In terms of designing a new IndyCar, I’m not terribly hard to please. I’m not fussy. I want what every American wants: for it to combine the aesthetic elements of a Ninja throwing star & a seductive January Jones — all while maintaining the sleek lines of a cheetah cyborg of some sort. Oh, and I want it to look like it’s doing 900 mph while parked in a garage. Is that so hard?
Ummm, apparently not.
BOOM! RIGHT THERE!! THAT’S HOW YOU DESIGN AN INDYCAR!!
Whoa.
By Coz, February 8, 2010 @ 4:15 pm
Roy, you’re in denial. I don’t like to see this happening to you- the 5 phases are denial, anger, fear, bargaining, and acceptance; hopefully you can get through them as fast a Homer Simpson did when he found out he was dying from eating poisoned blow fish. Go have a nice hot shrimp cocktail at the Elmo. I’ll meet you there and break one of the serving goblets across my forehead for you like Belushi in Animal House.
By larz, February 8, 2010 @ 4:21 pm
BATMOBILE!!! Holy crap Robin, now we should have a series of multiple chassis… Let Dallara and Swift fight like caged pigs. Pigs who are hungry for bacon. mmmm, bacon.
By Marc Bever, February 8, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
You had me at January Jones.
By @djcraske, February 8, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
For some peculiar reason, all that car needs is 3 things:
1. Painted white with red trim
2. Red circle with Yellow “5″
3. Christine Ricci with string-bikini & toolbelt
Mario Moraes as Speed Racer, er um, test driver? Chip Ganassi as Pops Racer? Viso as Chim-Chim?
By PleasePickLola, February 8, 2010 @ 4:48 pm
how will the wheels turn without rubbing the front wing?
By ttturner68, February 8, 2010 @ 5:07 pm
Not a fan. Yellow Dallara is so far the best. We will see what the Delta Wing looks like.
By Jason Mcveigh, February 8, 2010 @ 5:18 pm
And the design award for best robotic animal goes to Roy Hobbson for his genius “Cheetah Cyborg”. That rules.
By Carrie, February 8, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
I take it back. The Dallara spec isn’t porn. THAT is porn. I’ll be in my bunk.
By DonMedia, February 8, 2010 @ 5:35 pm
I’ll swim against the tide here and agree with Roy. That Swift car just LOOKS fast (pun intended).
By Shane Rogers, February 8, 2010 @ 5:56 pm
I think the only busting of Mushrooms happening there involves magic ones at the Swift design office.
By Roy Hobbson, February 8, 2010 @ 6:04 pm
Some of the best things in the world were created while on mushrooms, Shane. Wonderful things like the root beer float & “Dark Side of the Moon” & Democracy. Watch your tone, sailor.
By Bruce Jensen, February 8, 2010 @ 7:56 pm
This is a good move for IndyCar. Go American! Now wouldn’t be great to allow a variety of engines from around the world? Maybe somebody would produce an updated “Offy” engine made in the USA.
By Catie, February 8, 2010 @ 8:54 pm
na na na na na na na na BATMAN!
By Dan Schrementi, February 8, 2010 @ 10:15 pm
The lighting system – while somewhat gimmicky – is really clever too. I still have high hopes for the d-wing too
By H.B. Donnelly, February 8, 2010 @ 10:50 pm
Dan, refer to them by their proper moniker: SWIFTLIGHTS! Even the silly gimmick lights have a cool name on this car. By the way, the design at the bottom-right (Number 33) is slightly different than the one at the top; the slight difference is that #33 has that fantastic hourglass shape that I look for in things like…well…January Jones.
Still excited for d-wing in Chicago, as I hope to get up there and actually see the thing in the flesh..er..fiber.
By Neon18, February 9, 2010 @ 10:22 am
Swift wins…can’t wait for the movie staring January Jones (or anime’ PrettyPrincessGirl)…Kidding aside..
An actual race car that most closely resembles the Mach Five would be an early Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa… Another possibility of inspiration could be the Ford GT40, which was a very popular and successful racecar, mainly in Le Mans and other Touring series, in the 1960s.
The Mach5- “Swift lookalike car is designed to compete in a type of “open formula” racing, where cars are usually built with the maximum power and minimum of weight…
Love this car! EXTRAVOGANT…
Also, as far as sales go, this is the bait!
By pressdog, February 9, 2010 @ 3:28 pm
Hobbson is so easy. Some shiny lights. A vague ninja visual reference, bottle of scotch — SOLD. Let’s wait until all the candidates are in the arena, shall we. You gotta catch a plane or something? Settle down.
By Hamilton Fish, February 9, 2010 @ 4:33 pm
Underwhelmed so far. I don’t know about anybody else, but if you asked me in 1985, “what will the Indy car look like in 30 years?” you can bet your ass I’d be describing some sort of flying car thing that goes 300 mph. Pot should be legalized. http://country.paraguay.com/arts_and_culture/indigenous_art.php
By Ryan Worden, February 9, 2010 @ 5:00 pm
Hobbson, your site is starting to resemble far too serious of an IndyCar blog lately… please throw back some turpentine and regale us with tales of Marco hitting on women at the bar.
As for the Swift, its pretty cool looking, but don’t we already know all the ‘Swiftlights’ information through onboard telemetry?
By Ron Ford, February 9, 2010 @ 6:00 pm
Mmmmmm, I’m thinking Scott Dixon will be perfect as Bruce Wayne. “Crank up the Swiftmobile Robin (Marco), there’s the bat signal coming from the Pagoda. That damn Joker (Paul Tracy) must be taking the high line again.”
Danica will be delicious as Batgirl. BAM,POW, “Outta my way Milky”.
Izod will require all the drivers to wear the colorful Izod batcapes.
This just gets more funner every day!
BTW, is it true that Mr. Polian has suggested that all the drivers rest up until the Homestead race to avoid injury? Jus sayin…..
By izod9, February 10, 2010 @ 12:54 am
Ford, I want the cape. Worden, you’re exactly right, for some reason this forum has gotten serious about racing vehicles. Hobson, put some stagger in this blog so we don’t veer into the wall of caring. .
By DZ, February 10, 2010 @ 11:13 am
Exposed engine bay – two thumbs up.
Rear wing with two end supports a la Jim Hall’s 1979 Chaparaal – two thumbs up.
How excited Carrie gets every time a new pic is released… (filter activated).
Hobbsy, let’s salivate over the Lola and the Delta Wing before we declare a winner.
This is about to get interesting…
By Coz, February 10, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
OK everyone, I peeked into Roy’s bedroom, and he’s still fast asleep; with an empty 1/2 gallon of Jack and a crumpled up poster of “How to Make a Sazerac” still clenched between his teeth. Give it a few more days.
By TripleT, February 11, 2010 @ 3:52 pm
Seen the DeltaWing/PhallicWing/TricycleWing/DaggerWing/DeltaWang now the Swift33 looks completely reasonable. Nascar will sue for stealing the idea of the the Daytona 500 Trophy
By Chris, February 15, 2010 @ 4:52 am
Totally with you – Swift wins hands down. Delta Wing is an appalling looking machine.
By Jim, February 17, 2010 @ 7:08 pm
The car is nice but it looks a little Speed Racerish. I think if you want Indycar to stay around you need to copy the F1 rule book.