![]() “They’re obviously different in lap time, but behind the wheel driving it, feeling what it drives like, they’re actually pretty similar,” said Colin Braun in assessing the two prototypes. ![]() The LMP2 car also had a 10-mph top speed advantage at Daytona. At the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, the best laps turned by an LMP2 were about 6.5 seconds quicker than the top LMP3, equating to nearly 10 mph in lap-average speed over the 3.56-mile Daytona International Speedway road course. With those advantages, the LMP2 is significantly faster – by design, since the LMP3 is the entry-level gateway to IMSA prototype racing. Last, the LMP2 is equipped with carbon brake rotors, which slow the car quicker than the steel rotors on an LMP3. The LMP2 uses a full carbon-fiber monocoque – or structural skin – while the LMP3 uses a combination of a carbon-fiber tub and a tubular steel roll structure. The LMP2 also generates more efficient downforce than the LMP3. LMP3s race with a production-based Nissan 5.6-liter naturally aspirated cross-plane V-8 that generates about 460 horsepower, or 18 percent less than the LMP2. All LMP2s use a bespoke Gibson Technology 4.2-liter, naturally aspirated flat-plane V-8 engine producing over 560 horsepower. The primary differences lie in engines, aerodynamics, chassis technology and brakes. 2,090) and similar in size (an LMP2 is a maximum of 187 inches long and 71-75 inches wide an LMP3 is 183 inches long and a maximum of 75 inches wide). They’re similar in weight, with the LMP2 just 22 pounds lighter than the LMP3 (2,068 pounds vs. – A new addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2021 that fans here at Watkins Glen International and watching from home are noticing is the emergence of the Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) class.īecause of the similarity in look and size to their big brothers, the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) cars, it may be difficult to distinguish between an LMP2 and LMP3. DP02 competition could evolve.Similar in Look, the Prototypes Vary in Performance by Design And, with over 50 cars in existence, some DP02 vs. The MZR is pretty reliable and doesn't have a huge rebuild cost (whereas the Porsche.). We would also argue that the DP02 is on the low end of the maintenance cost scale for cars of this pace (along with TA2 cars). So, as you can see, you get a lot of pace for the money. Usually TA2 cars and Radicals are a little slower than these GT3 Cup times. At Road Atlanta, the DP02 does a 1:20, while the latest GT3 Cup runs a 1:24. As an example, the DP02 is a 2:04 car at COTA compared to a 991.2 GT3 Cup car at 2:12. The value comes in when you consider that the DP02 is faster, by quite a bit, than any of those alternatives. Older used GT3 Cup cars and TA2 cars and Radicals often sell in the same range as a DP02. That's not cheap, but it isn't the $120k of a new Radical SR3 or $300k of a new Porsche GT3 Cup car. To understand the value proposition here, you can think about these cars as $70k - $100k cars depending on condition and spares. Elan built over 50 cars during the DP02's heyday, so there should be quite a few moving on to amateur racing in NASA SU, SCCA P1 and SVRA. IMSA's loss is your gain, since DP02s are now entering the used market. The DP02 will run its last year as a Prototype Challenge car in 2018, as IMSA makes way for P3 closed-cockpit cars. The cars weight about 1200 lb., and the engine develops around 250 hp. It is an open cockpit sports racer, with an aero chassis and Mazda 2.0L MZR power. Most recently, it has formally run in the IMSA Prototype Challenge presented by Mazda. The DP02 is most often known as an IMSA Lites car, because it has formed the basis of entry-level prototype racing in IMSA for years. And if that is your measure, we want to suggest that the Elan DP02 has a shot at being the best value on the market. There can be complex elements to that value equation, like the level of competition, connection to ladder systems and exposure to target audiences. At a pretty basic level, though, value in a race car comes down to speed/cost. Race cars are expensive by some measures, but that doesn't mean there isn't a value equation at work.
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