencement of the partnership between Honda Performance Development and Highcroft Racing in 2007, the Danbury, CT-based squad has recorded a major series of milestones for HPD - first overall ALMS win, first ALMS LMP1 victory, first LMP1 championship, first team to record back-to-back titles and the highest ALMS point-scoring team in every season of the initial Acura program.

"We are returning to the LMP1 class with an evolution of our original LMP2 car, and doing so with the team that started with us on chassis development in the beginning," Eriksen said.

"Highcroft from the very beginning has worked hand-in-hand with our HPD engineers and our partners at Wirth Research to develop the ARX chassis and obviously has been very successful.

"There has been a lot work put in by the folks at Wirth Research on this chassis conversion. It is not just a case of bolting on LMP1-sized wheels and installing a bigger restrictor. The work completed by both Wirth and Highcroft in a short space of time has to be applauded, and I believe we should have a package which should be very aerodynamically efficient and should achieve very strong results."

General specifications
Country of origin Japan
Numbers built N/A
Produced 2011
Body design Wirth Design for HPD

Engine
Configuration HPD 90º V 8
Location Mid, longitudinally mounted
Construction aluminium block and head
Displacement 3.397 liter / 207.3 cu in
Bore / Stroke 93.0 mm (3.7 in) / 62.5 mm (2.5 in)
Valvetrain 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel feed Fuel Injection
Aspiration Naturally Aspirated

Drivetrain
Chassis/body carbon fibre monocoque
Suspension (fr/r) double wishbones, push-rod actuacted coil springs and shock absorbers
Steering rack-and-pinion, power assist
Brakes ventilated carbon ceramic discs, all-round
Gearbox Paddle Operated 6 speed Sequential
Drive RWD

Dimensions
Weight 900 kilo / 1984.2 lbs
Length / Width / Height 4620 mm (181.9 in) / 2000 mm (78.7 in) / 1020 mm (40.2 in)

Performance figures
Power 500 bhp / 373 KW
BHP/Liter 147 bhp / liter
Power to weight 0.56 bhp / kg

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4787/HPD-ARX-01e.html

 

[sumbrownkid]

I was hoping they were going to make it a closed coupe lmp.

But it looks fabulous nonetheless.

Unlike that awful Aston Martin.

 

[zedextreme8177]

It looks okay, although those headlights look a bit too "wide-open"

 

[kikie]

So, I guess it's not road legal?

 

[Clark]

Really? Another thread about a race car not in the motorsport section?

 

[daan]

Moved

 

[Hun200kmh]

I have three things to say here:

a) I already posted about this car in the confusing general LM thread last friday but I'm glad it got its own thread, the car and the team are relevant enough to deserve it! 👍

b) In fact, at least in testing yesterday and today - and a bit against my fears - this car, from a very good american privateer team (with important backing from HPD I know) has shown a lot of potential against the biggest european factory teams (Peugeot and Audi). ANd that is, in itself, a very strong sign given to the all mighty factory squads.

c) And last but not least, I find it particularly relevant that this car and especially its body was specifically designed for LE MANS, so it isn't a case of a "Sebring-suited" american car.

Go Highcroft! 👍

 

[Clark]

Yeah, Hun this was posted in the Auto News section so daan was just doing what he could to stop the same car being talked about in to different sections.

 

[sumbrownkid]

This car can be the dark horse to take the win at Le Mans if the performance at Sebring can be improved on, which I'm sure they are now going to be enthusiastically developing from now til June.