Atlanta, GA based JRD Tuning is set to debut the first of their new modular type rally chassis at this week’s New England Forest Rally. Designed and constructed in-house with the support of its sister companies within the Panoz organization, this new modular design can be incorporated into any B & C class automobile. Boasting over 12.5 inches (320mm) of wheel travel in all four corners, the new platform will come in various Rally, Rallycross, and R5 configurations.
JRD has put emphasis on performance, durability, serviceability, and cost-effective maintenance schedules for their new chassis. After years of development with the guidance of one of Europe’s leading Rally/Rallycross chassis manufacturers, JRD/Panoz used their latest in house 3D CAD and suspension analysis software to create what they see as the future generation of rally cars.
JRD is currently putting this new car design through a rigorous testing phase in the hands of experienced Swedish rally and Michelin test driver, Robin Sandberg. This first rally car, based on a Mistubishi Evo, will be introduced and driven by the 2013 NASA Rally Champion, Chinese rally driver Tingwu Song.
"We have worked very hard to find the perfect suspension geometry for the JRD chassis while still trying to utilize many off-the-shelf parts to keep operating costs down" says Johan Ragnarsson, President of JRD.
Robin Sandberg was full of praise after the initial tests in Georgia; "This new car is extremely easy to drive and very agile, definitely one of the fastest cars I have ever driven. The crew at JRD have performed an amazing job, this car has enormous potential"
Tingwu Song said; "I can't wait to start racing this new car. It has been so much fun to see the car evolve from concept, to CAD and computer simulations, and from there to this state-of-the-art, modern rally machine.
The chassis will be available globally in rally or rallycross configuration as a rolling chassis or as a complete race-ready vehicle. The performance of the new platform has already gained interest internationally, and rally cars based on the JRD chassis are expected to be seen in various championships across the US, China, and South America in the coming year.
