During last year's World Time Attack Challenge I bumped into Andrew Brilliant, a well known aerodynamicist from Yokohama, Japan. Andrew has developed aero for not only high profile time attack cars, but also for Super GT, GRAND-AM Rolex and American Le Mans. One of his recent projects caught our attention: this impressive, all-carbon bodied Evo known as Nemo.
After chatting on Facebook, Andrew and the vehicle's owner kindly gave us some insight into the build.
Andrew Brilliant: Welcome to Project Nemo. This car is not being built by a professional race chassis constructor like a typical GT or prototype car. Instead, it is being built out of Queensland, Australia by a dedicated group of enthusiasts. Quite a few have backgrounds in V8 Supercars while I come from aerodynamic design. We are a mixed up group of motorsport professionals and hobbyists with a passion for the sport of Time Attack.
“Nemo”, the car's name, is ghosted into the carbon of the front fenders. The name is in honor of the owner’s son who couldn't pronounce “Evo”. Every square centimeter of the car's carbon fiber body is sculpted for aerodynamics and strength. All these panels take significant aero load at speed, so they are constructed using various composite techniques, such as carbon over Aramid (Nomex), foam core carbon, and even fiberglass. The method is chosen for the needs of each particular part.
This is the dry sump oil tank; it is kept inside of a shielded case to protect the driver in the event of a rupture. The engine uses a 5 stage oil pump and this large vertical tank because a standard oil pump could not keep flowing under the high G forces.
The Velo carbon Kevlar seat is surrounded by a roll cage to protect the driver and create a rigid chassis. Time attack rules require the car to retain the firewall and original steel chassis so a carbon fiber tub cannot be used. This meant special attention was paid to the chassis as rigidity is even more critical for a high downforce car. The suspension loads get so high they can overwhelm the chassis and this degrades handling.
The steering wheel buttons are for overtake, launch control, radio, neutral and reverse gear selection. The driver can also scroll through the menu of the MoTeC ADL3 dash. The Geartronic pneumatic paddle shifters control a MakTrak 6 speed sequential gearbox whichhas specific gear ratios to suit the Eastern Creek circuit. The MoTeC M800 ECU cuts and reengages power during the hundredths of a second that the pressurized air takes to shift the gears. Since the gearshift time is so small, the ratios can be more optimized so that the car has maximum forward thrust at all times. To the right of the steering wheel you can also see a fire suppression system that sprays around the driver area. A Lifeline firebomb has been installed there are no safety compromises in this car.
This AP Racing brake setup is one of one; a special lightweight version designed to handle the thermal loads of this specific application. At this level, weight is lost grams at a time. The hats are also a special offset to match the custom suspension designed ground up for this car.
Here you can see the dry sump crank pulley and oil pan. The intercooler piping features Adel Wiggins couplings, and the large frame turbo is a Borg Warner EFR 8374. After initial running it will be replaced with a 9180 twin scroll. You'll also notice the Torque Solutions front engine mount behind the starter motor.
Here is the general layout of the engine bay, with the 4G63 heart in place. It's a mock up engine that will be replaced with the final 2.2 liter motor that is currently being assembled. The exhaust routing may seem unusual but everything is for aero on this car. The car runs a mechanical pump and a priming pump for startup. On the firewall from left to right is the clutch/brake reservoir, fuel regulator, radiator header tank and finally the breather tank on the right behind the strut tower.
The motor features Cosworth internals and special one-off components created with the input of a former F1 engineer from the turbo era. All of the exhaust parts will be surrounded by extensive heat shielding, coating, fiberglass and wrapping. Two Turbosmart wastegates, mounted to the Full-Race manifold, control boost. You can also see the custom water outlet connection.
This bespoke rear wing was designed specifically to complement the needs of this car.
It minimizes drag specifically in the ranges it would likely be adjusted. It was tested together with a simplified model of the car using the same CFD software some F1 teams use.
