Simon Hauger and His West Philly High School Team Win with 100+ MPG Run

[Dave L @ Factory Five]

We received more good news from Simon Hauger and his team of students running a modified GTM in the annual Green Grand Prix, held recently at Watkins Glen race track.


The West Philly High School GTM in action at the 2012 Green Grand Prix.

The team won their class averaging just over 100 mpg on the track on Friday driving and 92.5 mpg on Saturday for the road rally!

Simon reports: “The car ran great and just gets a ton of attention where ever we take it.”

Two weekends ago Lockheed Martin sponsored the team’s GTM as a part of their exhibit at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC.


The Green Grand Prix-Winning GTM is a modified version of Factory Five Racing's flagship supercar. The GTM is normally powered by a 400-650 hp GM LS corvette engine.

Lockheed was the title sponsor of the event and used the GTM as a headline feature. About 300,000 people visited over the three days.

“I’ve never seen that many people at a show before. We were totally swamped the entire time we were there. The response we got was amazing,” said Simon Hauger.

Congratulations to Simon and his team on another impressive victory!


Simon Hauger and members of the West Philly High X-Prize Team.

Factory Five Racing

[crash]

Freakin AWESOME!

Kudos to them for making it happen, and for also drawing attention to our cars by making it happen with a GTM!

[Ben Charles]

Any pics of the engine bay? Wondering what configuration they are using and of course how it is laid out.

[spdmon2791]

Does anyone know if they sell posters to support the team? I love that picture of the team with the car. I'd hang that in my office.

[8flat]

That's pretty cool, good for them!

Anybody know what engine they're running?

[crash]

VW TDI (small VW diesel)

[8flat]

Originally Posted by crash

VW TDI (small VW diesel)

Thanks cool. The GTM is so slippery I bet the top end is still pretty decent even without a lot of hp?

[crash]

Actually you can see that they have done a few things to make it even more "slippery" and with the electric motor AND diesel engine, which, if I understand what this vehicle is, it has, it will have great accelleration AND good top end cruising MPG. The key is in the management of the seperate systems, and transferring the drivetrain control between the two.

Very tricky stuff, but it seems they have it figured out.

[8flat]

Agreed on all. And what a cool project for those kids to be working on? How fun would that be.

Hey, I'm going to be in San Diego for a conference next month, I've never seen a GTM in person yet (none in Montana that I'm aware of), could I swing by your shop? (I plan on building a GTM, but we just bought land and are getting ready to build a house, I have to get that out of the way first)

Gary

[M DOUGHERTY]

this GTM was built at the High school.
I am honored to have helped them with the project.
as Crash stated earlier it used to have a 70 HP electric motor in the front driving the front wheels. 300 something volt system.
The electric system was removed with all the batterys, to be used in another project coming soon. As many know if you dont use the batterys they will die.
The car now only runs its VW 1.9 turbo diesel.
it weighs 2050 lbs, with a full tank of fuel all 5 gallons.

The milage achieved was on the diesel alone. It will top out at about 130 MPH do the 1/4 in about 13.2
It has taken a long time to get the package dialed in.

This school projects runs on donations alone the more they raise the more they can do with it.

Great Idea about the posters though. I will pass that one on.
Later
mark D


The traveling builder

[crash]

Originally Posted by 8flat

Agreed on all. And what a cool project for those kids to be working on? How fun would that be.

Hey, I'm going to be in San Diego for a conference next month, I've never seen a GTM in person yet (none in Montana that I'm aware of), could I swing by your shop? (I plan on building a GTM, but we just bought land and are getting ready to build a house, I have to get that out of the way first)

Gary

As a couple people who have been by with finished GTMs can attest. My GTM is not what you would be looking for as far as an example of what you would get from FFR. And there really isn't much to it right now.

I think you would be much better off checking out one of the couple GTMs that are complete and driving here in SD. I know of three, but have lost track of them in the last year or so. Maybe someone will post up if they still have theirs here in San Diego?

[Big-Foot]

This is fan-fricken-tabulous-AWESOME!!!!!

Congratulations Gang!!!!