Aptera at the races !

[Scott]

It’s an Audi R8. That’s very good company to be doing so well in comparison. 😉

[Tom]

From Facebook posts (e.g., here), it appears the contestants are (from front to back), Aptera Noir, Tesla 3, Aptera Beta, and an Audi R8. Here’s the photo finish (from the video)… Beta beats out the Audi by a nose!

Peter Jorgensen says the Tesla Model 3 is a RWD and the Audi is an R8 GT Spyder (with a 3.6 second 0-60 and an 11 second quarter mile).

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Thomas Bushaw.

[OZ.]

Depends on the R8’s particular engine variation, 8 cylinder or 10.

[peter-jorgensen]

It’s a 2011 GT Spyder 5.2L V10.

[paul-kirchner]

Did it look like the beta got a bit squirrely there at the end near the “finish” line?

[steven-g-bueche]

Well at :39 seconds you can see the rear wheel is completely off the ground. I noticed that last night while viewing it in bed. I wonder if that’s an issue with the light rear end or the suspension?

[Pistonboy]

Of course the aptera beta does not have any glass in it making it have even less wind resistance. Air can pass through it.

[Scott]

I’m fairly confident that the current test beta is actually less aerodynamic than final form. There’s the barn door flat box in front, all of the air turbulence caused going through the cockpit and roll cage, air directly hitting the driver and seats, no wheel pants over the tires, etc. I believe it only gets even better from here! 🙂 It might weigh less than final given the lack of glass / doors / body panels, though it does have the extra roll cage and perhaps test instrumentation added in it.

[Pistonboy]

I am confident the Tesla belonged to Chris.

But who brought the Audi R8? Steve? That sly-ol-guy !

[Tom]

Autoevolution just posted a short article on this drag race earlier this morning. Not too much new, but nice to see the publicity.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 9 months ago by  Thomas Bushaw. Reason: Added links

[Pistonboy]

According to Google Maps, the distance of the race is 1/8th mile.

[Pistonboy]

As pointed out by Thomas Bushaw, other automotive publications have published articles about this race. I suspect more articles will be published.

There may be a surge of reservations coming.

[bruce-mengler]

More favorable press coverage is URL below

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1135102_aptera-is-tuning-its-1-000-mile-ev-and-it-can-outrun-some-sports-cars

[Tom]

One more… this one’s on Yahoo News

[peter-jorgensen]

“It’s the lime green Beta that’s able to cover the quarter mile quickest, getting to the finish line in just 3.5 seconds just ahead the purely gas-powered R8 GT Spyder.”

A 3.5 second quarter mile? Sign me up! LOL

[OZ.]

Peter, before I start quoting that time as actually having occurred, I’ll wait to get something official from Aptera, and not rely on some hack writers composition.

[Tom]

The Aptera Owners Club’s video on the race includes an estimate that indicates the distance (between the cones, start to finish, is about ⅛ mile (660 ft), not the ¼ mile quoted in the Yahoo News article. So, yeah, probably better to wait for Aptera’s numbers. But… 3.5 sec or however many… I’ll take one!

[Shawgrin]

I thinking of a aptera roadster with active aerodynamics on the tail and front suspension frames that would keep the vehicle on the ground under hard braking and giving you more downforce for hard turning. Maybe aptera roadster GT3? Boy, does that sound like fun!!!

[Pistonboy]

This is a good thread to repeat what I have said earlier in another thread.

I hope Aptera Motors designs the front suspension such that owners can install diagonal coil-over shocks. They look very good and Aptera is a very rear vehicle where they will be exposed and can be visually admired. Just so nothing is in the way of where the shocks would be placed and there is sufficient metal in the appropriate places for mounting holes to be drilled.

This is may be the first time that the same vehicle is loved by both environmentalists and hot-roders alike.

There would be a lot of free advertising in both worlds.

I hope Aptera management is reading this.

[craig-merrow]

Couldn’t help but wonder how long it will be after Aptera gets into production before someone decides to take one to Bonneville or Pikes Peak.

[joshua-rosen]

It’s not a Bonneville car. Bonneville is about top speed, the Aptera is limited to 110MPH. Pikes Peak would be interesting assuming that they allow it to compete. Motorcycles are banned from Pikes Peak, technically an Aptera is a motorcycle but maybe they would agree that an enclosed autocycle isn’t really a motorcycle. Mount Washington is another hill climb. Mount Washington is the oldest hill climb event, first run in 1904. I’d prefer Mount Washington to Pikes Peak for selfish reasons, I can drive to Mount Washington in a few hours and watch it in person, I can’t do that with Pikes Peak.