Mugen, a Japanese company with a successful history in motorsports, will enter sports car racing in 2002 with a new type of racing engine that it has been developing.

The MF408S will be a four litre V8 engine which Mugen has designed for sports car racing and has equipped with a number of technologies developed through Mugen's long involvement in racing.

Mugen is currently negotiating with several sports car racing teams for engine supplying. The company said that it will supply engines to any team in any racing series as long as there is a demand and that it has no plans of running a "works" team.

Founded in 1973, Mugen began its motorsports involvement in motorcycle motocross racing. In 1987, it began supplying racing engines for F3000 and F3 racing and was by then firmly established as a racing engine builder and developer.

In 1992, Mugen began participating in Formula One racing as an engine supplier. Four years later, Ligier-Mugen-Honda won its first F1 event in Monaco, and then Jordan-Mugen-Honda achieved a 1-2 finish at the Belgian Grand Prix, the second victory for Mugen and the first for Jordan.

While being active in racing, Mugen has also developed and introduced many tune-up and sports parts for Honda cars. "Mugen has a confidence that our engine will be very competitive and able to win races against the competitors," said Hirotoshi Honda, president of Mugen Co. Ltd.

-----
Borrowed from http://www.crash.net
-----

 

Great news. Any ideas or guesses what series we would see the Mugen engines running? Maybe the ALMS light prototype classification (LMP675) or the Grand-Am series here in the U.S.?

 

Well Mugen been doing this already I guess there just making worldly reknown. Because there is alot teams Europe that have Mugen tuned engines but the cars don't show this unless you look at the engine it self. Seems likely they want to get into other forms of racing like sport car, imsa, nascar, and trans am type events. Since this state is also were new v8 engines for honda will be built and the factory was so close to(10mins away) the talledega race track. When local newspaper asked them why it seems there thinking about Nascar and using new Japan race tune engine by Mugen to be tested later there. Also there is plan for Honda muesum like the one Mercedes has here which shows of many of old mercedes and race cars. Oh yes, and if your lucky enough to work at the oval you can see ever so often new AMG model cars beening ran for top speed testing. Also it helps new FIA cert. 2.8 mile track should opening soon next yr. which will be getting used by Mercedes and Honda test cars.

Now only if Honda would give MAC with all the new Civic Type R include. Which basically is included in the price of the R, free instructed track driving of the R so you use it to it's full potential.

 

I heard they may be doin something w/ CART, too. If CART stays alive

 

I think CART and IRL need to join back up because there not doing as well separated like they are. I know they have talked about re joining up but apparently they can't seem to get along with each other.

 

I don't know what it is but I can't get into CART or IRL... they are almost in that NASCAR class and I don't know why...

 

what's up with honda going out of cart? actually arent they not supplying any engine's because of the new naturally aspirated engines for 2002? damn...they just wanna go down the drain.....someone correct me if im wrong

 

Honda and Ford are out of CART when the new engine rules take effect. Something about them spending lots of $$ with the current turbo engines and rules change doesn't justify their reinvestment into the R&D of a new engine.

 

Damn I posted this Mugen Sportscar thing a really long time ago...

CART and the IRL do need to get back together, but it ain't gonna happen. Tony George is just too damn greedy. Open-wheel racing is losing too much popularity to NASCAR these days. God knows why, it's a mystery to me.

 

...and Toyota haven't committed yet either. They were all pretty pissed-off with the amount of lead time (as stated above) which means they are all going to have to scrap heaps motors. So Honda said they will honour their committments until 2002. Then Indy -Cart can stick-it where the sun don't shine.

 

Hopefully LMP675, but I think 4 liter's is too big for 675 class.... I think the displacement limit is around 3, dam I wish I could remember now.