Projekt Opel

Just received my copy of the new edition of the german mag "Sport Auto".

Test of projekt Opel speedster Turbo >Projekt Opel<

265bhp at 5,650rpm,
395Nm torque at 3,400rpm

Has a bigger charge cooler (see extra intake below the standard Prince Charles ear in pic below), forged pistons, hi-lift cam, , modded engine management and sports exhaust box.

Other mods include 3.93 rear axle, >Doublesixx< suspension, ATS DTC-Racing wheels (front 6.0kg 7.5x17" for 215/40 tyres and rear 9.2kg 9x17" for 245/35 tyres). The tested car was on Bridgestone Potenza RE 540S.

Test results:

Lap of small circuit, Hockenheim: 1min 11.7secs.
Standard VXT: 1min 17.1secs
Lotus Elise 111R: 1min 16.5secs
Lotus Exige S2: 1min 16.5secs
Lotus Exige S1: 1min 14.8secs
Porsche 911 Turbo: 1min 14.6secs
Pagani Zonda S: 1min 11.8secs
Lamborghini Gallardo: 1min 11.8secs
Porsche Carrera GT: 1min 8.6secs

Maximum lateral G-force generated on the circuit: 1.4g
Standard VXT: 1.1g
Lotus Elise 111R: 1.2g
Zonda S: 1.2g
Gallardo: 1.25g
911 Turbo: 1.25g
Carrera GT: 1.25g

Summary: Hard, very neutral and very quick. For dry tracks, not daily commuting. The few competitors of the Projekt Opel speedster Turbo cost easily three timers as much.

Like I said, giant killer.


Wonder what they'd make of Thorney's beast?

Edit to add link

Edited by speedyK, 22 November 2004 - 11:49 AM.

I think it looks great too. They´ve managed to make the "ears" of the turbo blend in better in the design. Lovely wheels as well.

Hi All I always was sure that the 16 / 17 combination was the optimal choice for that car / chassis, but after that test and especially those cornering speeds and lateral accelerations i´m not sure anymore if they are really the best sizes for the car. Look the PO Speedster is going on RE 540 S "track" tires (same as yoko) with sizes of 215 front and 245 rear both 17" It reaches cornering speeds in carrera GT regions !!!!!! what do you all think about that?

Edited by GF ORCE8, 18 December 2004 - 10:51 PM.

They are very light wheels – and certainly easier for us to get approved in Austria/Switz. than 16" fronts. BUT, as they are still 17", they need a bigger tyre too. I don't know how much a 17" x 215 tyre weighs, but surely quite a bit more than a 16" x 185.

I was just reading in the January 2005 edition of Auto Bild test & tuning about the new hollow rim BBS wheels that are produced by flow forming. The hollow rim means that the wheel is both lighter and more robust. The fact that weight is saved at the outer edge of the wheels diameter is particularly significant, as a point rotating at the edge has double the energy and consequenrtly twice the force is required to move it. (So a bigger, heavier wheel is more inert and resistant to steering inputs). If a kilogram is saved on each wheel, due to the physical laws of equality, two kilos of inert mass are effectively saved – making 8 kilos saved on the four wheels. (At least that is how I understand the explanation) *. The new Golf GTI is the first car with these wheels. They will be available next year for aftermarket applications.

So, it may grip better on these big wheels, but the heavier forces won't be doing the suspension arms and chassis pick-up points much good ... think Lotus know why they use 16".

* original German:

Da aussen rotierende Punkte an der Felge über die doppelte Energie verfugen, ist auch das zweifache an Kraft nötig, um sie zu bewegen. Bei einem Kilogramm Gewichtsersparnis pro Rad werden aufgrund der physikalishen Gesetzmässigkeit zwei Kilogramm träge Masse gesparrt – macht bei vier Rädern insgesamt acht Kilogramm.

I think it looks great too. They´ve managed to make the "ears" of the turbo blend in better in the design. Lovely wheels as well.

Well, the PO extra lower ear is only on one side of the car.

There are a couple of topics about the PO Speedster and about the rims as well on the german speedster forum
http://www.opel-speedster-club.de/

Projekt Opel Speedster
ATS DTC

mines faster than that one...mines 270bhp. ive already got most of the engine mods that theyve put on... damon

Looks like a nice conversion 6kg's for a front wheel is good (Speedlines are flow formed as well) but a 9kg rear wheel? I really don't understand this Euro desire for fat tyres on the car, looks is one thing but if you're going to build a car to go round track then start with tyres and keep the wheels as small and as light as possible (for lightweight cars). Lotus are the best in the business for chassis set up, I'll trust their view that 16"/17" combo is best and with Speedlines and new Oz wheels coming it at 7kg's each I know what I'd rather have. Side intakes look good. I'm entered into the Hockenheim Tuner GP next year so will see what time I can get round Hock

i´m very interested to see what time you´ll achieve in Hock!!!

Sure a smaller and lighter wheel/tire- combo shows better response on bumpy roads etc.

but on a plain track like hockenheim is actually, the benefit of the wider tires in higher cornering speeds is maybe more important than the plus in faster reactions on steering impulses, bumps etc. of the 16/17 wheels.

