Nissan P35
Encyclopedia
The Nissan P35 was a planned Group C
car built by Nissan Motors
for competition in the World Sportscar Championship
. Developed by Nissan Performance Technology Inc. (NPTI), which had formerly raced under the name Electramotive in the United States, the cars were intended to be completed by the middle of 1992, with competition starting in 1993. However economic troubles for Nissan led to the cancellation of the project soon after testing of the first cars had begun, meaning that the P35s never raced.
During the development of the P35, Nissan's own motorsports division, Nismo
, began work on a modified P35 design that would be adapted to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
. This car, known as the NP35, would be allowed to race only once before it too was cancelled. These would be the final prototypes built by Nissan until 1997.
for Nissan's R90CK
s, it was decided that the company would leave the championship to instead concentrate on the R90CP
s in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship (JSPC) and GTP ZX-Turbos
in the IMSA GT Championship
in North America. Regulation changes in the World Sportscar Championship would have required Nissan to abandon their turbocharged engines in place of newer, advanced naturally aspirated units, as well as design all new cars to handle them.
Nissan reversed their plans in 1991, partially because JSPC was beginning to allow the newer Group C
cars that could outpace Nissan's older cars. Nissan turned to Nissan Performance Technology Inc. (NPTI), the company's North American motorsports arm who had run their IMSA GT Championship program. The company was tasked with developing a new car while Nissan Motorsport (Nismo) in Japan would develop an all-new engine to fit the regulations.
Designed by Yoshi Suzuka and Trevor Harris, the P35 bore little resemblance to NPTI's GTP cars given the very different regulations as well as differing airflow requirements that needed to be taken into account. The water radiator was placed in the nose with inlets for brake cooling situated there as well, the engine inlet was placed above the cockpit. The side ducts located in the horizontal face of the side pods took air to the oil coolers (and also had a unique boundary layer suction feature). A low rear wing was also used, although a dual rear wing was briefly tested. The chassis of the P35 was intended to be built from carbon fibre, yet the initial test chassis were built from a hybrid of aluminium and carbon to save time, due to NPTI's lack of experience with building carbon chassis.
For an engine, Nismo
would develop an entire new unit. Required to be 3.5 litres by Group C
rules, the engine had to not only be high-revving like a Formula One
engine, but also have endurance capabilities. Nismo
produced an engine at 3499 cc named the VRT35, with claims of 630 hp and capable of reaching nearly 12000 rpm. The VRT35 would be a V12
, in comparison to Peugeot
, Toyota, and Mazda
's V10 units.
Following the cancellation of the P35 project in 1992, the car was briefly considered as a possible replacement for the NPT-90 in the IMSA GTP Championship, replacing the VRT35 V12 with the 3.0L turbocharged VG30
V6 that had previously been used. Wind tunnel tests were carried out on what was termed the 93GTP. However, Nissan was looking elsewhere and decided to pursue Indy Car racing. This lasted only briefly (though Indy Car concepts were beginning to be developed in the wind tunnel) and the realities of the widening recession hit home. This eventually led to the closing of NPTI in 1993.
In total, three P35 chassis were built in total for testing purposes.
decided that although the car would be legal for competition in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
, it was not as well suited to Japan's shorter race circuits. Nismo
therefore decided that they would develop their own version of the P35 with an increased downforce setup as well as some other mechanical changes.
Nismo
used molds originally used for the creation of the P35 to create their own car, known as the NP35. Due to Nismo
's access to a carbon fibre facility, the chassis of the lone NP35 was constructed entirely of carbon fiber instead of the hybrid used by NPTI. The VRT35 V12 was also modified with more power because JSPC races were not as long and endurance was not as important.
Only one NP35 would be built and raced before Nissan cancelled the project.
, All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
, as well as the GTP class in the IMSA GT Championship
, a group of former NPTI employees, including John Christie, took it upon themselves to build a new car for IMSA's WSC class of open-cockpit Le Mans prototype
s. Using one of the former P35 test cars, chassis #1, the engineers cut off the entire cockpit bodywork and added rollhoops and a new cockpit surround for driver protection. The VRT35 engines were replaced with a Ferrari
3.4-liter V8. The team renamed the car "X-250" in homage of the 250 employees laid off with NPTI's demise.
doing most of the driving. Tests included runs at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
and on the road course at Daytona International Speedway
. However the P35 never competed in any races, and one copy was moved to Japan to be stored in Nissan's Zama, Kanagawa
facility.
