Chaparral 2X

[MadMatt]

Oh yes you thought Chaparral was dead? No sir, they just made a new car. Ok not "really" a car, but take a look at this virtual concept:











I will leave the original description of that beast:

Yup, lasers. In the imaginary world of Gran Turismo 6, this concept is powered by a laser delivering the equivalent of 900 hp of thrust. Now, while the technology might be more Interstellar than interstate, the mockup on display at the LA Auto Show is very real.

GM challenged its designers to make a car that embodies the spirit of Chaparral, pushing rulebooks to the breaking point. Of course, in Gran Turismo there aren't many rules, and physics themselves are just a digital approximation. So the fact that the team created a laser propulsion system should be considered in context. It's not real, but it's cool.Basically, a bank of lithium-ion batteries power a 67- kW laser (in conjunction with a air-powered generator of some sort) to create thrust, which propels the 2X VGT to a 240-mph top speed. And 0-60 is knocked out in just 1.5 seconds.

Aerodynamics are optimized by having the driver (pilot?) lay down, something Chevrolet likens to a wing-suit. Outlandish? That's the point. Everything about this is unlikely and eyebrow-raising, and that captures the spirit of the legendary Chaparral cars (like the 2J fan car) perfectly.



Who knows?...

[flmkane]

Needs a giant FAN AT THE BACK!

[Bazza]

I don't get it. Once the driver hit the brakes, wouldn't the driver then exit through their own eye sockets? Par for the course for wingsuit pilots when they hit something, but racecars are supposed to be for people with brains.

[Manoah2u]

I don't get it. Once the driver hit the brakes, wouldn't the driver then exit through their own eye sockets? Par for the course for wingsuit pilots when they hit something, but racecars are supposed to be for people with brains.

why would this differ any regarding seating position? A F1 car or Mclaren P1 for example neither have eyes popping out. Why would this one? Do motor cyclists have this issue? Not at all.

Motorcyclists lean differently to their bike compared to a driver in a car. Even then, a car driver generally is kept in position due to seatbelts rather than anything else.

In this case, the driver probably will lay atop a ergonomically shaped 'bed'. The narrow regions for arm and leg input is tight enough to provide stability. I also assume there will be handlebars as throttle and brake, where the driver will grab a hold of.

In other words, I fail to see why the driver would 'fly' out of it's position, and I fail to see why this concept would be brainless.

The only problem I see with this concept is driver protection, in case of a collision. However, I again point to motorcycles; they haven't got driver protection either so i don't generally think this would hold a problem there.

Interesting 'concept' though. I could imagine this being a fun ride if they didn't have such a low spoiler and excess material. I like the idea of laser propulsion.

I'd wonder what this thing would be and ride like if it actually hade a more realistic approach; electric wheel drives, wheel tilting in corners [like a carver].

[NathanOlder]

I don't get it. Once the driver hit the brakes, wouldn't the driver then exit through their own eye sockets? Par for the course for wingsuit pilots when they hit something, but racecars are supposed to be for people with brains.

why would this differ any regarding seating position? A F1 car or Mclaren P1 for example neither have eyes popping out. Why would this one? Do motor cyclists have this issue? Not at all.

I think he was referring to the 0-240mph back to 0 in 1.5 seconds. As we know a P1 or an F1 car are miles off this figure

[marcush.]

Horten ,anyone?