Champ Car announces Panoz chassis switch.

The Champ Car World Series has announced its latest evolution in chassis design with the news that a new Panoz DP01 chassis built by Elan Motorsports Technologies will be paired with a turbo-charged Ford-Cosworth engine on every Champ Car from the start of the 2007 season.

The new package is seen as the latest step taken by the series owners and management to maintain the long term heath of the seriesm with the announcement also providing a stable technology package for the coming seasons.

"We are extremely excited about the potential that the Panoz DP01 chassis built by Elan Motorsports Technologies and the Ford-Cosworth engine bring to the Champ Car World Series," Champ Car President Steve Johnson said. "This combination benefits Champ Car not only by providing a strong package for our current teams, but also by giving prospective teams an opportunity to be competitive right away.

"This package is just another indication of the progress the series has made since Kevin Kalkhoven, Jerry Forsythe and Paul Gentilozzi purchased it in 2004."

The new Panoz DP01 takes much of its look from the current Champ Car chassis, but with a number of new aerodynamic features that make this car better suited to the urban race tracks which host Champ Car's highly successful three-day festivals of speed. The aerodynamic changes on the new chassis will allow for more passing via smaller wings and bigger tunnels which will create less turbulence for cars in traffic.

The cars will come with an on-board starter which will allow for less yellow-flag time during events and the new design also features safety innovations that include upgrades to the head surround and seat back areas as well as increased leg padding. The design also incorporates a collapsible steering column, new side intrusion panels and a two-stage nose crush and a rear crash structure for oval events.

Overall the Panoz DP01 is smaller than the current Champ Car in both length and width and weighs 165 pounds less than the current machine, providing a more nimble and quicker machine that will put driver skills at a premium.

"We are extremely enthusiastic and proud to be selected as the exclusive builder of the next generation Champ Car," David Bowes, CEO Elan Motorsports Technologies, said. "At the outset of the process, Champ Car sought RFPs from seven manufacturers. After an exhaustive analysis, Champ Car has recognised not only the technical capabilities but also the unprecedented service, quality and accessibility that can only be offered by the leading North American based organisation.

"We are looking forward to working with Champ Car officials to build a state of the art race car of which everyone will be proud."

Paired with the Panoz DP01 will be the next generation of the fabled turbocharged Ford-Cosworth 2.65 litre V8 engine.

"We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with the Champ Car World Series and are excited with the possibilities that this new package presents," Cosworth Vice President Ian Bisco said. "We have had great success with the XFE engine over the last three seasons, building a strong powerplant that has shown equality in performance and tremendous reliability, and we expect to have even greater successes with Champ Car in the years to come."

The 2007 package is also designed to reduce operating costs for both present and future Champ Car teams, with a new rolling chassis set to cost approximately 35 per cent less than the current car while the costs of spare parts are expected to yield a savings to teams of nearly 50 per cent.

"The reduction in cost of the Panoz DP01 and Cosworth engine will benefit Champ Car's teams immensely," said Tony Cotman, Champ Car vice president of operations Tony Cotman explained. "The design and cost will keep our current teams in the series but will also attract new teams to the series. Combined with the reduced cost, the new design also makes the Champ Car World Series even more of a driver's series. The lighter, smaller car means teams will rely even more on the drivers to achieve maximum performance."