The NP35 on the other hand would actually race, although only once. The final race of the 1992 JSPC season (and what would become the final JSPC race before the series was dissolved) was at Mine Circuit, and Nismo
entered their lone NP35. Competing in their class against the Toyota TS010
and Mazda MXR-01
, the NP35 would be the slowest car in qualifying, five seconds behind the pole winning Nissan R92CP
. The race itself would see many mechanical problems for the car, although it would manage to finish the race. Of the finishers, it was ranked last and 25 laps behind the winning TS010. Following this race, the NP35 would not race again, moving into storage alongside the P35. Nissan occasionally brings it to exhibition events, namely its own annual Nismo Festival..
The X-250, built from a former P35, also only ran one race, the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring
. There, the car suffered electronics problems after only 21 laps and was listed as the first car out of the event. The X-250 never raced competitively again, although the car is maintained and now runs in historics.
Chassis number 2 of the Nissan P35 is now housed in Coventry University
's Motorsport Engineering Workshop. The car is used as a training vehicle for students on the University's renowned BEng Motorsports Engineering Degree.
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
car built by Nissan Motors
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
for competition in the World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
. Developed by Nissan Performance Technology Inc. (NPTI), which had formerly raced under the name Electramotive in the United States, the cars were intended to be completed by the middle of 1992, with competition starting in 1993. However economic troubles for Nissan led to the cancellation of the project soon after testing of the first cars had begun, meaning that the P35s never raced.
During the development of the P35, Nissan's own motorsports division, Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
, began work on a modified P35 design that would be adapted to the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
. This car, known as the NP35, would be allowed to race only once before it too was cancelled. These would be the final prototypes built by Nissan until 1997.
Development
At the end of a strong year in the 1990 World Sportscar Championship season1990 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1990 World Sportscar Championship season was the 38th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship racing. It featured the 1990 FIA World Sports-Prototype Championship for Drivers and the 1990 FIA World Sports-Prototype Championship for Teams, both of which were contested over a series for cars...
for Nissan's R90CK
Nissan R90C
The Nissan R90C was either of two Group C racing cars built in 1990 for Nissan Motors for competition in World Sportscar Championship based in Europe and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship . The cars based on the basic R90C platform would compete until 1993 before Nissan chose to...
s, it was decided that the company would leave the championship to instead concentrate on the R90CP
Nissan R90C
The Nissan R90C was either of two Group C racing cars built in 1990 for Nissan Motors for competition in World Sportscar Championship based in Europe and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship . The cars based on the basic R90C platform would compete until 1993 before Nissan chose to...
s in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship (JSPC) and GTP ZX-Turbos
Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo
The Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo was a series of racing cars developed for Nissan Motors by Electramotive Engineering to compete in the IMSA GT Championship. Running from 1985 to 1990, they were known for being the first car to defeat the Porsche 962 which had dominated IMSA's premiere GTP category...
in the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
in North America. Regulation changes in the World Sportscar Championship would have required Nissan to abandon their turbocharged engines in place of newer, advanced naturally aspirated units, as well as design all new cars to handle them.
Nissan reversed their plans in 1991, partially because JSPC was beginning to allow the newer Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
cars that could outpace Nissan's older cars. Nissan turned to Nissan Performance Technology Inc. (NPTI), the company's North American motorsports arm who had run their IMSA GT Championship program. The company was tasked with developing a new car while Nissan Motorsport (Nismo) in Japan would develop an all-new engine to fit the regulations.
Designed by Yoshi Suzuka and Trevor Harris, the P35 bore little resemblance to NPTI's GTP cars given the very different regulations as well as differing airflow requirements that needed to be taken into account. The water radiator was placed in the nose with inlets for brake cooling situated there as well, the engine inlet was placed above the cockpit. The side ducts located in the horizontal face of the side pods took air to the oil coolers (and also had a unique boundary layer suction feature). A low rear wing was also used, although a dual rear wing was briefly tested. The chassis of the P35 was intended to be built from carbon fibre, yet the initial test chassis were built from a hybrid of aluminium and carbon to save time, due to NPTI's lack of experience with building carbon chassis.
For an engine, Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
would develop an entire new unit. Required to be 3.5 litres by Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
rules, the engine had to not only be high-revving like a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
engine, but also have endurance capabilities. Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
produced an engine at 3499 cc named the VRT35, with claims of 630 hp and capable of reaching nearly 12000 rpm. The VRT35 would be a V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
, in comparison to Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
, Toyota, and Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
's V10 units.
Following the cancellation of the P35 project in 1992, the car was briefly considered as a possible replacement for the NPT-90 in the IMSA GTP Championship, replacing the VRT35 V12 with the 3.0L turbocharged VG30
Nissan VG engine
The VG engine family consists of V6 piston engines designed and produced by Nissan for several vehicles in the Nissan lineup. The VG series started in 1983 becoming Japan's first mass produced V6 engine. VG engines displace between 2.0 L and 3.3 L and feature an iron block and aluminum...
