BTCC Plato's comments in Autosport - Page 2

Super Hans · 8 Apr 2011, 10:12 (Ref:2860448)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riley54

So if the BTCC is no longer a championship for touring cars, why perpetuate the myth that it is? Why not acknowledge the changing market with a new name that accurately reflects it?

Because The British Touring Car Champtionship and BTCC are successful brands that carry kudos.

Bramzel · 8 Apr 2011, 11:11 (Ref:2860468)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ostrogothicus

Which from this season's cars are 'touring cars' and which aren't?
The Leon, Golf and Civic aren't, but what about the two Chevy models? And the BMW, the Vectra, the Toyota and the Audi? Are they touring cars? Because if they are then there's more that are than aren't.

*edit - forgot the Focus, that's probably not a tourer either*

And why are the Leon/Golf/Civic/Focus not tourers, while the Mini was? The Focus is the Escort Mk1's grandson, yet because it lost its boot it isn't a tourer anymore?

redshoes · 8 Apr 2011, 11:41 (Ref:2860477)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riley54

So if the BTCC is no longer a championship for touring cars, why perpetuate the myth that it is? Why not acknowledge the changing market with a new name that accurately reflects it?

So what name would you suggest?

The Fat Clerk · 8 Apr 2011, 12:27 (Ref:2860490)

Why not [ot a Clerk of the Course in the car, then they might find out what really happens

Hawkwood · 8 Apr 2011, 12:58 (Ref:2860504)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bramzel

And why are the Leon/Golf/Civic/Focus not tourers, while the Mini was? The Focus is the Escort Mk1's grandson, yet because it lost its boot it isn't a tourer anymore?

Plato's words mate, not mine.
His interview was the whole reason I started this thread, to see what people think and to get some debate going.
If you see my first post you'll see that I like the fact that the Leon, