Ferrari 458 GT2 and GT3

the weight is dictated by the rules of competition, in the gt2 class ACO/FIA the minimum weight is 1245kg, the car it self probably weighs less but lead weight is added to the car to make it rule compliant and lower the center of gravity.
~the 360 at one poin ran under the 1100kg minimum weight, so i guess it wasnt difficult to lose 100kg

 

Thanks for clearing that up.

So, the question I now have is why have ACO/FIA set the weight restriction so h-e-a-v-y? Is this to help other manufacturers out who still have bloaty steel chassis cars?

What is their rationale here? Surely it would be better to set weight at 1000kg's and then allow active aero to improve downforce rather than relying on weight into the corners? I agree that lighter cars can be harder to drive (more darty) but you can get some of that back with judicious use of aerodynamic aids and the benefits in handling, fuel efficiency, etc. are just win win.

I wish manufacturers in general would try to gravitate towards making sub 1000kg's cars, even ones destined for the road, it would really help with both emissions, fun and downsizing of engines. Win win win...

 

costs and differentiation. they don't want GT classes to spiral into ever expensive pursuit of a 'super' light race vehicle, pushing the boundary of LMP in performance and setup/running costs.

 

Read an article from Road and Track at Miller Motorsports Park where they have compared the GT3, F430, BMW M3, and ZR1 to their ALMS GT2 counterparts. The GT2 cars were all lapping in the same lap time range.

Power and weight are controlled by the rules, and no active aero is permitted in ALMS. However, all these GT2 cars are massively faster than the F430 Challenge, GT3 Cup, and not even a contest compared to the street cars.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/var/ezflow_site/storage_RT_NEW/storage/original/application/673bb5542ae970d5a0d63b922ee6ae0f.pdf
http://www.roadandtrack.com/var/ezflow_site/storage_RT_NEW/storage/original/application/1f4aec7cb33a3750c77cb0a629d7401b.pdf
http://www.roadandtrack.com/var/ezflow_site/storage_RT_NEW/storage/original/application/08c099ed34458e0a9dce0f555c69d619.pdf

 

Yes, F430GT, this is what I'm talking about. If you read the 430 v. 430GTC comparison, you'll note that the 430 has about 20bhp more, but 30ft-lb of less torque. On a track torque matters, arguably, more than pure bhp. That said, 435/450bhp (458GT) is a far cry from 590bhp (458).

And, of course, there are considerable other differences between the GT car and the street car that could easily account for a couple of seconds a lap difference (aero, braking, tires, weight, etc.). The more apt comparison would be the GT race car to the Challenge race car. I recall the R&T article years ago comparing the 360, 360C and 360GT at Mont Tremblant. Each was an improvement, but the bhp figures weren't far off, either, from street to GT.

And, this is really just an academic argument. Given the way the GT cars are built, I suspect the 458GTs will still be faster than the street 458. Even with 150bhp less.

CW

 

i have that issue of R&T mag. even with less HP the race car easily trounces the Challenge car, much less the street car. being much lighter combined with greater downforce gives it the upper hand. yes, the 458GT2, it will be 1000lbs lighter than street car, run on slicks, and have race specific control arm suspension. horsepower difference won't make any difference there

 

Photos of the Challenge, GT2 and GT3 cars in the latest Ferrari magazine (no 11). The GT3 car gets the GT2's gearbox, transmission and larger wheels, but much of the Challenge car's mechanicals. No technical details about the cars.

Felisa: "We don't like the regulations regarding the performance balance."

I wonder why they don't fit the aero front and wing to the Challenge cars.

 

Here's a few pictures from the Official Ferrari Magazine, regarding the new GT2 & GT3 458.
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It looks fantastic!!

 

......that's what I'm talking about....


It says: "Below, a racing derivation of a Ferrari road car will compete in Challenge, GT2 and GT3 categories for the first time."

I don't exactly understand. It's almost like they're saying the GT2 and GT3 cars will be factory efforts.

 

Extreme Speed Motorsports testing their new 458GT at Fiorano! Bella!


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ll2ABc7ay8&feature=player_embedded[/ame]

 

the Gt2 car will still be the fastest of the lot, it is quoted by ESM or Risi I am not sure as having 470hp,

and a hell of a lot more torque then the 430 GTE, now to understand the speed difference of this car to the street varient look at the Nurbergring lap times, the 599xx post 6:58, the Porsche 997 gt3 rsr (GT2 race car) posted aroud 7:02 time, now on a normal 90sec track the 430 GTE was about 0.5 seconds faster then the porsche, and the 458 GTC will be even faster then that, so one could expect it to lap the Nurbergring around the same time as the 599xx!

So the new 458 gtc will lap the ring around the 7 min mark while the road car that has 100+ hp more laps it in 30s more! just goes to show race tires, race suspention and better aerodinamics go a lot more then just HP

 

Oh. My. God.

 

Makes you realize how reasonable the pricing is on old Challenge and GT2 cars.

 

Nice .5 second video. Car looks awesome!

 

Hey MC, where did you get the pic in your avatar? Haven't seen it before.

 

You can find the full set here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43668933@N08/5386925582/

 

Thanks!

 

Good pic!

 

ingegnere, my bad, I missed your post though I know I'm almost 2 weeks late, I don't know why I didn't get it emailed to me.
Thanks for the help XP1LM! I usually use Picassa and crop different pics to the exact dimensions allowed on FChat. I love it!

Mark

 

Hopefully these aren't reposts
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James Boone takes excellent photos.....

 

For whom it may concern:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbfWzP4Uzxw[/ame]

 

http://www.caradisiac.com/Essais-LMS-au-Paul-Ricard-Pescarolo-Ferrari-458-Italia-Rebellion-Jean-Marie-Farina-les-a-toutes-eues-67015.htm#xtor=AD-20

Link to the cars debute in Europe.

Tom Tanner/Ferrari Expo 2011-Chicago March 19th 2011

 

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