Guide: Yamaha OX99-11
Background
Yamaha started life as a piano and reed organ manufacturer in 1887 then expanded to building motorcycles in 1954.
The firm later collaborated with Toyota to help design the fabled 2000 GT and, once ready for production, were contracted to build the car between 1967 and 1970.
In 1989, Yamaha began competing in Formula 1 by supplying Zakspeed with their 3.5-litre OX88 V8 engine.
However, Zakspeed only qualified for two of the 16 races that year and, at the end of the season, team sponsor Imperial Tobacco withdrew their support.
Zakspeed left F1 at the end of 1989 while Yamaha took a year out to regroup.
The Japanese firm returned in 1991 with the OX99 engine: an all new 3.5-litre V12 used by Brabham.
With drivers Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell, the Yamaha-powered Brabhams only missed the cut on three occasions. Brundle took a season best fifth in the Japanese Grand Prix while Blundell managed sixth in Belgium.
Yamaha were not content to continue as just an F1 engine supplier and wanted to build their own supercar.
The proviso was for a machine that gave drivers a true Formula 1 experience and price was no limit.
A subsidiary called Ypsilon Technology had been set up in England to service Yamaha’s F1 engines and was earmarked to handle the forthcoming supercar assembly.
Design and development was contracted to another English firm, International Auto Design (IAD), who brought in ex-March designer Robin Herd as a consultant.
IAD started work in early 1991 and twelve months later, the first prototype was ready.
Known as OX99-11, the new car had originally been conceived as a single seater but Yamaha wanted space for two passengers so a tandem layout was adopted that reflected Yamaha’s motorcycling heritage.
Chassis
Built around a narrow carbonfibre monocoque manufactured by DPS Composites, the chassis more closely resembled a Formula 1 car than either the Bugatti EB110 or McLaren F1.
It incorporated pushrod-activated double wishbone suspension with fabricated uprights and inboard spring / damper units.
The engine was bolted directly to the monocoque and acted as a load bearing structure for the gearbox and rear suspension.
AP Racing supplied the cast iron ventilated disc brakes along with the six piston calipers used at the front and the four piston calipers fitted at the back.
17-inch diameter magnesium alloy wheels measured 9-inches wide at the front and 12-inches wide at the rear. They were shod with Goodyear Eagle tyres.
Engine & Gearbox
Yamaha’s OX99 Formula 1 engine was a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre 70° V12 mounted longitudinally in the chassis.
Equipped with dual overhead camshafts and five valve cylinder heads, the all-alloy power unit displaced 3498cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 84mm and 52.6mm respectively.
In racing trim, it was good for around 600bhp at 13,000rpm.
To make the engine tractable for road use, it was detuned to produce 402bhp and limited to 10,000rpm.
Compression was set at 11.0:1 and the torque rating was 295lb-ft at 6500rpm.
Transmission was via an FF Development six-speed manual gearbox with multi-plate AP Racing clutch and limited-slip differential.
Bodywork
Despite its state-of-the-art underpinnings and radical appearance, the OX99-11’s bodywork was created in a most traditional fashion. Hand-beaten aluminium panels were formed by ex-Aston Martin employees and gave the car a far higher standard of finish than many prototypes.
Stacked headlights were located under clear covers but what most grabbed attention was the massive nose wing. It left a gaping aperture up front and was one of many quirky design details.
Behind the aircraft style cockpit canopy which opened with a single gullwing door was an F1-style engine cooling scoop.
Two huge radiator ducts were located down each flank.
The back end was remarkably devoid of any spoilers.
Interior
Exposed carbonfibre covered most of the interior surfaces.
Both seats were upholstered in fire-resistant black fabric.
The main instrument pod housed a 12,000rpm tachometer and 330km/h speedo while the supplementary gauges were located in a separate binnacle off to the left. The gear shift was positioned to the driver’s right.
Weight / Performance
Weight was 1150kg.
Yamaha quoted a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds and top speed of 217mph.
Development
An extensive test programme took place at Millbrook Proving Ground but, by the time the new car was shown to the press in early 1992, IAD had left the project over financial disagreements.
Yamaha handed the task of getting the car production-ready to Ypsilon Technology but the six month time frame given to finish it was unrealistic.
Ypsilon Technology planned to make a number of cosmetic alterations for production to include a bigger roof intake, a mesh grille to cover the nose aperture, larger side intakes, a Gurney flap for the tail and re-profiled sills.
However, with the project well behind schedule, it was finally cancelled in early 1993.
In addition to the delays, Yamaha’s decision was influenced by the early 1990s financial crisis which hit Japan particularly hard. At a predicted price of $800,000, it was thought there would be few buyers for the OX99-11.
As a result, only three prototypes were completed.
Meanwhile, Yamaha continued to supply their engines in Formula 1. They teamed up with Jordan, Tyrrell and Arrows but major success proved elusive and, at the end of the 1997 season, Yamaha quit the sport for good.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Yamaha - https://global.yamaha-motor.com
