Rodin Cars Rodin FZero

[WBarnes]

New Zealand’s Rodin FZero Could Be Faster Than An F1 Car

Dubbed the Rodin FZero, it is promising figures which would leave even the insane Aston Martin Valkyrie in the dust.

Moreover, unlike many other aspiring manufacturers, Rodin actually has a lot of money behind it, as Australian owner David Dicker has built up a multi-billion dollar software in recent decades and wants to turn his automotive dream into a reality. And what a dream it is…

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The FZero will be built in two different forms. The entry-level model will be powered by a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter V10 with approximately 700 HP, while a twin-turbocharged variant will pump out no less than 1,000 HP and could be upgraded to 1600 hp. Those are extraordinary numbers, but they fade into insignificance when you consider the car’s weight and huge amounts of downforce it will produce.

According to Which Car, the FZero will tip the scales at a scarcely believable 605 kg (1,333 lbs), including the driver, and produce an extraordinary 4,000 kg (8,818 lbs) of downforce! To put that into perspective, the track-only Valkyrie AMR Pro is tipped to generate about 1,800 kg (3,968 lbs) of downforce. If such a remarkable figure is achieved, the FZero will be capable of immense cornering forces.

Rodin has recruited a number of experts in the field to make the FZero a reality: for instance, the eight-speed mechanical sequential transmission is being developed by Ricardo and the engine will be built by Neil Brown Engineering in the UK in a project overseen by former Cosworth and Ford motorsport veteran Graham Dale-Jones.

Velocity reports that the renderings of the FZero are an accurate representation of the finished product. While the vehicle depicted will be limited to track use, a road-legal version is said to be in the works.

https: // www .carscoops.com/2019/07/new-zealands-rodin-fzero-could-be-faster-than-an-f1-car/

 

[Porsche Guy]

Looks straight out of a video game. Hope it happens.

 

[KiwiRob]

Interesting, as a footnote Rodin bought the Lotus T125 project in 2016/16. I don’t know if they have sold any or are still developing it.

 

[WBarnes]

Interesting, as a footnote Rodin bought the Lotus T125 project in 2016/16. I don’t know if they have sold any or are still developing it.

Could well be the same engine.

 

[KiwiRob]

Nope it’s a different engine, I’ve been reading some NZ motor magazines, the FZero will use a bespoke designed by Rodin 4.0 V10, mated to an 8 speed transmission also designed by them. It’s pretty impressive for a small company like this to design an build everything in house, it’s just a pity the car looks like it does.

 

[WBarnes]

Nope it’s a different engine, I’ve been reading some NZ motor magazines, the FZero will use a bespoke designed by Rodin 4.0 V10, mated to an 8 speed transmission also designed by them. It’s pretty impressive for a small company like this to design an build everything in house, it’s just a pity the car looks like it does.

The article references Ricardo for the transmission and Neil Brown Engineering for the engine.

 

[KiwiRob]

The article references Ricardo for the transmission and Neil Brown Engineering for the engine.

The say both engine and transmission are designed by them, building engines and transmissions isn't something companies in NZ have expertise in, so help is needed. For a small company they have pretty impressive facilities, they even have their own 6km test track.

there more info here.

Rodin FZero: New Zealand's Aston Martin Valkyrie rival

Think Aston Martin’s new hypercar sounds a little pedestrian? This Kiwi creation is targeting performance “faster than F1”

www.whichcar.com.au

 

[StartYourEngines]

This thing seems to be much closer to reality than many would think.
And it will blow literally everything else out of the water on a circuit.
Can't wait to see it.

 

[WBarnes]

Can't drive to the track though.... legally.

 

[Matski]

@TheNewBATMAN

Dude, did you order a race car?

 

[TheNewBATMAN]

Order? No need to. DICKer wanted to be Robin for years, why do you think he named it 'RODIN'?

I get three for free. Yes, black, black, and very, very dark grey.

But he still cannot be Robin, for crying out loud. He looks older than Alfred!

 

[KiwiRob]

Can't drive to the track though.... legally.

It's going to be road legal.

 

[WBarnes]

It's going to be road legal.