V6 that had previously been used. Wind tunnel tests were carried out on what was termed the 93GTP. However, Nissan was looking elsewhere and decided to pursue Indy Car racing. This lasted only briefly (though Indy Car concepts were beginning to be developed in the wind tunnel) and the realities of the widening recession hit home. This eventually led to the closing of NPTI in 1993.
In total, three P35 chassis were built in total for testing purposes.
NP35
While NPTI developed the P35, NismoNismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
decided that although the car would be legal for competition in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
, it was not as well suited to Japan's shorter race circuits. Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
therefore decided that they would develop their own version of the P35 with an increased downforce setup as well as some other mechanical changes.
Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
used molds originally used for the creation of the P35 to create their own car, known as the NP35. Due to Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
's access to a carbon fibre facility, the chassis of the lone NP35 was constructed entirely of carbon fiber instead of the hybrid used by NPTI. The VRT35 V12 was also modified with more power because JSPC races were not as long and endurance was not as important.
Only one NP35 would be built and raced before Nissan cancelled the project.
X-250
In 1996, following the closing of NPTI as well as the cancellation of the World Sportscar ChampionshipWorld Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
, All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
All Japan Sports Prototype Championship
The , abbreviated as JSPC, formed by the Japanese Automobile Federation, was a domestic championship which took place in Japan for Group C and IMSA GTP prototype cars and also featured cars that were eligible for touring car racing in its earlier years...
, as well as the GTP class in the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
, a group of former NPTI employees, including John Christie, took it upon themselves to build a new car for IMSA's WSC class of open-cockpit Le Mans prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
s. Using one of the former P35 test cars, chassis #1, the engineers cut off the entire cockpit bodywork and added rollhoops and a new cockpit surround for driver protection. The VRT35 engines were replaced with a Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
3.4-liter V8. The team renamed the car "X-250" in homage of the 250 employees laid off with NPTI's demise.
Racing history
The P35 was tested various times during 1991, with Johnny O'ConnellJohnny O'Connell
Johnny O'Connell , is a GM factory racecar driver from United States, currently residing in Flowery Branch, Georgia...
doing most of the driving. Tests included runs at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
and on the road course at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. However the P35 never competed in any races, and one copy was moved to Japan to be stored in Nissan's Zama, Kanagawa
Zama, Kanagawa
is a city located in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The city is also home to the United States' Camp Zama Army base. As of 128,989, the city had an estimated population of 128,989 and a density of 7,320 persons per km². The total area was 17.58 km²....
facility.
The NP35 on the other hand would actually race, although only once. The final race of the 1992 JSPC season (and what would become the final JSPC race before the series was dissolved) was at Mine Circuit, and Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
entered their lone NP35. Competing in their class against the Toyota TS010
Toyota TS010
The Toyota TS010 was a Group C racing car built by Toyota for the Sportscar World Championship, All Japan Sports Prototype Championship, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.-History:...
and Mazda MXR-01
Mazda MXR-01
The Mazda MXR-01 was a Group C sportscar used by Mazda's factory team Mazdaspeed in the 1992 World Sportscar Championship season. It would be the final Mazda entry in sportscars since the inception of their Le Mans project in 1983.-Development:...
, the NP35 would be the slowest car in qualifying, five seconds behind the pole winning Nissan R92CP
Nissan R90C
The Nissan R90C was either of two Group C racing cars built in 1990 for Nissan Motors for competition in World Sportscar Championship based in Europe and the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship . The cars based on the basic R90C platform would compete until 1993 before Nissan chose to...
. The race itself would see many mechanical problems for the car, although it would manage to finish the race. Of the finishers, it was ranked last and 25 laps behind the winning TS010. Following this race, the NP35 would not race again, moving into storage alongside the P35. Nissan occasionally brings it to exhibition events, namely its own annual Nismo Festival..
The X-250, built from a former P35, also only ran one race, the 1997 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
. There, the car suffered electronics problems after only 21 laps and was listed as the first car out of the event. The X-250 never raced competitively again, although the car is maintained and now runs in historics.
Chassis number 2 of the Nissan P35 is now housed in Coventry University
Coventry University
Coventry University is a post-1992 university in Coventry, West Midlands, England. Under the terms of the Further and Higher Education Act of 1992, the institution's name was changed from Coventry Polytechnic to Coventry University...
's Motorsport Engineering Workshop. The car is used as a training vehicle for students on the University's renowned BEng Motorsports Engineering Degree.
External links
- Japan Le Mans Challenge - Nismo Le Mans Pavilion
- Supercars.net - Nissan NP35