SPEED IS KING

Motorsports offers automakers a fast way to develop new technologies and quick-thinking engineers. This article explores how DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors approach motorsports as an engineering tool.

Impressive as is the speed at which racecars work their way around a track, perhaps even more awesome is the speed at which engineers deliver the speed machinery.

Take Dodge's upcoming return to the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, for example. The DaimlerChrysler division gave itself only 500 days to pull a 10-car program together and put it on Daytona Speedway in February to open the 2001 season. By comparison, automakers until recently measured passenger vehicle development progress in years-as in three or so.