The coolest supercar that never was.
Built around a carbon fiber tub with pushrod-actuated suspension, featuring central, tandem seating positions and running a detuned version Yamaha's then-current F1 V12, it was literally a Formula One car for the road.
Some specs:
Engine: Yamaha 3.5 liter V12, 400HP @ 10,000 rpm.
Chassis: carbon fiber tub - engine mounted directly to rear bulkhead
Body: hand-beaten aluminum panels
Front suspension: double wishbones from aero section steel tubing, fabricated uprights, push rods to inboard coil over damper units
Rear suspension: double wishbones from aero section steel tubing, fabricated uprights, push rods to inboard coil over damper units - mounted directly on gearbox
Transmission: 6 speed transaxle with limited slip differential and multi-plate AP racing clutch
Brakes: AP Racing 6 piston (front) and 4 piston (rear) billet machined calipers with cast iron discs
Wheels: magnesium alloy
Chassis: carbon fiber tub - engine mounted directly to rear bulkhead
Body: hand-beaten aluminum panels
Front suspension: double wishbones from aero section steel tubing, fabricated uprights, push rods to inboard coil over damper units
Rear suspension: double wishbones from aero section steel tubing, fabricated uprights, push rods to inboard coil over damper units - mounted directly on gearbox
Transmission: 6 speed transaxle with limited slip differential and multi-plate AP racing clutch
Brakes: AP Racing 6 piston (front) and 4 piston (rear) billet machined calipers with cast iron discs
Wheels: magnesium alloy
Sadly, like a lot of expensive cars in development in the early 90s (the projected price was $1,000,000 - this according to official sales brochures), it was a casualty of Japan's burst economic bubble. At this point, the car was essentially ready for sale, with only fine-tuning needed before it could be put in to limited production - a similar tale to the more recent Honda NSX/HSV-010 debacle.
I could write a lot about this car, but it would probably read like an adjective-laced transcript of two 8th grade boys describing it to each other - the word "awesome" would be pervasive. Instead, I'll link a short but excellent story from thekneeslider.com, written by one of the people personally involved in the project. Someday, I hope to hunt down a copy of the detailed and exclusive 1992 Paul Frère/Road & Track test drive and post up some scans.
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| the 3.5L, DOHC, 48V V12 made 400HP and redlined at 11,000 RPM |
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| Paul Frère love it - no one from the press ever drove the car |
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| serious business |
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| bare tub - like an F1 car without the aero |
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| define evocative |
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| where they hibernate |
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| absolutely insane to think this was almost a road car |
not a great video, but then again the only video of the OX99-11 in action
sounds great just warming up, but the impatient should skip to 1:05
There's at least one more video of the OX99-11
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KzGwHCsKKw