Dallara reveals 2012 Indy concept

Under next year's new generation rules, Dallara will provide a central safety cell that alternative body kits can be fitted to - though the IndyCar team owners agreed in Brazil a week ago to push for the variable bodywork to be postponed until 2013.

The new car is set to begin testing in August, and the first mock-up version was unveiled today at Indianapolis, where it will be displayed throughout the Indy 500 weeks.

Tony Cotman, project leader on the new rules package, said Dallara's alternative aero configurations for the IndyCar Series' different track types showed there was scope for variety in the 2012 regulations.

"The idea behind these is to show two totally different-looking vehicles that underneath are the same chassis," Cotman said. "There is a lot of room for aerodynamic kit development and that's what this platform is about - allowing people the freedom to design as they wish, dream as they wish and come up with a superior product than others. That's what drives competition.

"So will these be exactly what Dallara's kits are going to look like on road courses and ovals next year? No."

Sam Garrett, quality control leader for Dallara in America, added that the project was on schedule at present.

"The display cars are mock-ups of some of the things we could be doing on these cars," said Garrett.

"We have a plan and it's all coming together. About 95 per cent of the parts of the car are in production, and we'll be assembling the prototype car shortly. By August, we'll already have to be into the production run for the first 30 or 40 cars of parts."