The massive cutouts in the bonnet are for the louvers and radiator exit ducting.
Here you can see the plug of the front having the louvers manufactured on them, ready for moulding.
Not quite hellaflush, but this is aerodynamicist approved. The door is a single piece of aramid core dry carbon that opens “gull wing” style, while Nemo will run on 18×11 with 295/30/18 rubber.
Words by Andrew Brilliant
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
I am soooooo pumped you got to feature this car. I saw the youtube clip of it and wanted more. Man the quality of this build is amazing. Please bring us more. I cant wait to see this in real life at WTAC in August. Chances it will be in the top 3 in your end of year review on Time Attach Car's....... 150%
WOWWW this makes the Rado Scions and Sierra Sierra look like childs play
Nice turbo choice! Look forward to seeing what this car will do.
goodness gracious those doors are awesome
I think the sierra sierra car is limited tothe fact that it is built around US time attack rules.?
nuts! as every other time attack evo that ive saw!
Talk about leaving a carbon footprint!
What an incredible build.
amazing car:)
Aliens
Madness!
We need more info! This EVO will win the 2012 Eastern Creek WTA.
wow
Currently studying motorsport engineering at university. That thing is insane! Amazing work! I never comment on articles usually but this is unbelievable! Really inspires me to push forward with my career! I hope it performs as well as it looks!
im in love
MOTHER OF GOD.
This is amazing.
curious why there were extension tubes added to the WG inlet vband flanges to the WG itself which is effectively adding more volume to the manifold than needed? also the all but 90 degree re-routing of the WG dumps back into the exhaust?
crazy stuff, damn i love it so much. wish I could have a project value 1/10 of this
Holy Crap... this thing is amazing !!
I can't wait to see what it does againt the other top time attack teams.
All Mitsubishi Evolutions should be made like this, and be used as touring cars.
Form and Function- I'm definately down with that... Good thing that it's not a street car as a setup with the downpipe hugging the engine bay side would be very awkward. I imagine that they have part changes during the race worked out, without endangering the workers from burns.
Too far. one off parts, CFD, one-piece shells...
It's all too much in my mind. Innovation is great and all, but I'm still of the opinion that Time Attack has grassroots racing in its lineage and that builds like this just kill the sport for all but the wealthiest. Not to mention this is no longer anything related to an actual Evo anymore. It's a one-off dedicated racecar that only mimics the original street car.
It's an amazing build, it's just too far from what I enjoy about Time Attack.
I think many people, including myself, want to know how much this car weighs.
will kill a lot car but still behind cyber gtr =]
@ Tbravo Not related to an Evo? What is it related to?????
So, using your "logic" , ANY car/chassis/engine could be worked like this, and be just as quick/fast around a track. At this level, it no longer matters what the chassis is? It has nothing to do with the CT9A platform/engine? ....
There are separate classes for a reason, I have been enthusiastically following TA for nearly a decade now, and I love seeing how far OEM chassis are being taken on track, it is very impressive. Builds at this level are not common and don't guarantee record results. Just look at the insane (semi-tube) GR fd and how faaaaaaaaar ahead UW and SSE were in 2011.
If anything in TA should be scrutinized, it is the use of FULLY built longblocks in the street class; THAT is ridiculous.
Needs a bigger turbo. EFR 9180 perhaps...
Holy Batman. Would die to see this car against Cyber and SSE. If it goes anything like it looks holy crap. There is meant to be a youtube clip floating around anyone got a link for it?
This car looks full on. Its going to be interesting with the exhaust in that position, its all going to get very hot not to mention the extra weight. Don't know about everything solid mounted and rubber engine mounts either. Hope it dosent catch on fire like the carbon clam shell car at wtac. At eastern creek.
The rubber engine mounts are going to be interesting with everything solided mounted. Looks pretty awesome though will be good to run against this at eastern creek.
They are REALLY setting the bar high from the get-go. Wow.
