Toyota to build Le Mans hydrid?

Mal · 10 Jul 2006, 14:03 (Ref:1652303)

They is an article herehttp://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns17096.html which suggest there are rumours from Japan that Toyota are thinking about building a hydrid car to race at Le Mans.

**Adam43** · 10 Jul 2006, 14:11 (Ref:1652310)

A couple of weeks ago they say that Le Mans is unfinished business and they want to go back at some point. However they also say that they won't do this while they are in F1. That rules it out for the short to medium term.

Although there is no real reason why they can't do both.

The STIG · 10 Jul 2006, 14:13 (Ref:1652311)

Didn't Panoz try a Hybrid?

gwyllion · 10 Jul 2006, 14:18 (Ref:1652317)

Honda/Mugen and Zytek are investigating at building an electric hybrid LMP1 car too.

**FIRE** · 10 Jul 2006, 15:00 (Ref:1652347)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The STIG

Didn't Panoz try a Hybrid?

Thee was indeed a Panoz-Zytek hybrid

After diesel cars hybrids will be the next big challenge.
And after that fuel cells.

isynge · 10 Jul 2006, 15:10 (Ref:1652357)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

A couple of weeks ago they say that Le Mans is unfinished business and they want to go back at some point. However they also say that they won't do this while they are in F1. That rules it out for the short to medium term.

Although there is no real reason why they can't do both.

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if there was a degree of sophistry going on with Toyota. They may well not want to do Le Mans while they're in F1 - but does that mean Lexus couldn't go? Equally given the somewhat stormy relationship Toyota have with the FIA over F1 is their long term participation as a full team a given?

As FIRE suggests, what better way of making everyone forget about Audi's achievement with the diesel than win Le Mans with a hybrid? Prius GTP anyone?

Pilgrimage · 10 Jul 2006, 15:39 (Ref:1652372)

Quote:

Originally Posted by isynge

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if there was a degree of sophistry going on with Toyota. They may well not want to do Le Mans while they're in F1 - but does that mean Lexus couldn't go? Equally given the somewhat stormy relationship Toyota have with the FIA over F1 is their long term participation as a full team a given?

As FIRE suggests, what better way of making everyone forget about Audi's achievement with the diesel than win Le Mans with a hybrid? Prius GTP anyone?

Will electric cars just sound like a Scalextric track? There could be quiet times ahead ...

Truckosaurus · 10 Jul 2006, 15:54 (Ref:1652383)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrimage

Will electric cars just sound like a Scalextric track? There could be quiet times ahead ...

Or even worse, a fleet of milkfloats.

isynge · 10 Jul 2006, 16:03 (Ref:1652393)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrimage

Will electric cars just sound like a Scalextric track? There could be quiet times ahead ...

Thinking about it, this is off-topic - many apologies - do we need a thread on the noise of racing in sportscars given the plethora of different options out there? Probably one for you mods. Either way, please feel free to move if you reckon there's a better place for this.

I'm almost certainly in a tiny minority but reduced/altered noise doesn't bother me that much. Looking around Audi's performance at Le Mans has raised the heckles of all sorts of people who feel the noise is utterly integral to the whole motorsport experience. To my eyes it's not subservient to speed, acceleration, on the edge control, and real competition. Noise? Well, it's there and certainly grabs attention but the be all and end all? I'm not so sure.

If it comes down to a choice between getting to see loud cars in a decreasing number of locations (as restrictions on racing creep in more and more) or being able to see them at Monza, Castle Combe, etc I know which one I'd choose.

The STIG · 10 Jul 2006, 16:36 (Ref:1652417)

I'd love to see more hybrids in motorsport, Tis the future!

Well lets face it, with fuel prices doing what they are there's got to be some alternative.

JAG · 10 Jul 2006, 16:47 (Ref:1652431)

There's nothing to stop someone like Sard running a semi works program before the likes of TTE get involved.

