R-16 in Michigan

Newer, better, faster. NUS’ latest race car R-16 has arrived in Brooklyn, Michigan, US, to pit itself against more than 100 teams from around the world in the 35th instalment of the Formula SAE (FSAE) competition. The event will take place from 11 to 14 May at the Michigan International Speedway.

The annual student design competition organised by SAE International challenges university students to design, build and compete in scaled-down, Formula-style autocross race cars. The race cars are judged in a series of events which tests their performance in acceleration, speed, handling, dynamics, fuel efficiency and reliability.

Each year, the Engineering Design and Innovation Centre, hosted by NUS Engineering, selects a handful of promising Year 2 to Year 4 engineering students to participate in the challenge which develops their engineering, problem-solving and teamwork skills. Last year, the team achieved an overall ranking of 7th in the world, their best performance since first taking part in 2004. The 15-member team involved in this year’s challenge is looking to match or even beat this performance.

The R-16 will be the only car representing Southeast Asia in the gruelling event. One new feature of the R16 is its additional side wings, which, when coupled with its sleek aerodynamic design, allow the car to turn corners at a much faster rate. The car’s engine has also been designed to work more efficiently and supply more power when required. These enhancements optimise the car’s racing performance.

“Every year we look forward to this time, when all our hard work throughout the year is put to the acid test. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Similarly, the proof of our car design and calculations is in the impending races. Engineers work not just with drawings and numbers on paper. We can’t expect everything to turn out right just because it looks right on paper,” said NUS FSAE Faculty Advisor Professor Seah Kar Heng.