Aero crazy! Such an awesome build, I can't wait to see this car once its up and running. Exhaust path is strange, regardless of aiming for series-compliance, it seems like a strange path.
Please keep more updates of this car coming!
I have seen the car in person on the Gold Coast and the pictures don't show it as crazy as it really is. I think the exhaust route was chosen due to fitment. There was no room between the custom front support frame and the carbon floor to run it under like a normal Evo, to me it looked like there was only about 10mm between the frame and the floor. So as the exhaust can run anywhere this was must have been the only place they could fit it in. I asked about the heat etc from it, they said it was being hpc coated and wrapped in a fiberglass wrap. Weight wise I saw on the youtube clip it was under 1000kg. Not sure if that is wet or dry though, it doesnt say, and the engine is putting out 850hp. Seems like a wild pwr to weight ratio. I am hoping to hear where it is running as they start testing.
@ Tbravo Yes I love to see current time attack cars as well, but the sport is progressing fast, and this is where its heading. If you look at time attack cars few years ago, you can see how fast the sport is moving to more race dedicated cars. And by the way If your trying to built a competitive car, there will be one off peaces even on stock looking time attack cars of our time. And what is the fun to use only bolt on parts available to everyone,. Thats why some guys take their cars outside the box, and are able to achieve extraordinary results. And this thing is a true automotive work of art.
I get it, Cyber can use a wind tunnel, GR can buy a GT300 body, lotus can have clamshells, but these guys shouldn't build proper? Nothing is special about this car rules wise, everything is just being done better.
I agree that this is taking it to a new level, but is this level outside the true meaning (rules) of TA of using a OEM car? If you have a look at the Cyber Evo and SSE those cars have been build around and kept more like an OEM car then Nemo and does Nemo really look like an Evo anymore?
I hope they are looking forward to all the testing and issues that will come from such a build and then someone has to drive this car and keep it on the black stuff.
Best of luck for 2012.
I agree that this is taking it to a new level, but is this level outside the true meaning (rules) of TA of using a OEM car? If you have a look at the Cyber Evo and SSE those cars have been build around and kept more like an OEM car then Nemo and does Nemo really look like an Evo anymore?
I hope they are looking forward to all the testing and issues that will come from such a build and then someone has to drive this car and keep it on the black stuff.
Best of luck for 2012.
@THE DEVIL: read the quote below.
......"and the large frame turbo is a Borg Warner EFR 8374. After initial running it will be replaced with a 9180 twin scroll."
This car looks full on. Its going to be interesting with the exhaust in that position, its all going to get very hot not to mention the extra weight. Don't know about everything solid mounted and rubber engine mounts either. Hope it dosent catch on fire like the carbon clam shell car at wtac. At eastern creek.
This car is a good effort I think there are going to be a few r35 in front
I haven't seen the car in person but it does have some great idea's and also some not so great idea's.
As for the 850hp - Engine still hasn't been build so stating that figure is incorrect. Keeping the engine together will be a big ask for any Evo engine builder!
Best of luck for 2012.
looks like Batman's car
great proj
Link to youtube clip for you - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkgh23JGdYY
Wow...that is all!
Maybe a different from standard turbo location would of been a bit smarter. Then could of had shorter cooler pipes and a lot shorter exhaust with heating up the radiator and cold pipe
woahhhh! jaw dropping. excited to see this thing run.
also, andrew, try to avoid using words like "hellaflush" when describing race cars. the suspensions are designed to, you know, actually work.
I agree with the people that said this kills the sport of time attack... This is almost hideous looking.... why not just build a spaceship and fly around the track? There's nothing inspiring for EVO owners when looking at a car like this... as there is not much evo left in it..