Shotteh · 10 Jul 2006, 20:34 (Ref:1652828)

It's possible that Toyota may still do both. If Toyota get fed up with their full F1 program, they may end up becoming the engine supplier for someone like Williams,. If this was the case, they could use the resources they were spending on their full works team on a new Le Mans bid, whilst still keeping a presence in F1.

ss_collins · 10 Jul 2006, 21:24 (Ref:1652915)

mmm. There is a misprint in this months RCE crediting a LMP1 Hybrid system to Toyota R&D, but it is meant to say Tokyo R&D, may be wrong but this might be the basis of this story. However Tokyo R&D could be working with Toyota but its funny it has a Honda engine attached!

brielga · 11 Jul 2006, 05:24 (Ref:1653124)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrimage

Will electric cars just sound like a Scalextric track? There could be quiet times ahead ...

The R10 already sounds like a Scalextric!!!

Pilgrimage · 11 Jul 2006, 11:19 (Ref:1653325)

Quote:

Originally Posted by brielga

The R10 already sounds like a Scalextric!!!

It ran like it was on rails too!

GTfour · 11 Jul 2006, 16:55 (Ref:1653671)

The return of Toyota would be great! It's been one of my favourit marques in sportscars. Take a look at their CanAm prototypes or the very fast 88C-V group C car and the TS010 or the GT-ONE

I don't think though,that it will be a superquiet machine. That is,as long as they don't use a silenced dieselengine...
And a diesel is probably not the best option for a hybrid for diesels are heavy and a hybrid system too,so a combination of the two is unlikely,I think.

As for the noise,takin' away the beautiful sounds that different racingcars produce is castrating the sport imho.
9 times out 10 it is not the envirement around the track that is being harmed but a bunch of complainers with nothing else to do,that try to take the fight to tracks and racefans...

GTfour · 11 Jul 2006, 17:02 (Ref:1653676)

Quote:

Originally Posted by brielga

The R10 already sounds like a Scalextric!!!

It measured a mere 91 dB on my gauge when out at the inside of Tertre rouge...
A rule should be made up that states "it is forbidden to use race engines producing less then 100 dB"

BTW that's a mighty funny dutch flag you have there, brielga!

courageous · 12 Jul 2006, 13:12 (Ref:1654465)

Honda are getting in to LMP2 with Acura, and where Honda goes Toyota follows.

GTfour · 19 Jul 2006, 21:32 (Ref:1660303)

I reckon Toyota will go the same route as "Sparky",the beautiful purple Panoz GTR-1,which use an electrical engine/dynamo to have more torque out of corners.
Panoz sadly never had the funds to develop the project further. Toyota will have

ss_collins · 19 Jul 2006, 21:52 (Ref:1660325)

see this months racecar engineering for info on how hybrid tech could work in both F1 and sportscars - the artcle is written by the FIA's technical delegate

TRuss · 24 Jul 2006, 17:21 (Ref:1663510)

I love quiet cars. I love the R8 for it's lack of noise, and I'm sure I'll enjoy not hearing the R10 at this years Petite. Ten hours of racket really makes you appreciate the quieter cars. They don't have to be loud to sound good.

The Badger · 24 Jul 2006, 19:32 (Ref:1663601)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRuss

I love quiet cars. I love the R8 for it's lack of noise, and I'm sure I'll enjoy not hearing the R10 at this years Petite. Ten hours of racket really makes you appreciate the quieter cars. They don't have to be loud to sound good.

Shame on you !!!

Louder the better

Pilgrimage · 25 Jul 2006, 13:02 (Ref:1664164)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRuss

I love quiet cars. ... They don't have to be loud to sound good.

But in order to sound good, they have to make a sound!
You haven't heard how quiet it is.

Truckosaurus · 25 Jul 2006, 13:11 (Ref:1664175)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRuss

I love quiet cars. I love the R8 for it's lack of noise, and I'm sure I'll enjoy not hearing the R10 at this years Petite. Ten hours of racket really makes you appreciate the quieter cars. They don't have to be loud to sound good.

Indeed, Quality over Quantity. Although it is nice to have a little from Column A and a little from Column B.

TRuss · 25 Jul 2006, 16:12 (Ref:1664297)

Take the Aston Martin for instance. It sounds great but it isn't loud. At least not compared to a pack of 911 GTRs.

If you guys really like loud noises then you should definitely check out a NHRA weekend if you haven't already. I used to like loud cars too back when I started going to these. The loudness was cool for about five seconds. After that it's just a matter of damage control.

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