17021 view(s)  The 98 GTR incorporated the lessons it learned in its debut year and
returned to the tracks as a much longer and sleeker Batmobile.
To improve the weight distribution and mechanical grip the GTR had a
40 mm wider track and 100 mm increased wheelbase.
More downforce was created by adding a front splitter and extending
the body's front and rear overhang.
A lower roofline created a cleaner airflow to the rear spoiler which
was also moved back another 100 mm. Great efforts had been made to improve
the (cooling) airflow to the motor.
But as it remained tucked away deep inside the Carbon chassis, overheating
still remained a problem.
In 98 the level of competition in sportscar racing reached an absolute
high, but the GTR managed to hold its own against the likes of Porsche
and Mercedes.
In the FIA GT, the Dams Panoz regularly finished in the points and twice
on the podium. In the US 2 GTR's were run in the Professional Sportscar
Series by Panoz Motorsport, without its main rivals it took both team
and driver titles.
Confident that this time they would succeed 2 GTR's were entered for
Le Mans, but during the Pre Qualifications it became clear that the
GT goalposts had been moved again. The new prototypes from Porsche and
Toyota improving 6 seconds faster on the 97 pole time.
During the race only one GTR survived 24hrs finishing in 7th place.
'Sparky', Panoz Q9 Hybrid car
Besides the GTR upgrade, Panoz had also constructed a Hybrid car, the
Q9.
Besides the normal petrol driven V8 the Q9 had a 150 BHP Zytek oil cooled,
permanent magnet, brushless DC motor. The idea was to use both the gas
V8 and electric motor when accelerating out of the corners and parts
of the 200 plus mph straights, then use the electric motor as a brake
going into the turns, recovering the braking energy via the same motor
now acting as generator to the batteries (called regenerative braking).
Nicknamed "Sparky" the Q9 was entered by Price racing for
the 98 LM race. Upon arrival at the Pre Qualifications in may the car
was far from ready and spend most of the time in the pits. A few laps
were made in the afternoon but lap times were 10 sec of the pace.
4 months later most problems with the sophisticated Zytek system had
been solved and Sparky returned to the race tracks during the ALMS final.
Still suffering from being overweighed due to the 260, 1.2V NiMH batteries
'Sparky' finished a distand 12th.
2004 Batman Returns
Just when we all thought we'd seen the last of it, "Batman returned"
to the tracks. In November 2004 a 1000km race at Le Mans kicked off
the LMES, a new series for Prototypes and GT's with the LM 24hrs as
its main event. Instead of fielding the LMP, Panoz decided to enter
the GTR, considering the "98" Coupe better suited for the
high downforce nature of the short Buggati track than the low drag LMP.
Besides that, November rain instead of June's simmering heat, also favours
a roof over an open cockpit.
Dragged out of retirement the Coupe ran well, but against the more "modern"
LMP/GT's its "age" was showing. Still it proved to be a good
showcase, after the race talks began with Dams racing, who ran
the first Coupes in 97. When Dams runs the GTR in the 04 ELMS the Batmobile
has come full circle seven years after its conception.
Panoz GTR (LM 1998):
Length: 4520 mm, Width: 1990 mm, Height: 1010 mm, Wheelbase: 2750
mm Tyres: Michelin, Wheels BBS 18'
Panoz Q9 Hybrid (LM 1998):
Length: 4520 mm, Width: 1990 mm, Height: 1010 mm, Wheelbase: 2750
mm Tyres: Michelin, Wheels BBS 18inch
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Liveries
