We are looking back at the revolutionary MK01 racing kart, built by Cork-based Keane Racing for the Rotax Max series. This revolutionary kart marked the beginning of Hibra Design, now Ireland’s only automotive design engineering company focussed on decarbonising industrial vehicles.
The kart designer & builder, automotive engineering consultant Mike Keane hails from Co Limerick. In designing and building the racing kart, Mike brought his own experience in racing such as Formula Ford and many new engineering concepts into what was at the time a fiercely competitive racing kart.
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One of the key highlights of the MK01 was its Central Spine Chassis (CSC). This chassis design offered several advantages over conventional designs.
By separating the Lateral Torsional Stiffness & Longitudinal Torsional Stiffness, Mike Keane’s design enabled independent chassis movement during cornering. This innovative design enhanced handling, traction, and overall competitiveness by effectively lifting the inside rear wheel while keeping the unloaded side stable.
The MK01 offered adjustable Lateral Torsional Stiffness and full camber & caster adjustability for optimal performance on different tracks. Constructed with lightweight and durable T45 steel, it outperformed traditional kart chassis designs, providing superior road holding and minimising tire wear.
After designing and building the MK01 racing kart, Mike Keane went on to play a significant role in pioneering ground-breaking vehicle programmes with Ford’s 1.0L EcoBoost engine, the Nissan Bladeglider electric sports car and the Jaguar C-X75 supercar.
The Jaguar C-X75 was a hybrid-electric concept car produced by Jaguar Cars with the Williams F1 Advanced Engineering team. In a future episode more on Mike’s work on the design of this Jaguar and its use as a stunt car for the James Bond movie “Spectre”.
Information sources:
Ford Motor Company
Hibra Design
Jaguar Cars
Keane Racing Archives
Nissan Motor Company Ltd
Williams Advanced Engineering