How can a single car kill an entire sport? Must be some heck of a car to be able to do that. In Australia we have 3 classes, Clubsprint for your road registered cars, Open Class for your tuner inspired privateer cars and Pro Class for people to go way out there and produce something exotic. Things like the REV RX7, the Scorch Racing silvia, The Advan R34, Mercury R35 and GT Garage R35, Fernandez Ute etc This car just adds to that. Yes its on the extreme end but look at the quality of the workmanship, amazing for a privateer car. And for people to suggest not much evo left, you can tell from the outside its and Evo CT9a, it still has the 4G63, does run an aftermarket gearbox but all the Pro cars run Sequential or Dog Boxes anyway. Still seems to have the factory transfer case, and seems to have the chassis and shell as well. So killing the sport must be based on the extreme outside of it that Andrew Brilliant has designed. I say show us more of it.
This has no resembance whatsoever to a street car and it is being built far outside the scope of a handful of people.......shame!
TA may end up with pure purpose built 'motorsport' race cars taking the honours and become too far removed from the street scene which is not a good thing as the whole point of TA is its close relationship to the street and aftermarket tuning scenes we all know, love and relate directly to.
Thats of course if it wins anyhting............
@ TBravo - welcome to the difference between professional and amateur. You want to see times drop? Then am's just aint gonna do it. This is pure SPEED now.
Waiting for someone to ask how much it is and what shipping costs are to a given zip code?
Can't see how one build ruins a sport that sorta barely exists in the first place? Take a look at the cars running full time attack seasons and specifically, in the class this car will run in. Very few privateers, mainly shops. It's not a cheap sport to enter, and takes some level of financial backing to run consistently, let alone at the top of the pack. A build like this doesn't change that, it fits into that mold perfectly. Can't afford to build a car at this level? There are several lower classes for the average enthusiast to compete at. A build like this, to me, helps support the notion that the 'scene' isn't necessarily dying, just sorta hit a flat spot and is now morphing. Similar to what happened with drag racing here in the US from the mid 90's to early 2000's. For a while, that helped propel the industry to another level.
What part doesn't resemble an Evo? it's not a tube chassis car. In fact, how is this so vastly different than HKS's Evo from several years ago? It too used a dedicated carbon body if memory serves. Perhaps not quite at this level, but still. Not much different to a GT2 class car in that regard. They aren't street cars either.
this thing is awesome
Now that's what I am talking about. Have to hand it to them. The effort to build a car like that. HKS Evo was a nice car. Yep it was to sell HKS. But this thing makes it look like a daewoo. This thing is sex on wheels. The name LOL, thought what then read it was after the owners soon. X100 for the effort now give it to them on the track too.
Now people are talking about this ruining the sport of TA??? ... wow, that is over the top ridiculous. The term, 'blown out of proportion' comes to mind.
They moaned and cried the HKS Altezza away. They moaned about the TRB-02. Out came the ct230r, and the HKS build was beyond any team's capacity then (and even today it basically is), that was YEARS ago!
The sport has come a long way, and now we have another insane build, deal with it, it is nothing new to see TA build quality increase over time. The 3 above mentioned cars were ALL critical in getting TA where it is today. I can't wait to see and hear Nemo moving.
I think this car is amazing... it's not any crazier than the Garage Revolution RX-7 which is one of the lusted after Unlimited Class cars. This car is not being designed to run in Street Modified... its an UNLIMITED class shop car. When you have guys like Chris Rado, HKS, Sun Auto, and Sierra Sierra with 30 person teams and drivers like Tarzan Yamada piloting them, you are at the pinnacle of the sport. It's one of the things that makes it exciting. It will hardly ruin the sport, and I for one want to see how fast this car can go.
It's not that NEMO is not a good build as it is (infact its fantastic) and it is great to see BUT the relationship between TA and the street has always been very close as other tuners have proved by pushing the envelope but still retaining the true values of the scene it comes, they then sell manufactured parts we can all buy and then drive them on the road if we so choose. To build a car of this spec and try to pass it off as a street tuned/aftermarket car is not the done thing as it is too far removed from the true essence of TA and only somewhat visually represents the street car it came from, a bit like NASCAR !! Shoot me down but I truly love the NEMO project but I also love TA and what it stands for.........
