The Subaru project...

Did the Subaru that ran in the Coloni ever have any Japan involvement or was it just another McLaren/Ilmor that was done by Motori Monderni?

Also, is it true that Subaru tried to by the team out at one point in 1990?

It was 100% designed and built in Italy, using the same specialist sub-contractors as Alfa Romeo and Lamborghini, although there were plans for Motori Moderni to move closer to Subaru's European Technical Centre in Milan.

The first test of the "Subaru" engine in the Minardi



Copyright unknown

Somewhere I have a tape recording of the Coloni-Subaru - i was going to say "at speed", maybe better to say "under power" at Silverstone. It sound like it never runs on all 12 but perhaps that was a quirk of the firing order?
Certainly it didn't have the same spine tingling effect of hearing a Ferrari 312B or the flat 12 Mercedes Gp C car.
The LIFE W12 also appears on there with it's original engine and it lasts about 3 laps, which was probably it's personal best...

Did a major motor manufacturer ever have such a luke-warm, tentative involvemnt in F1 as Subaru?

Simon Lewis
Transport Books
www.simonlewis.com

Quote

Originally posted by simonlewisbooks

Did a major motor manufacturer ever have such a luke-warm, tentative involvemnt in F1 as Subaru?

The only one I can think of is Isuzu ;P

Quote

Originally posted by petefenelon


The only one I can think of is Isuzu ;P

Now that begs the question - when and with whom? I actually don't recall it at all.

Simon

Quote

Originally posted by simonlewisbooks


Did a major motor manufacturer ever have such a luke-warm, tentative involvemnt in F1 as Subaru?

Simon Lewis
Transport Books
www.simonlewis.com

Tag/McLaren aside, Porsche's involvement with with Footwork was at best, pathetic. The drivers were relieved as flushing away a floating turd when they could revert to a standard Ford V8.

Quote

Originally posted by Megatron

Also, is it true that Subaru tried to by the team out at one point in 1990?

Subaru (or at least its parent company Fuji Industries) took control of Coloni at the end of 1989, but pulled out and sold the team back to Enzo after the engine was withdrawn. Silverstone was the "Subaru"'s last appearance. And there was a definite improvement. From an unbroken string of DNPQs, the team steadily improved to mere DNQs...

One has to wonder whether Chiti isn't generally vastly over-rated -- you look at how long he was around racing and the only real rays of sunshine in his post-Ferrari career are really around the Alfa flat-12 in its sportscar guise and the couple of wins Niki managed for Brabham-Alfa....

Quote

Originally posted by simonlewisbooks


Now that begs the question - when and with whom? I actually don't recall it at all.

Simon

Lotus tested an Isuzu V12 in 1991. I think it was more a case of they were already working with Isuzu on the road car side and the Isuzu guys happened to mention that they'd already got an F1 engine...

Quote

Originally posted by petefenelon


Lotus tested an Isuzu V12 in 1991. I think it was more a case of they were already working with Isuzu on the road car side and the Isuzu guys happened to mention that they'd already got an F1 engine...

Anymore information about this test ?
Who drove the car, where ?
It's a very strange news. But was-it a really F1 engine ?

Thanks

Quote

Originally posted by Bob Amblard


Anymore information about this test ?
Who drove the car, where ?
It's a very strange news. But was-it a really F1 engine ?

Thanks

Try here for an earlier discussion on TNF about the Isuzu car. Yes, it was quite a serious F1 engine. (It's described in Karl Ludvigsen's excellent book on V12s, as well).

Quote

Originally posted by petefenelon


Try here for an earlier discussion on TNF about the Isuzu car. Yes, it was quite a serious F1 engine. (It's described in Karl Ludvigsen's excellent book on V12s, as well).

Quote

Originally posted by man


Tag/McLaren aside, Porsche's involvement with with Footwork was at best, pathetic. The drivers were relieved as flushing away a floating turd when they could revert to a standard Ford V8.

Trouble is, that wasn't a "lukewarm" effort -- that was Porsche working flat out and having completely misjudged what was required. I reckon it took until the 911GT1 for Porsche to "get its groove back" in racing after that fiasco (I don't count the TWR/Joest/Porsche, as that wasn't 'really' works!)

Re Isuzu there were even rumours about the engine use in sportscars racing, I remember reading on Autosport about Vern Schuppan team using the engine in a Lola 92/10 chassis....