Rumor- Volvo backed out of Indycar engine | FerrariChat

Rumor- Volvo backed out of Indycar engine

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by TeamF1Jr, Jul 7, 2017.

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  1. TeamF1Jr

    TeamF1Jr Formula 3
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    Last month Autoweek reported that Lamborghini was in play for a 3rd engine manufacturer and pulled out. No fear, there were rumblings that Chinese company Geely might use Volvo in Indycar, well the word on the street (insider to Hulman companies) broke the news 2 days ago that he just got word Volvo backed out too. Meanwhile Formula E has Citroen, Renault, Audi, and Jaguar and yet nobody cares.

    I think if Indycar is to draw another manufacturer they'll have to find a way to go a more radical engine formula while at the same time making it as cheap as possible to keep the owners afloat. Manufacturers and sponsors at this point seem to be ok with being a part of racing that doesn't get ratings as long as they seem to be environmentally friendly to the 2% of people that buy hybrid cars.
     
  2. Whisky

    Whisky Two Time F1 World Champ
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    No, they know that in the long run they are on the ground floor of building a new brand.
     
  3. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    the current Indycar engine formula- a small displacement twin turbo V6- is a perfect match for Ford's EcoBoost platform.

    the fact that Ford didn't see a reason to go to IndyCar and the Indy 500, and instead chose to go GT sports car racing, speaks volumes about how much manufacturers "value" IndyCar these days.

    frankly I'm amazed Chevy and Honda bother.
     
  4. tifoso2728

    tifoso2728 F1 Veteran
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    #4 tifoso2728, Jul 7, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2017
    "frankly I'm amazed Chevy and Honda bother."

    Two words: The Indianapolis 500 mile race.

    OK, ok. That's more than two words. But, if you're asking why they bother, that's it. It's no so they can compete in the Iowa Corn 300.
     
  5. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    is that enough for an actual non-ego ROI? I'm not so sure anymore.

    Ford was there for decades and now they're not, so I guess they're not sure anymore either ;)
     
  6. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    Even the Ford vs. Chevy (vs. Honda) isn't enough to entice Ford.

    Shows that their investment in sports car racing with the GT is paying off.

    Why put an engine in one of these Indy Car crap wagons when they can have their own
    100% product (engine, chassis, etc.) on the track at the world's most important race?

    The answer would seem pretty clear.

    BHW
     
  7. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    The chasssis isn't Ford's, it's Multimatic's ;)

    but you're right about which race is the most important in the world...
     
  8. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    IMO, any manufacture can run Indy now after the farce McLaren pulled did this year.

    Just get a Dallara chassis and stick your logo on it. Voila! Instant race team!

    Why build an entire engine to get the benefit of racing one race, the Indy 500? Just stick a Volvo logo on the side. Volvo's new racing team hits the brickyard!
     
  9. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    At the same time, representatives from McLaren and Lamborghini were in attendance
    at Le Mans.

    They're both considering their options to join the GTE Pro and Am ranks.

    Representatives from both McLaren and Lamborghini were involved in pre-event rules
    committee meetings with McLaren thought to be giving a move to WEC and Le Mans
    a serious look.

    This would certainly add to the intrigue of the GTE classes and pretty much put paid
    any rumor of Lamborghini going to Indy Car, where (quite frankly) I've not seen one
    report of them or Volvo entertaining any considerations of such a move.

    BHW
     
  10. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Instead of trying to attract more engine manufacturers, why can't the IRL relax the rules to allow more chassis constructors instead.
    Just an idea...

    I don't mind a series where everybody runs the same engine, but I prefer a diversity of chassis.

    The IRL has its priorities backward, IMO.
     
  11. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Absolutely, when you consider that the winning car will be a Dallara anyway !!!
     
  12. BartonWorkman

    BartonWorkman F1 Veteran
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    #12 BartonWorkman, Jul 8, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    IIRC originally, the thought at Indy Car was that if there was a spec chassis, there would
    be a built-in cost containment. That all went out the window when they added the
    aero kit ingredients which left add-on aero to the manufactures. Therefore, we see
    a "Honda" treatment and a "Chevy" treatment.

    The recent indications are that these obscenely ugly aero kits will be tossed after the next
    set of rules which go into place in 2018 when the cars will at least appear to be more like
    Indy Cars from the CART days again, whew finally!

    Unfortunately, as we've seen over so many decades now, the use of the term "cost containment"
    to justify a new generation of racing cars usually results in the exact opposite
    happening as the costs start to spiral out of control.

    Hopefully, the new generation of Indy Cars will begin renewed interest in the series and they
    start to move away from spec generation into a new era of multi-chassis and engine manufactures
    willing to jump in again.

    But, as has been pointed out recently, a lot of the manufactures that Indy Car would love
    to have are quite happy running in sports cars where at least the cars look relevant to their
    road-going counter parts.

    BHW
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  13. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Let's not forget that the series organisers like the IRL and the FIA with their specs series (F2, F3, GP2, GP3, Super Formula) have ruined the chassis manufacturers that existed before: :Lola, Reynard, Swift, Van Diemen, etc...
    Once you have lost that expertise, it difficult to attract newcomers to this business.
    It looks like most of the single-seater series (bar F1) are run with Dallara chassis these days.
     
  14. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

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    Enviro friendly is the kiss of death, no one cares (multiple threads on this).

    The way you attract manufacturers is to relax the engine spec. Open formula with some rules to ensure some competitiveness. Imagine turbo 4/6 cyl, big displacement V8s, high revving v10s, etc. The GT classes are strong because if this, end of story.

    On a related note, I was listening to a sports broadcast lamenting how the NBA doesn't have parity. Parity SUCKS. While you don't want one team to be utterly dominant, it's no fun having a spec where "everyone is equal", which is what the IRL has become with spec racing.
     
  15. william

    william Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Absolutely.

    Uniformity is boring, and imposing too many parameters to designers restrict their choice.

    GT is brilliant because it embraces diversity of designs and solutions.
     

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