A thing of beauty (F1 content)

Introducing the 2010 Lotus T127

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/pic/4434/Lotus-T127-Cosworth_6.html

yup, best looking out of the group IMO

No doubt due to the return to the classic color scheme. Now if they would ban the nose in the air

I know it's blasphemous to dis a Lotus, but I think it's U-G-L-Y.

I don't think any of todays cars are very pretty though, nor do I think they're very ugly, just "meh". But this is a bit more of an ugly ducking that most. Just look at the gazillion wings and do-dads on that front wing, it's like the team went on a shopping spree at JC Whitney. IMHO, the only thing it has going for it is the color scheme.

There are certain F1 cars that I like based solely on color scheme and livery. I actually like the new Ferrari with White wings. I am in love with the new Renault, and this Lotus incarnation is a thing of beauty. BRG and Yellow is one of the best color combinations ever. I even painted my bedroom in Lotus 25 colors when I was younger.

Yeah the high nose is really ruining it. And I'm sure that front wing is functional but it's like a ricer's wet dream. I like the rest of the car though.

now this is my type of F1 car...

It's probably age related, but I think the aesthetics of F1 cars has been going downhill since about 1967.

stuart in mn wrote: It's probably age related, but I think the aesthetics of F1 cars has been going downhill since about 1967.

I agree that the older open-wheel cars had a certain "I am insane" quality that I love, like the Gurney Eagles:

But Mario Andretti in in a black JPS F1 car is my personal favorite before they went all high-tech:

I like the new Lotus.

The new Lotus is easily the most conservatively-designed car unveiled so far. It'll probably be a lot like the 2000 Arrows A21, really fast in a straight line and OK around the corners. Also to be noted is that this team has a tenuous relationship at best with the actual Group Lotus and the previous Team Lotus F1 effort, so there's virtually nothing Lotus about the car other than its name and paint scheme (try to find the actual Lotus logo anywhere on the car).

I much prefer the new Virgin VR-01. Another wonderful Nick Wirth design; anyone remember the gorgeous Simtek S941? He seems to like a degree of curvature to his nosecones.

pinchvalve wrote: I agree that the older open-wheel cars had a certain "I am insane" quality that I love, like the Gurney Eagles:

Your pic actually shows an Indy-car; notice the off-set suspension and V8 w/center exhaust configuration.

This is a proper Eagle-Weslake.

I rather like the mid-late 80's designs:

I say take all the aero BS away.... F1 in my view should be 2 simple rules.....

no aero downforce - none

each team gets a gal of fuel for each 30 miles of distance.

pinchvalve wrote: I rather like the mid-late 80's designs:

I really like 80's ones too. Looks sort of futuristic, but is still simple.

oldsaw wrote: Your pic actually shows an Indy-car; notice the off-set suspension and V8 w/center exhaust configuration.

I knew someone would catch that, but how you picked it up was pure genius...or you have more time on your hands than me!

pinchvalve wrote:

oldsaw wrote: Your pic actually shows an Indy-car; notice the off-set suspension and V8 w/center exhaust configuration.

I knew someone would catch that, but how you picked it up was pure genius...or you have more time on your hands than me!

No genius here; just a devoted fan with too good a memory. My formative years were dominated by an insatiable lust for sportscar and formula car racing.

For another example of beautiful F1 cars, the early 90's cars deserve another look:

I don't understand why people keep saying remove aero. F1 is supposed to be the cutting edge of technology and the fastest things around a track. Aero helps make these cars so fast. I would like to less rules in F1 and not more in order to allow the engineers to get creative.

People are just nostalgic for racing where the drivers are the ones driving the cars, not the engineers.

Case in point:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EtMm4Y-fUM

Watch those cars slide around, watch the drivers work their butts off inside the cockpits. That is racing.

Not to say that F1 doesn't have racing these days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YIabK0Xnz8

but it just doesn't feel the same.

Even looking at the cars and drivers from the 70's:

http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?pi=0&ps=20&sf=&sa=0&dm=0&p=E5E0B2704C053D45