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9 Mar 2005, 21:06 (Ref:1248094) | #26 | ||
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I think the BTCC has a competitive advantage over the WTCC in allowing more bodywork freedom.
The trend in the car market is to MPV type shapes,and the traditional Mondeo/Laguna/Primera will disappear to make way for more practical cars. Look at the new Seat Toledo, for example. That ain't no touring car!!! The BTCC allows 2 door cars and is therefore open to hot-hatch based cars, which is a growing segment..... it could be attractive to manufacturers not wanting to promote a declining 4 door model |
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10 Mar 2005, 14:59 (Ref:1248599) | #27 | ||
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Very good point.
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12 Mar 2005, 08:44 (Ref:1250132) | #28 | ||
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Cynic, DTM cars aren't based on the real thing. They are carbon-fibre spaceframe sports-car things, like you mentioned and full non-production based race mechanicals. so the road car is totally irrelevant.
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12 Mar 2005, 12:11 (Ref:1250234) | #29 | |||
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Yours to Discover |
12 Mar 2005, 18:16 (Ref:1250367) | #30 | |||||
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Supertouring Forever and Ever... |
12 Mar 2005, 20:44 (Ref:1250457) | #31 | |
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Estates can't race anymore - I'm pretty certain it's in the regulations.
The point Redlake27 made is spot on in my opinion. I was reading with interest that the manufacturers are worried that the family saloon could eventually die off. That could even mean they turn their sights for Touring Car racing back to the larger cars, although I think there'd need to be a change in the rules as a bigger car would be at a disadvantage to smaller hatches / coupes right away. |
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13 Mar 2005, 00:46 (Ref:1250554) | #32 | |||
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13 Mar 2005, 01:11 (Ref:1250560) | #33 | ||
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Would you call a Honda Civic an estate?
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Happy David Thexton Day, 21st March 2003 “I am not uncertain” - Dollar Bill Stern, Billions “Fear stimulates my imagination” - Don Draper, Mad Men “Everybody Lies” - Dr Gregory House |
13 Mar 2005, 04:40 (Ref:1250582) | #34 | |||
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Supertouring Forever and Ever... |
13 Mar 2005, 12:32 (Ref:1250847) | #35 | |
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Volvo don't want to race an estate kmchow, I'm certain Cynic was being hypothetical.
Alfa fan, 99% sure someone asked Alan Gow whether estates could race and it was a 'no'. I'd assume an estate was an estate if it had a larger rear side window. |
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13 Mar 2005, 21:00 (Ref:1251108) | #36 | |
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I believe that the Volvo estate became impossible for 1995 because of the new aerodynamic regulations. After the nonsense from Alfa Romeo in 1994, new rules were introduced to govern racing-specific (aerodynamic) bodywork. Due to the wing size and positions involved, estates were effectively ruled out.
I also suspect that Volvo's 'learning year' taught them that an estate wasn't quite so hot in the handling department! |
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13 Mar 2005, 21:42 (Ref:1251123) | #37 | |
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The 850 Estate did have a downforce advantage over it's rivals, now there's a surprise!
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23 Mar 2005, 16:08 (Ref:1259890) | #38 | |
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IMO the BTCC cars look ****, with their max power plastic wings, which are designed to offer little or no aerodynamic advantage - if they do nowt why have them - the WTCC cars look better.
Last edited by touringlegend; 23 Mar 2005 at 18:34. Reason: Autocensor Dodging |
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23 Mar 2005, 18:22 (Ref:1260028) | #39 | ||
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*yawn* so what if they look naff? (to you) the racing is fantastic and thats what counts
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24 Mar 2005, 03:46 (Ref:1260366) | #40 | ||
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having been on the bank for 50% or last years races and will be again this year, all i can say is roll on the new season, since last year i have purchased a Toledo, was in the market for a new car(well year old, would never buy new) and having seen them all year long they were in my mind, with regard to the market shift changing to the hatchback though, you couldn't be more correct, it was nearly £2000 cheaper to buy the Toledo than the smaller hatchback brother the Leon (maybe the new shape coming out had somthing do with that....) goes to show though that as far as marketing goes it still works, just need to get more folks spectating bigger gates bring more teams (catch 22 i know)
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9 Apr 2005, 19:37 (Ref:1274213) | #41 | ||
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Looks like I have been prooved right.
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9 Apr 2005, 19:49 (Ref:1274218) | #42 | |||
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Your comment was about not liking the mixed bag of coupé's, and BTC vs S2000 spec cars etc. I don't see how that relates. From the low grids we have, it just would not appear to be in the independant teams interests to continue to compete (since the sharp end is the same size as last year). This is a knock on of course from lack of manufacturer support...if MG still backed (I know they can't now!) West Surrey, Honda kept up a full pack of Honda's keeping Dynamics mits off them, 'Collard Racing' outfits could still win the indie title, and more independant teams would compete. As it is, anyone bringing a car along has no chance against the almighty finances behind Vauxhall & Seat - and perhaps even less chance against the technical 'works quality in an independant form' of Team Dynamics & WSR. But what's that got to do with the cars being different shapes? The manufacturer's just want to throw a car on the circuit that will sell. We know why MG aren't in it, Daewoo/Chevrolet decided to WTCC was better...Renault has investments in single make series & F1...others are getting what they need out of the rallying championships. |
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9 Apr 2005, 20:03 (Ref:1274231) | #43 | ||
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Exactly! Super 2000 spec rules need to be adopted because manufacturers won't spend twice the budget to develop cars to go racing.
How many ex super BTCC spec cars do you see racing in the UK now compared to there production and super 2000 spec equivalents? Most other countries have now adopted the super 2000 spec rules and as works cars filter through we will see more on our tracks, maybe even manufacturer or several more independant entries. |
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10 Apr 2005, 09:30 (Ref:1274469) | #44 | ||
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With the current entry for this year, and the grid size for today's races at Donington, I don't think that the BTCC can afford to be choosy about what type of car is allowed (saloon/hatch/coupe). What is needed is more entries, more cars on the grid, before people vote with their feet and walk away.
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