Previous Group Design Projects:
2021 - Corona Charge
The students were given a brief to develop a conceptual design of an electric sportscar, similar to the Radical RXC Spyder with an open cockpit design, for international championship events. Their focus was on a 30-minute event plus one lap as a potential support series to the Formula-E.
2020 - Green Gulf
The student teams were given a brief to develop a conceptual design of a modified Westfield Sport 250 for a new series in the Arabian Gulf region. They were asked to aim for a low-cost entry level series with maximum performance and genuine green credentials as part of motorsport’s sustainability agenda. Their focus was a 45-minute race on the Ad Diriyah circuit in Saudi Arabia, plus formation and in-laps with other circuits being released later.
2019 - Green Gulf
This years Motorsports students were asked to design a hybrid hydrogen/electric racing vehicle for the proposed Green Gulf series based on the existing Westfield Sport 250 chassis, with the aim to develop a low cost, low carbon racing vehicle for this new racing series in the Middle East. The conceptual design will include, hydrogen ICE conversion driving through a manual gearbox with rear wheel drive. Electric MGU(s) connected to the front wheels for regeneration and boost, battery or super capacitor energy storage. Metallic space frame and stressed skin primary structure, designed to pass a specific crash test relevant to the drive and fuel system. Active chassis control is permitted.
View the team's poster presentations here
2017 – Land Speed Record (LSR) motorcycle concept design
Four student teams developed their concepts for the 500cc streamliner class. Within each team students specialised in disciplines such as CFD, aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, powertrain, materials and structures. They created a wind tunnel model that was tested in the Cranfield facility. In addition to the technical aspects, students engaged in individual competency evaluation, peer review and personal reflection.
2016 - Cranfield Formula Electric Series (CFES)
Supported by Williams Advanced Engineering, Virgin Racing Formula-E Team, the National College for Motorsport (NC4M), Cranfield Motorsport Simulation (CMS), Altair Hyperworks, AVL, ChassisSim with various prizes awarded by Altair, the MSA and Racecar Engineering.
Five teams of Motorsport MSc students competed against each other in true motorsport fashion. Each CFES race team conceptually designed the thermal management system for an electric version of a Formula BMW, with the aim of achieving maximum performance and safe operation throughout a twenty minute race on the Donington Park GP circuit. To achieve the best design, teams carried out simulated FEA crash studies, heat exchanger and air duct testing, heat transfer coefficient validation of materials, optimisation, thermal performance analysis and aerodynamic testing to name a few. The final design concepts were presented and virtually raced in front of some of motorsport’s leading figures on 14 May during the Motorsport MSc Group Design Project Presentation Day. In addition to the presentations and posters, each group submitted detailed technical reports to the academic GDP review panel.
Group 5 – Volta Motorsport received the MSA prize for best presentation on the day as voted by the audience and Lion GP, group 3, was awarded the Racecar Engineering prize for best poster by Sam Collins, Deputy Editor. The Altair Optimum prize for the best technical report and presentation will be awarded at Graduation in 2016.
2015: Land Speed Record (LSR) motorcycle concept designs
Four student teams developed their concepts for the 500cc streamliner class. Within each team students specialised in disciplines such as CFD, aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, powertrain, materials and structures. They created a wind tunnel model that was tested in the Cranfield facility. In addition to the technical aspects, students engaged in individual competency evaluation, peer review and personal reflection.
2014: Hydrogen-powered Sports Racing Car for the Future
Supported by Radical Sportscars, Aerocom Metals and several other organisations
The project was designed in anticipation of the hydrogen economy and in relation to the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) Technology Road Map. The students were tasked with designing a 2-seat, low-cost hydrogen-powered sports-racing prototype. They focused on the brand new Radical RXC as an example of best current practice and investigated chassis and powertrain options for a future world where hydrogen may be the fuel of choice.
2013: Active aerodynamics for the Reynard Inverter
Supported by Reynard
Working in four teams, the Cranfield students designed active aerodynamic features for the Reynard Inverter car and quantified their performance benefits. Their brief:
- Focus on drag reduction while maintaining downforce
- Active aerodynamics – flaps, fans, tabs
- Performance improvement to be assessed by:
- L/d ratio
- Mass
- Cost and complexity.
The students:
- Established a CFD workflow
- Validated their CFD models against existing wind tunnel data
- Generated conceptual devices
- Designed and manufactured tunnel parts that were rapid prototyped by Williams F1
- Designed a wind tunnel experiment and then undertook this in the Cranfield wind tunnel using the wind tunnel model supplied by the Automotive Research Centre in Indianapolis
- Specified instrumentation for full size validation on the Reynard Inverter race car that was tested at Silverstone.