NFR22 was the last internal combustion car our team produced. The car completed 7.5 laps of endurance before an oil clog led to an explosion and fire in the cockpit. Our team ended up placing 67th out of an estimated 100 teams.

NFR21 further developed on NFR20’s designs, with a post-pandemic focus on further refining the vehicle for competition. In Michigan, the car drove at all Dynamic events, with our Acceleration score being among the top-ranking teams. The car was also able to complete 18 out of the 22 laps of endurance.

NFR20 focused on iterating on the previous year’s design with goals of completing endurance and increasing testing mileage. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Formula SAE competitions were cancelled or shifted to virtual, design-only formats, and NFR did not compete. Physical manufacturing was halted to ensure team safety, and design work transitioned fully offsite.

NFR19 iterated on NFR18’s fresh designs and worked on improving its powertrain, suspension, and aerodynamic systems using the previous year’s data; thus we were able to dedicate more time in the fall to design and education. At the competition, we got the highest placement in recent NFR history, sharply improving our static events and jumping 18 spots in ranking. Further accomplishments include gaining our first ever creativity points.

NFR18 saw a dramatic design overhaul. Of the changes, the most drastic were made to the chassis, powertrain, and electronic subsystems of the vehicle. Further, we pivoted to a new 4-cylinder Yamaha R6 engine for an increase in power, requiring system-level alterations throughout the car.

NFR17 featured new designs for both the electronic and powertrain systems. For the electronic systems, our team built a fully removable electronic harness for the vehicle. The powertrain system also benefited from new designs, seeing large power gains after remodeling both its intake and exhaust. Overall, these redesigns allowed our team to reduce the weight of the car and lower its center of gravity.

NFR16 was built with a single goal: to finish endurance. After failing to reach the start line in prior years, the team made key changes, including switching to 10-inch wheels, enabling a more aggressive suspension development cycle, and introducing an aero package for the first time. These decisions paid off, as NFR16 became the first car to complete endurance, doing so successfully at both competitions.

On NFR15, our team had more structural composites than any previous car. We’d upgraded from a one-cylinder engine to a larger, more powerful, Honda CBR500R engine, and the vehicle featured radically redesigned electronics, including fully electric shifting. This year, we were fully equipped to finish the endurance race for the first time, but there were electrical issues that wouldn’t allow the car to start.

After building on the fully overhauled design of NFR13, NFR14 became the lightest and fastest car our team had ever created. The car reintroduced machined aluminum uprights and featured major upgrades to hubs, wheel centers, pneumatic shifting, and composites. Although a drivetrain issue sidelined our car at the FSAE competition in Michigan, post-season testing confirmed the performance gains.

Beginning the 2013 cycle with notable experience, our team decided to push for innovation with the NFR13 design envelope. For this car, every major component was redesigned (including pneumatic shifting, reclined driving position, lightweight wheel centers, custom hubs, a rebuilt engine, and a structural carbon fiber floor). The extensive effort resulted in an impressive car from a design standpoint, but ultimately did not allow for adequate testing time.

NFR12 was the first NFR car to be completed in a one-year cycle. It was designed in Fall 2011 and manufactured in Winter and Spring 2012. Simplicity was again key, as our team wanted to prove that NFR could compete with a new car every year. The vehicle showcased notable engineering improvements, boasting full carbon fiber bodywork and improved driving dynamics.

Efficiency and simplicity were the guiding themes for our 2011 design, and we emphasized members’ abilities to know the car from inside out. Before returning to competition in 2011, our team went through a restructuring process with an emphasis on internal team building. We’d grown to 25 active members and defined subteams for the composites, engine, frame, and suspension.

The 2008 design prioritized simplicity and reliability within our team’s manufacturing capabilities. The car ran all three competition days without mechanical issues and passed technical inspection on the first attempt, a rare feat for a first-year vehicle. Compared to the typical 600cc engine, we’d opted for a lighter, more compact single-cylinder engine, enabling a smaller frame and a nimble package with strong potential to outmaneuver higher-power cars.