What is Aston Martin up to?

[chernaudi]

Rumors have it that the AMR-One may have a second life if called off--as the tub used by the Delta Wing cars (?!).

[KA]

Autosport are speculating on AMR ditching the AMR-One in favour of a return to GT, and a factory Vantage entry in the WEC next year

The piece (print edition, not sure if it's on the website) contains some interesting quotes from Dave Richards-

'I have no doubt that the AMR-One will race again and racing in GTs as a factory would not preclude a prototype programme'
He added that the AMR-One's return to competition 'might be in a different guise' but would not elaborate on that comment....

Autosport also suggest that the problems with the project are 'more financial than technical' - Richards commented 'We have only so much resource at Aston Martin and it is a question of where we spend the money. Do we continue in prototypes or are GTs going to be a big success'?

They also say DR refused to confirm that any of the owners of the first cars were demanding their money back....

So basically, between what Autosport and DR are saying, they're going to abandon it in favour of a new GT programme, but it will race again, but maybe in a different guise.....Everybody got that?

Just a really random thought- what exactly do the LMP2 rules say about the use of GTE-homologated stockblock engines? Is it still in the rulebook?
A completely random guess without any attempt to think it through, so there's probably at least a dozen reason's it can't be done- AMR-One tub adapted for LMP2 with revised aero and the Vantage's V8 as an LMP2 customer car....?

[Victor_RO]

At least according to MulsanneMike, the AMR-One tub has already surfaced in the DeltaWing workshops...

[The Badger]

Be sad to see that engine thrown away before its properly workin ..... sounds nice .

[KA]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Be sad to see that engine thrown away before its properly workin ..... sounds nice .

Maybe they could sell that to the DeltaWing project as well.....

[Nordic]

The good thing is that when the delta wing fails it will have an excuse already and waiting.

I can only assume that the wing project is running out of money for them not to build their own bespoke tub.

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

At least according to MulsanneMike, the AMR-One tub has already surfaced in the DeltaWing workshops...

As I had posted. it does seem that the DeltaWing tub is based off of the AMR-One's, if not either a carbon copy/license built or purchased lock, stock, and monocoque from Prodrive. Mike even has comparison photos at his site, and the comparison and similarities in detail can't mean that the AMR-One and the Deltawing sharing tubs is just coincidence.

Either that shows that the engine is the AMR-One's biggest downfall, or the DeltaWing project is trying to save money as far as crash homologation and what not by using and existing tub (thought obviously DeltaWing will still need to test their own nose box/front end). Makes you wonder who the AMR-One's customers may have been from the start.

[MulsanneMike]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

As I had posted. it does seem that the DeltaWing tub is based off of the AMR-One's, if not either a carbon copy/license built or purchased lock, stock, and monocoque from Prodrive. Mike even has comparison photos at his site, and the comparison and similarities in detail can't mean that the AMR-One and the Deltawing sharing tubs is just coincidence.

Either that shows that the engine is the AMR-One's biggest downfall, or the DeltaWing project is trying to save money as far as crash homologation and what not by using and existing tub (thought obviously DeltaWing will still need to test their own nose box/front end). Makes you wonder who the AMR-One's customers may have been from the start.

Delta Wing is trying to save money and time, nothing else can be inferred from this about he Aston project. Lots of resources go into the design and manufacture and crash testing of an LMP tub. What's the point if there's one available from a willing seller?

[Audi Racer]

Hmm. well know we can guess AMR one has been binned. They're selling of the spare tubs.

[MitchZ06]

Doubtful AMR-One has been binned, more likely it'll now be testing in private and we won't see it again until Sebring next year.

I'd say Deltawing shopped around for an existing tub (for reasons MulsanneMike has explained) and it appears the AMR-One tub fit the bill.

[chernaudi]

Either way, Prodrive and AMR need to make some money off the deal, because as is, the AMR-One is a $25 million waste. With the AMR-One program in abeyance and it's future uncertain, why not try and make something positive out of it? At least if enough DWs and other cars based around the AMR-One tub can be made, at least Prodrive can make a profit if they sell enough tubs.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by chernaudi

Either way, Prodrive and AMR need to make some money off the deal, because as is, the AMR-One is a $25 million waste. With the AMR-One program in abeyance and it's future uncertain, why not try and make something positive out of it? At least if enough DWs and other cars based around the AMR-One tub can be made, at least Prodrive can make a profit if they sell enough tubs.

They would need to sell a lot of tubs to make $25 million.

Maybe they could turn it into a speedboat

[Tim the Grey]

Small ornamental garden pond, anyone???

