This weeks new racing Aston

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Are you kidding?
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Aston Martin launched its GT2 contender for 2008 known as the Vantage GT2. The new car is based on the V8 engined Aston Martin Vantage road car. The new car will mean Aston Martin is the only manufacturer to offer cars in every GT racing category: GT1 – DBR9; GT2 – Vantage GT2; GT3 – DBRS9; GT4 – Vantage N24.

For the first time, Aston Martin Racing is designing this car to run on either standard race fuel or E85 bio-ethanol (where regulations allow). In 2007, Aston Martin Racing successfully converted a standard DBRS9 to run on E85.

Robin Brundle, Aston Martin Racing's new managing director, said: "The new Vantage GT2 completes our product portfolio for 2008 with competitive cars now available in every category. Thanks to our experience with the DBRS9, we have been able to develop a bio-ethanol fuelled version, which will be eligible to compete in an increasing number of series now accommodating this greener fuel, including the American Le Mans Series."
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I assume the car will have a few more stickers? It looks like it's wanting a little more variety in that paint job.

I find it interesting how many racing competitors are switching over to alternative fuels. Are they going to be running two different engines, or just one with two very different injection/compression setups? Surely the lower energy content of E85 would make the car very slow if they ran it under the same regulations as a petrol engine.
 
Don't they know about the inconvienient truth of ethanol?

Still looks good, nonetheless. It may not catch on as well as the diesel, but it runs.
 
I'm not up to date on the regulations, but it seems odd they're sticking with the 4.3L when it's well-known the road car is getting a bump to 4.7L very shortly. Which just means there will be even less of a gap between these and the DB9...

I don't know why there's been an apparent negative attitude towards Aston's constant new model charge lately though. More gorgeous cars, whether for the road or track? Yes, please!
 
Needs more BRG, lots more.

The thing with ethanol - it is more potent (not in road cars as they have to burn regular gas too, ethanol requires a much higher compression to reach its potential, which would not let it run gas) but the proposed problem is that it requires using more corn for ethanol production that would otherwise be used for food use or animal feed.
 
That's because using corn for ethanol is just silly. It gives just 20-30% more energy back than it receives. Canola into biodiesel is much more efficient (2.5x gain) but the requires diesel engines to work. Now, ethanol from sugar cane gives you 8 times the amount of energy you put in and is a big reason Brazil runs on E85. Ethanol from algae would be great as you could make copious amounts without diverting attention from crops and still getting a high (potentially huge) return.

In short, biofuels are still viable provided they're done right. And they give more power, which is why racing teams love them.
 
Eric.
Needs more BRG, lots more.

The thing with ethanol - it is more potent (not in road cars as they have to burn regular gas too, ethanol requires a much higher compression to reach its potential, which would not let it run gas) but the proposed problem is that it requires using more corn for ethanol production that would otherwise be used for food use or animal feed.
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They're not trying to look green. It doesn't matter how much corn a cow eats. If it creates more energy, it creates faster lap times, which is what racing is about. The emissions or cost to produce matter little.
 
Eric.
Needs more BRG, lots more.

The thing with ethanol - it is more potent (not in road cars as they have to burn regular gas too, ethanol requires a much higher compression to reach its potential, which would not let it run gas) but the proposed problem is that it requires using more corn for ethanol production that would otherwise be used for food use or animal feed.
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Thank you for clarification.

nitro_2005
Well, seeing as no-one's said it yet, i'll be the first: THAT IS HOT! :drool:
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superberkut
Still looks good, nonetheless.
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Actually, never mind.
 
just so you know you the reason the GT1 and 2 cars are using E85 isnt because its "green" or whatever stupid term is applied to it but its the fact that it can be used in higher compression engines as opposed to gasoline.
 
AFAIK the only reason they opt for E85 (or E10 or E100), is because the ALMS requires it. I doubt that the AM GT2 that will run in the FIA GT will run on E85.

Ethanol burns faster, and the cars running it have to have a larger fueltank (120 litres, as opposed to 90 for fuel and 81 for diesel) to get approximatly the same length of stints.

And FYI, the ethanol in the ALMS is a more proper biofuel, and made from wasteproducts, rather than corn or sugar.
 
Duphman
just so you know you the reason the GT1 and 2 cars are using E85 isnt because its "green" or whatever stupid term is applied to it but its the fact that it can be used in higher compression engines as opposed to gasoline.
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Er... please enlighten me as to where we said opposite this.
 
superberkut
Er... please enlighten me as to where we said opposite this.
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You were actually the only one who kept bringing up the environmental or refining aspects of ethanol:

superberkut
Don't they know about the inconvienient truth of ethanol?
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superberkut
Something about the efficiency, or lack thereof, when it comes to producing it, actually.
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Efficiency of production has nothing to do with lap times, which is why they are running E85.
 
Ack! But, the efficiency of producing it and the resulting energy returns when consuming it (both related) seemed odd...

Actually, I wasn't thinking. Thank you for pointing that out. Now, where did other people say it?
 
Erm... Why? I don't know about you guys, but I fail to see the point of competing in every single class. With only two road-models to base it on.

Oh, and an LMP1 entry as well.

exigeracer
Uhm, unless chemistry was lying to me, Ethanol makes a bigger "bang" which makes for better racing fuel. I don't think they're trying some greenwashing stuny.
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Isn't that why FSAE teams that run E85 fuel are required to use a smaller air-intake?
 
lol, why is Environmental concerns being brought up for racing? Kinda an oxymoron if you ask me. It's like Why even race if it's that big of a problem.

Anyway, I guess the car is cool, looks like a DBR9 to me. : shrugs:
 
Metar
Erm... Why? I don't know about you guys, but I fail to see the point of competing in every single class. With only two road-models to base it on.
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"Racing improves the breed"
- Sochiro Honda
 
Actually, that is more suitable for VIP3R's short speech.

Would Toyoda's quote reflect their current F1 situation? (or is that another Toyoda?)
 
You're going to tell me racing in itself is environmentally friendly!? The amount of energy it takes to move all that stuff to EACH race track? ha...
 
NO! Of course it wrecks the environment!

But, racing improves the breed, and in this case, it is improving ecologically-friendly systems by increasing their performance and reducing their carbon footprints to create viable consumer products.
 

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