With that ground clearance? Really? That's thing's going to get mashed by a pebble never mind a speed hump.

 

[StartYourEngines]

It's going to be road legal.

Actually the first one (which is the car depicted in the various pictures) will be track-only.
Then probably it will come a derived road-legal version.

 

[Centurion]

The front splitter is not pedestrian friendly and surely can’t be road legal.

 

[Rolf]

It doesnt look like it will be able to fit most people as it has a very narrow cockpit area for your feet. Maybe will have hand throttle and brakes lol. There is a possibility the suspension will have a road mode which hydraulically lifts the suspension up let's say 50mm to travel on public roads and lowers it again at a race track for any track day events.

 

[StartYourEngines]

It's coming to life...

Note that these pictures are quite old, the car should be in a much more advanced state right now.
Can't wait.

Interesting, as a footnote Rodin bought the Lotus T125 project in 2016/16. I don’t know if t...

They improved it massively. Its name is FZED.
Engine, wheels, suspensions, different hardware, tyres, new bespoke 3D printed parts, etc.
The car now is considerably faster, more reliable, easier to use, lighter and more powerful than it was when it was just a T125.

It seems to be easily faster than a F2 around a track.
And it's beautiful.

 

[StartYourEngines]

Rodin FZED vs Dallara F3 vs Dallara GP2 vs McLaren Senna GTR

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[StartYourEngines]

I open a new thread about this beast since the old one (https://germancarforum.com/threads/rodin-fzero.59892/) is now archived.

Here's more information on the FZERO mighty and totally bespoke 4.0 liter V10 engine, directly from Neil Brown Engineering.
Here below the direct link at the website:

Building a 4.0-litre V10 Engine for Rodin Cars - NBE

Find out how we started working with Rodin Cars to design and build a masterpiece of an engine for their incredibly ambitious Rodin FZERO!

