I made and translated to French this interview during IAAPA Expo Asia 20 with MM. Czibulka and Daniel. They prove reponsive to interview questions - and take the time to share insightful answers. Thanks for sharing it!
Another interview with Intamin is expected sometime later this year. If Parkz's admins are ok with it, I'd be happy to forward your questions about Big Dipper to the manufacturer and share their comments (without the hassle of translating to French then back to English!) here.
Regarding the tyre launch, riding Yukon Quad at Le Pal in central France also makes me confident the acceleration will be satisfying. The second launch in particular should be quite exciting.
Having ridden Taron, Hyperion, Steel Dolphin and Soaring with Dragon, I agree with Intamin's claim their open restraint offers a competitive edge on RMC's Single Rail model. Though I'm yet to ride a Raptor track, I feel the seating & lap-bar design on I-Box trains of both generations is among the US manufacturer's weakest points (rode Wicked Cyclone, Twisted Colossus, Steel Vengeance, Zadra and Untamed for reference).
Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but Intamin market their Hot Racer (aka Single Rail) model in a wide range going from "1 - Family" to "3 - Thrill" in their portfolio. (For comparison, the LSM launch, Mega and Giga coasters are marketed in the "3 - Thrill" to "4 - Insane" range - while Wing and Wooden coasters are put in a "2 - Family Thrill" to "3 - Thrill" range.) It seems Intamin indicate their single rail's will offer a relatively less extreme ride experience than the current RMC Raptors. I wonder if that choice came from market demand, or purposeful differentiation from the competition.