DeltaWing Unveils Indy Concept Car -

DeltaWing has unveiled its radical proposal for the future IndyCar Series chassis at the Chicago Auto Show. The new company is one of four contenders for the new IndyCar design that will be used from 2012, along with existing supplier Dallara and former Champ Car constructors Lola and Swift. The DeltaWing program has generated huge anticipation as it was long rumored to be the most radical of the concepts vying for the IndyCar deal, and because it is backed by a number of leading teams, having been designed by Chip Ganassi Racing's Ben Bowlby, formerly Lola's chief designer. The proposal was officially unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show today, having been in development since January 2009. Its striking shape features an extremely narrow front end and wide rear, and tires largely enclosed by bodywork. The company says the unusual body style has been designed specifically to encourage close racing and to minimize aerodynamic disturbance in the car's wake.

DeltaWing chief executive officer Dan Partel believes the car could revitalize American open-wheel racing if it is accepted by the Indy Racing League. "Today marks a fundamental shift in how race fans and the general public will view all racing cars in the future; this is a game changer," he said. "This radical prototype takes open-wheel racing to a new level from both an engineering standpoint and the overall spectator experience."

The DeltaWing is designed to achieve speeds of 235mph with engines with only half the power and fuel consumption of the current IndyCar Hondas, thanks to a large reduction in weight and aerodynamic drag.

"The first prototype car will be powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine," said a DeltaWing statement. "Final horsepower figures will be based on the car's performance on the track, but by using state-of-the-art computer modeling, it is anticipated that the engine will need to produce approximately 300 horsepower to attain the performance targets and will run over 4,000 miles before requiring a rebuild, a dramatic 100 percent improvement over the current engine."

DeltaWing conceptPartel said the engine characteristics had been developed with environmental concerns in mind. "We are confident that this car will outperform the current generation Indy car and do it in a more environmentally friendly way," said Partel. "Auto racing has always been a powerful marketing tool for propelling new technology into the hearts and minds of consumers. This new car was specifically designed to be more closely aligned with the new reality of automobiles that are arriving on the road today.

DeltaWing plans to start testing its first prototype in August this year. Bowlby added that the new car should also achieve a massive cost reduction for IndyCar teams. They anticipate a complete car with engine will sell for $600,000.