[MulsanneMike]

Racecar Engineering says the AMR-One was testing this week. We were told yesterday, that as of last month, the AMR-One had sat in Prodrive's shop "untouched" since Le Mans, no work being done to it and was for all intents and purposes done. For now that's unverified.

We've also been told the Delta Wing AMR-One tub is the mockup. We understand only 3 AMR-One tubs exist: the 2 race cars and a spare, and DW was sent the mockup for study. Study preceding a purchase? Don't know. Though that wouldn't be too unusual.

[MitchZ06]

Any chance we'll see AMR-One parts and engine in a revised Aston-Lola chassis with a Big Honking Fin stuck on the back? Would seem the best use of parts so far developed...

[MitchZ06]

Double post.

[Tim the Grey]

I don't THINK the tub was a particular issue. The engine neither put out enough power, nor lasted long enough, to find out it's weak spots...

[KA]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

Any chance we'll see AMR-One parts and engine in a revised Aston-Lola chassis with a Big Honking Fin stuck on the back? Would seem the best use of parts so far developed...

Depends I guess on what the biggest problem with AMR-One is- if the engine is the root of all the problems, then putting it in the back of an updated Lola isn't going to cure that- you'll just end up with a slow, unreliable Lola. OK, it might be better aerodynamically, but you're not really much further ahead.

If the engine issues are easily fixable given a proper development programme, and it's the chassis that's a complete lemon, then I guess, reverting to a revised Lola or whatever might be the answer.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by MitchZ06

Any chance we'll see AMR-One parts and engine in a revised Aston-Lola chassis with a Big Honking Fin stuck on the back? Would seem the best use of parts so far developed...

Depends whether they have an engine to go in it. They can't race the V12 at Le Mans anymore and the straight 6 isn't going to cut it.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by MulsanneMike

Racecar Engineering says the AMR-One was testing this week. We were told yesterday, that as of last month, the AMR-One had sat in Prodrive's shop "untouched" since Le Mans, no work being done to it and was for all intents and purposes done. For now that's unverified.

We've also been told the Delta Wing AMR-One tub is the mockup. We understand only 3 AMR-One tubs exist: the 2 race cars and a spare, and DW was sent the mockup for study. Study preceding a purchase? Don't know. Though that wouldn't be too unusual.

Someone mentioned in Dagys sportscar chat the AMR-One was being reworked and tested with private money.

Richards mentioned in Autosport the AMR-One will certainly hit the track again but may turn up in a different guise, could that be a Prodrive branded P1 chassis or a P2 with the Vantange engine, assuming the straight-six is the route of the problems?

[Gingers4Justice]

What about sticking a Judd or something in the back of the AMR-ONE? They could make a few modifications and call it an Aston-Martin-Judd, much like they did with the lola chasis?

[Félix]

Badging specialist engines has been done before and could help make the AMR-One-B a good car. I think that chassis could do well, 2011 updates like the ARX-01e and the Rebellion B10/60 have shown promise and the AMR was a brand new design based on previous experience and coming from a normally reputable concern.

Judd is in bed with Lotus though; badging the Zytek hybrid AMR could combine 2 underdeveloped good ideas into a nice package.

[AGD]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

What about sticking a Judd or something in the back of the AMR-ONE? They could make a few modifications and call it an Aston-Martin-Judd, much like they did with the lola chasis?

It may not be a bad idea to do that just to get some on-track testing for the chassis if nothing else, but I guess there could be a few problems. First, I don't know if an off the shelf engine could fit in the AMR-One without significant alterations. Second, when it comes to race day, AMR wants to run their own stuff. They don't want to be known as running other people's equipment. That got them in trouble with Lola. Maybe that is a stubborn approach and maybe they are more humble now, but I don't know.

Anyway, I think AMR needs to pick one direction (LMP1, LMP2, GTE, etc.) and stick with it. They don't have huge budgets and none of their ACO cars are very competitive right now except for maybe the Lola-AMR in the depleted ALMS LMP1 grid. The ACO isn't having pity on their LMP1 efforts and I don't think the ACO should have pity on them. Maybe they should just stick to getting the GTE Vantage up to speed instead of putting out mediocre (or worse) efforts throughout the grid.

[rich07]

The AMR-One has been an absolute flop, they should put it down and throw all their efforts into a GT-E programme with the Vantage. If the problem is money and it would hardly surprise me if it was then they should just cut their losses and step back to GT racing, at least there's some link between a Vantage roadcar and a Vantage GT2 racer unlike the AMR-One which had no Aston Martin qualities in it.

[rich07]

Double post