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Design & Development
The design process is an evolutionary one which uses a variety of tools to help transcribe the initial ideas and concept of the vehicle, through the skills of the team into the physical reality.
The process started with Simon K producing a series of hand drawn sketches based on what Simon D had communicated. These went through an evolution until both the Simons were satisfied that the right concept had been arrived at from the two vital perspectives of engineering and styling. One of key things about this type of car is that you cannot separate aesthetics and engineering as they are more or less the same thing here and work in synergy. Rather than competing against each other.
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Next stage was to translate the rough sketches into something realistic using the CAD
package. The initial sketches were based on an outline package for the occupants, engine
and gearbox, so they were pretty close in scale and proportion from the outset.
This is critical
as you see lots of styling sketches that bare little resemblance to the finished article; this is
because they end up being distorted as the design is stretched and tweaked to fit the reality
of what you have to fit under the skin.
As you can see from the drawing below ,when the actual cad model image is placed over
the sketch it's a perfect fit, thus ensuring the car will actually look like it does in the drawings.
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We wanted to achieve a balance that gave importance to safety ,visual appeal
practicality ,and performance.
Not having to be bound to existing components ,engines ,etc made this a much easier task.
From this point ,the design of the chassis is more fully developed again from initial sketch ideas that are discussed with the chassis manufacturer ( to ensure that everything can be fabricated and assembled in a cost efficient fashion ) and Chris ,the suspension designer to ensure that the suspension pick up points are positioned optimally. |
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The chassis is developed hereafter on the computer, allowing virtually a complete car to be assembled on screen as it would be in the workshop. This ensures that all the components fit correctly and allows changes to be made as required without having to go through the time consuming process of grinding parts off, recutting metal and rewelding as you may have to in a workshop environment. We even have virtual occupants to check they fit comfortably! |
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When the chassis design was complete using CAD, the design was passed over to our manufacturing partner. Most of the components in the chassis are cut and/or formed using CNC (computer controlled) machinery that takes the electronic data from the CAD to form the same thing directly in the metal. This process helps ensure that a continuous line can be traced back from the physical product through the CAD to the original sketches, ensuring that the concept is not lost in translation from beginning to end. The completed chassis was then taken into the build shop for all the components to be assembled onto to form the first prototype. This is the final problem solving stage as solutions are worked out "hands on" for some of the smaller ancillary components.
At the same time a second chassis was dispatched to the moulding shop to form the basis of the body buck, because of the intimate intertwined relationship of the body panels and chassis, this is a process that needs to be done on a chassis to ensure accuracy and quality fit and finish. Formers are cut from the CAD data of the body panels and fitted to the chassis, these act as a guide for the final body buck which is finished by skilled hands and judged by eye to ensure that reality of shape is as stunning and exacting as the initial sketches.
From this buck final moulds were taken. The  panels are manufactured using a unique double sided tool which provides a high quality finish to panels inside and out, so no exposed matting with this car.
Finally the panels are brought together with the mechanically complete prototype vehicle for final assembly. The car has now been put through its SVA test to ensure compliance to regulatory requirements which it has passed.
We have also put the V-Storm through its paces on road and track during which time is has been subjected to extensive ride and handling assessment, and continuous development to ensure that it drives as well as it looks, which it does.
For The Future,
Development goes in line with our ethos, we are now well underway with the Subaru Powered V-Storm and will be starting on the design of the optional type 2 and 3 body style, type 2 this year, and starting on the type 3 variant in 2010.
So exciting times ahead for us all at SDR SPORTSCAR LTD, and for all our existing, and potential new customers.
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