nbe.co.uk

Although we live in an extremely technologically advanced society, where the media dedicates so much time and space to environmentally friendly vehicles, for the true automotive connoisseur, it is always a great pleasure to find a company that combines old-school engineering with space-age technology and design. We at Neil Brown Engineering are such a company and a perfect example of engineering artisans using 21st-century tools. Through years of experience in building race engines and competing in such series as DTM, BTCC, Formula 3, Formula 4, as well as in classic car racing, we have gathered tremendous experience and mechanical expertise, which is unique in the car business. But, what is the next step for a company that has already proved itself in fierce on-track battles? To design a masterpiece of an engine and put it in an equally impressive car.
Rodin Cars
Before telling you more about the project, we should introduce you to Rodin Cars. This company might not be a household name; still, they have gained critical acclaim amongst dedicated drivers looking to experience the extreme driving dynamics of a Formula 1 car on their local track. Called the Rodin FZED, the first model stunned the track-day fanatics with the purity of design, performance, and light weight which ensured sublime driving characteristics. The Rodin FZED is not the original car built from scratch but a thorough evolution of the Lotus T125 project, purchased by Rodin Cars in 2016.
However, Rodin didn’t just use leftover chassis, rebadge them, and sell them as their own cars. On the contrary, Rodin’s engineers spent a lot of time and effort to significantly redesign numerous aspects of the vehicle to improve performance and reduce mass. Many chassis components were also replaced with in-house developed titanium parts; with new pedals, seating position, and controls. The result was the even lighter vehicle which now weighs 609 kilograms (for an unpainted car), down from the original 650 kg. Powered by the venerable Cosworth-made 3.8-litre V8 engine (type GPV8) with 675 bhp, the Rodin FZED boasts a power-to-weight ratio of over 1100 bhp per tonne.
All of that means that the Rodin FZED is an extraordinarily capable track car and probably the closest (and cheapest) way to experience the Formula 1 driving sensation without actually having a Grand Prix racing license and contract with one of the F1 teams. Its power-to-weight ratio is significantly better than any hypercar, and due to improvements in engine technology, the Rodin FZED can scream around race tracks for 3000 miles before servicing.
NBE and Rodin Cars
Even though we are based in the small town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, England, our stellar reputation managed to travel some 12,000 miles to Mount Lyford, New Zealand and reached David Dicker, founder of Rodin Cars. After the success of the Rodin FZED, Dicker decided to set up a new base at Donington Park, the hub of the British motorsport scene and Mecca for all track-day drivers who are his dedicated customers. But, more importantly, Dicker released plans for a completely new and very ambitious model. Called the Rodin FZERO, this promises to be a track-ready monster with an insane level of performance which should provide its owners with faster lap times than current Formula 1 cars! To achieve such a goal, Rodin Cars approached us to discuss a concept for a special, bespoke, unique, and highly advanced V10 motor, a true pinnacle of modern engineering.
NBE’s 4.0-litre V10 Engine
“After early discussions with Cosworth about building the engine,” explained Rodin Cars’ founder David Dicker, “we decided to go with Neil Brown Engineering”.
Rodin Cars approached NBE with an existing detailed concept for a 4.0-litre V10 developed with input from both Rodin and renowned engine designer Graham Dale Jones. The concept engine featured a modern design with high-end technical solutions such as pre-chamber combustion and exotic materials, matched with direct injection and finger follower camshafts. Rodin Cars established a desire to build the lightest and most-compact V10 possible, constructed from the highest quality materials. From this initial concept and project brief developed by Dicker, we set to work to engineer and build the dream Rodin RC-TEN.
Contrary to popular belief, neither the Rodin nor NBE teams were primarily concerned about the power but more with the quality, durability, technical solutions, and materials. The most significant task was to create a unit that would match the character of a highly specific car such as the Rodin FZERO. The configuration and displacement were carefully chosen by the team at Rodin Cars to provide owners with the best possible balance between a screaming and highly strung race unit and tractable engine.
The remit from Dicker was to build the lightest and most compact 4.0 litre, 10 cylinder engine possible. We believe we have achieved this. The result is a remarkable, twin-turbocharged V10 unit that will deliver an astonishing 1,000+ hp to the rear wheels. With a target weight of just 125 kgs.
The V10 uses a flat-plane crankshaft, that is commonly used in high-performance and racing engines and is known for allowing the unit to achieve high RPM and power. However, when you have a flat-plane V8 engine, the vibrations are too harsh and affect the driving experience. If you opt for a flat-plane V12 unit, the engine block is often too long, which means that the engine is heavier. The V10 was the perfect solution; a very balanced unit capable of reaching 10,000 rpm (with the help of a high-pressure direct fuel injection system) with smooth power delivery, ideal for precision driving.
NBE and Rodin Cars are obsessed with lightweight and unique construction methods. The engine has been designed further to incorporate future exotic materials and many specialist 3D printed titanium parts which will be manufactured by Rodin Cars themselves. As leading high-performance engine specialists we were excited by the opportunity to push the envelope further around existing engine manufacturing trends through this project.
Follow NBE and Rodin Cars on social media to keep updated throughout the journey of this one-of-a-kind engine design and build!

Even more, here below is a picture of the gerabox of the FZERO: a totally 3D-printed unit developed along with 3D Systems with a weight of 68 kg (steel internals included!).

For more information on this piece of art, here is the direct link to the 3D Systems website:

Rodin Cars Uses 3D Printing to Produce Titanium Gearboxes for Ultimate Hypercar | 3D Systems

3D Systems’ DMP Factory 500 advances the science behind new hyper-performance Rodin FZERO car with largest available build size and premium material capabilities.

www.3dsystems.com

This thing is really going to sit in its own dimension, nothing will come even close.

 

[Bridster]

It's a very interesting project regardless, but compared to F1 the engineering doesn't actually seem that great. 125kg for 1000PS engine is nice, but 2005 F1 V10s which also made close to 1000PS weighed under 100kg. Similarly, having a titanium casing for the gearbox is cool, but today's F1 gearboxes have a casing made out of CF and weigh about 45kg, compared to 65kg for the FZERO one. Also, today's F1 gearboxes use seamless shifting and I wonder if the FZERO gearbox is also gonna use that, or whether it will just be a standard (and slower) dog ring sequential we are used to.

To be fair, though, components on F1 cars only last a few races. If they can make a car that be used over long periods of time with minimal maintenance, then being a bit heavier is probably a good trade off.