Japanese specialty and race car manufacturer Dome released photos and drawings of the 2014 Dome S103 LMP1–P2 chassis earlier this week.
Dome Co. Ltd’s new president, Hiroshi Fushida, announced in November of that year that the company would be building a new car meeting the 2014 FIA/WEC regulations. That car is now fully designed and computer-tested; a scale model is now undergoing refinements in Dome’s wind tunnel.
The S103 uses tall, tapered front fenders and a narrow nose to maximize airflow over the built-in front wing, and are notched to meet line-of-sight rules in the 2014 regulations.
The rear fenders are short and round, unlike the long, tall, squared-edged units used on both the Toyota and Audi. The side pods are heavily sculpted. Of course, all that may change depending upon wind-tunnel results.
Weight concentrated fairly far forward: the driver sits a few inches behind the pilot’s seat in the Audi R18 and forward a few inches compared to the Toyota TS030, while the engine sits far forward compared to the Toyota.
Dome has not yet specified a power plant. Speculation leans toward the Judd engine used in 2012 for the P1 model.
Dome’s founder, Minoru Hayashi,built his firsdt rece car in 1965, and the firm has been constructing road cars and open- and closed-wheel racers continuously since 1978. In the 80’s Dome was tapped by Toyota to develop that company’s Group C car.
Dome’s S101 won the 2002 and 2003 FIA Sportscar Championships, and earned a sixth, two sevenths, and an eighth at Le Mans with Jan Lammer’s Racing for Holland team in 2002–2005.
Dome’s most recent effort, the S102.5, operated by the under-funded Team Pescarolo, finished 35th in the 2012 Le Mans 24.
