I hope there's not another thread about this floating around somewhere. Couldn't find one, but I think it's getting interesting enough to warrant a dedicated thread about it.
IndyCar is apparently looking for a new chassis. The contenders I could find so far are (using direct links):
Swift Engineering (Jalopnik)
And then there's this:
Delta Wing concept (Motorauthority)
Taken from Dallara's site:
Chassis constructor Dallara has released images illustrating its interpretation of the 2012 IndyCar Series car, based on the criteria set forth by the Indy Racing League.
Discussions with league officials have resulted in a much lighter, more efficient car with less drag and more downforce. The design requires less horsepower to achieve the desired level of performance than its predecessor with greater fuel efficiency.
Safety has been improved with increased resistance to frontal lift and improved yaw stability. Improved raceability also has been addressed in the design with less sensitive aerodynamics in traffic for better overtaking and the reduced incidence of wheel-to-wheel contact.
The cost of the complete package to compete on a variety of racetracks (superspeedway, speedway, short oval, road course and temporary circuits) will be reduced to 55% of the current car cost. Teams will carry much smaller quantities of spares because it requires less parts specific to individual types of tracks, which is another cost saving measure.
The car will be manufactured and assembled in the United States, potentially in the new technology center Dallara is planning to open as part of the Speedway, Ind., redevelopment program, in an effort increase local industry in the area to support the program. - Only one image so far.
Lola (Now with images)
Call me crazy, but I find the Delta Wing concept kind of intriguing. If it ends up being the adopted chassis, I think it sure will cause a much needed shake-up in Indycar-land, if not the entire open-wheeler world.
If anything, I haven't found Indycar this exciting since 1993..