The Nissan DeltaWing has been named one of Popular Science’s 2012 Best of What’s New products and innovations in the magazine’s December 2012 issue. The winners, presented across 12 categories, include 100 top tech innovations that represent significant advancements in their areas. The Nissan DeltaWing debuted in France at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race this summer. The most ground-breaking motorsport innovation of its time, the racecar features half the weight, half the horsepower and half the aerodynamic drag of a typical Le Mans sports car. Nissan DeltaWing only consumes about half the fuel of a typical Le Mans prototype car, as well.
The vehicle’s unconventional specifications, which include four-inch-wide front tires, allow the 1,250-pound DeltaWing to reach 200 miles per hour with the same amount of power used in a high-end family sedan, versus the real world equivalent of 600 horsepower required by other Le Mans racers.
