Odonata: The Octan Electric Lola T2170

The Odonata anti-gravity Wipeout racer was another epoch marking design from the venerable Lola engineering house. Few now realise just how close it brought them to bankruptcy.

With the huge bore deuterium 5-ion drive effectively providing infinite thrust at all velocities the challenge became preventing the pilot and gunner from becoming pink mush in the bottom of their flight suits. The Lola revolution was to bring the Shuttleworth flight control OS out of the pit lane and on to an onboard substrate. The reduction in network latency enabled theoretically complete simulation space exploration leading to optimal real time adjustment of the anti grav control surfaces.

Hard to believe now given their ubiquity but also revolutionary were those trademark forward AG feathers. According to company lore lead designer Don Broadly bolted them on himself to cure the terrifying mantle lift that was leaving test-pilots with nothing but a view of the stars under heavy post-apex acceleration.

The development prototypes were also notoriously unreliable. The central directional control plane in particular frequently sticking due to feedback loops from the feathers either side. The pennant mesh drive was fragile to vibration shocks and the enlarged intake scoops frequently cracked due to cavitation. The pilot eject system was triggered disturbingly often.

With costs spiralling Lola were blessed that lead sponsor Octan were so desperate to finally transition from their legacy carbon fuel image. Social analysis showed they had little choice but to double down twice to see development through. A highly fortunate outcome that thankfully brought us what largely remains the default AG racing platform of today.