When you look at the S" exige with its 1.16,5 sec and the Turbos 1.11,7
there are worlds between.
Of course the Turbo is much faster on the straights etc.
but his also a fat bit faster round corners!
maybe it looks different in the eifel, or on public roads.
but a 1.11,7 is a fabulous time!
as speedyK wrote, a pagani Zonda S needs 1.11,8 !!!! and the paganis straight performance is another world compared to the one of the Turbo, so the speedster is the absolute cornering king excluding some S7´s , the carrera GT which is even better and some other very exotic cars.
The speedster is set up by Bauer Suspensions which are involved in many racing projects etc. ANother partner of PO is LOTEC, which also is a lets say interesting company http://www.lotec-gmb...eiten/index.htm

the achieved laptime shows that the setup(including wheels tires etc. is (for hockenheim) the best one for now. Of course not including thorneys car, because he never checked his time in hock, but it should be similar (talking about conrering performance) to the exige S2.

the car also has a shorter end ratio.
evryone who is interested in the vx knows that there are some other possibilities to make the car even faster such as lightening and a few more bhps etc.
so with a "few" € a 1.10 time would be realistic if not a sub 1.10 which would be even more sensational than the 1.11,7 is

what i forgot in the slalom round the pylones in between 16 m to each other the car manages an average speed of 74 km/h wich is also fantastic.

Another possibility will be to get the ATC wheels with the lotus hubs (www.lotusspecials.com will offer the same wheels for the S2) so another weight saving!
Sure 9 kgs is not the optimal weight for the rear wheels, but the fronts ( which are more important to be light because aof steering reactions) are very light.
and the price is also not bad!

another not confirmed or lets says for now the tuning company just claimed it, is that the wheels will be even lighters, wich menas 6.6 to 6.9 for the front one and 7.9 to 8.2 for the rear ones.
because the wheels you can buy from lotusspecials are as they say, specially built for them by ATS. the whole german forum is waiting for the demonstration of the wheight figures. we´ll see.


Thorney is it sure that you´ll come to the tuners GP in germany next year? cause i´d write it in the german forum to get a comparison english/german tuning companies, maybe PO and some others would like to compete also in the GP

michi

Edited by GF ORCE8, 19 December 2004 - 02:10 PM.

EDIT: Tyre sizes : 214/45/17 F; 235/40/17 R

For your information : I save 15 kg versus OEM VXT wheel + tires with OZ wheels + YOKO AO48 tires .

Fantastic car, no doubt! But what works on a track, might not be very good on the road. That is the reason I don't wan't very stiff suspension and very wide tires f/r on my Speedster. I beleive it would take away some of the fantastic steering feel of the car, not to mention bumpy road behaviour. My cents are in full favour of 16/17" with 195/225 tires

that is a full-blown track racer, no compromises. prolly inexistent steering angle left, hard as hell suspensions. that is, a gallardo will still take you around town in comfort and style, while that hybrid wiil crash on every pebble and give you spine surgery in no time... so one has to know what is really looking into.... a car like that might prove quite demanding (physically) to drive, with not much "playfulness" left in it.... I'll keep my 16-17 yokos anytime....245 rear makes me shudder.... surprised not to see a wing at the rear... another second might go with it... what about £££££ for such transformation?

Edited by Ricky2772, 20 December 2004 - 02:32 PM.

ATS DTC @ ISA Racing
http://www.isa-racin...h/seite-213.htm

Hi The setup is NOT espacially for Hockenheim/tracks The car got set up in the "odenwald" if someone knows that region, there are only twistie public roads there! However the comfort of course isn´t very good But who in the world buys a VX because of it´s comfort etc.? As i said, the potential of the car i not used in ful range yet no weight saving no aerodynamics etc. there is enough to improve !! that makes the achieved time even more fantastic (again: Exige S2 has 1.16,5) I know that the weight saving with 16/17 is the best available, i only wrote about weightsaving with the ATS just to tell you taht it´s not as bad as you would imagine. As i said, i also was sure that 16/17 is best for track and street performance, but NO version of the Elise/VX (also the 220R form KOMO-tec with the 220hp CTR engine in it, race suspension and 16/17 Yokos) was faster than the PO speedster in Hock. So i´m thinking whats best? Another thing: it looks like i found another wheel option for the 16/17 inch variant sizes: Front 7x16 ET 25 Rear 7.5x17 ET33 (same offsets as VXR wheels) weight front: approx. 5.5-6 kg rear: approx. 6.5-7 kg Big minus is the price: Set around 2000 USD For all who are interested in tuv (Speedyk etc.) forget it Infos on manufacturer etc. wil follow when it´s confirmed that the sizes are available. i don´t want to make you hungry on the wheels not knowing if they are avaiulable so no piccies etc.

Edited by GF ORCE8, 06 January 2005 - 03:29 PM.

Full list here..

Clicky

Are there any larger pics of the Speedster with the extra cooling duct?

Are there any larger pics of the Speedster with the extra cooling duct?

here we go



regards don

and

...are they running stock calipers?

Thanks!