@TA LUVA. They didnt say they were passing it of as a street tuned/aftermarket car. They are aiming for the unlimited class to compete against GST Motorsport, Rado Scion, FX NSX, SSE etc. Most of these have essentially no street cred to them either except maybe the rims. Its just this one is being done smarter and better IMO thank those.
Beast in the true sense, cant wait to see how it performs in follow up features. definitely will be something to look out for!
Hi Bruce, I am with you but having an unlimited class is tantamount to inviting all manner of purpose built dedicated 'motoracing' cars as there are no technical limitaions to keep either this car within the realms of its TA roots (this is a TA event after all) or to not allow in multi million dollar purpose built race cars, what next we get Le Mans style cars turning up to TA events to glory hunt or steal the limelight because its basically a free for all.......thanks but no thanks!!! TA organisers need to have a set of technical regulations in place to keep TA true to its roots by ensuring it represents the aftermarket tuning scene and stimulates the market place with its relationship, having cars too far removed from the spirit of TA will potentially take it too far away from why it all started in the first place,
I am all for evolution but not at the cost to the scene so perhaps the main TA organisers really should ensure the relationship between what the tuners build and the fans/customers can relate to stays firmly in place or TA will just become another super rich mans boring motorsport.
Peace.........
TA Luva, mate, you are crying foul WAAAYYYYYY too late
Where was your concern when cyberevo got a pro driver and started testing in the wind tunnel with an aerodynamicist?
Where were your cries when Revolution built a tube chassis car and bought a wind tunnel tested SuperGT body for a quarter million? Ring RE Amemiya and ask them how much for one.
Where was this outrage when Sierra Sierra came down from formula racing and had shocks that cost more than FXMDs entire car? And Cosworth engine program??
Where was this horror when HKS hired a GT car chassis constructor to build a car for time attack?
What do you expect this team to do? Build a car to lose whilst standing firmly on principles? of what exactly? And would anyone care?
Hellaflush? F@#& hellaflush. This is a real racecar, not some chump's life-sized Hot Wheels.
haternation, no one cares what you think looks good. Nothing inspiring in this car for Evo owners? You clearly just looked at the pictures without reading the article, and even then you did so through the eyes of a simpleton. Grow up you stupid baby.
Looks like FXMD got their hands in every fast TA car not to mention their NSX holds most of the track records in US , this evo is gonna be one fast car , but i'm sure it will take some testing to get it there , next year this will be the car to watch out for.
TA Luva,
There are rules for each competition.
Global Time Attack can be found here:
http://www.globaltimeattack.com/2011-gta-rules/
Worldtimeattack can be found here:
http://www.worldtimeattack.com/index.php/competitors-2/
if you need I can provide a link to the UK ones as well.
Each organiser creates his rules based on what they believe the market wants to see and what cars the market will pay to attend too and buy merchandise from. These cars are being built to these rules. In the end the market will rule. If that market is behind your thoughts then these competitions will die out and your competition will come to the fore. If these organisers are right then the public/market wants to see this type of car. Yes they want to see other forms. Thats why they have the other classes like, Ulimited, Limited and Street. I know from the advertising the public wants to see the FD NSX, SSE etc and they want to see REV RX7, Mercury R35. I think based on alot of the comments here and that the youtube clip these people made for this car has hit 4500 hits the people also want to see NEMO. I am one whom wants to see this thing run, but hey i might not be the market.
Agree to disagree sounds good
JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT IT WAS NOT NEMO THAT HAD THE WING FAILURE AT EASTERN CREEK, THAT WAS A DIFFERENT CAR, EVO 6. NOTE THE REAR EXIT EXHAUST IN THE VIDEO. NEMO IS SIDE EXIT!
As a fellow Queenslander and an avid speedhunter this car inspires the hell outta me. It's the pinnacle of privateer development and it's freaking cool =)