Creation Autosportif has agreed an exclusive engine partnership deal with AIM Industries, a Japanese specialist engineering resource company. The multi-year partnership will see the exclusive supply to Creation of an all new 90o V10 engine for use in Creation’s Le Mans prototype sportscar chassis.
AIM Industries, a company providing engineering resource services to the Japanese automotive industry, has declared its intention to win the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans with a car powered by an AIM engine. AIM, whose ethos is captured with the statement “Dash to grant our dreams”, will be working in collaboration with Engine Developments Limited to design, develop and campaign the new power plant.
AIM’s Chairman and founder, Mr Yukinori Suzuki, said, “The link with Creation was the final critical element in our plan for our engine to be competing in the toughest endurance race in the world. Creation has shown that they can successfully design and construct a quick and reliable racing car and compete at the highest level with success.”
Michael Jankowski of Creation said, “We are obviously delighted with, and very excited by, this new partnership. The multi-year structure of the partnership recognises the reality that development and testing go hand-in-hand with success. We are honoured to be working with a company that, like us, has ambition and expertise to compete at the highest level – and succeed.”
This is a completely exclusive deal. AIM is proposing an entirely new engine, the design of which will accommodate Creation’s desire to cross over into the use of bio fuels in the future. As AIM has not previously been known for engine development and design, they have sought the assistance of Judd (Engine Developments) for this project.
2007 will be a year of testing and development with the engine. In 2008, the Creation AIM partnership plans to contest the 12 Hours of Sebring, the entire Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two Creation chassis will be entered – both powered by the AIM engine. One chassis will be driven by an all-Japanese line-up while the other will be crewed by a team of drivers selected by Creation. The partnership continues at least until the end of 2010.
Further details about Creation’s 2007 racing plans will be released in due course.
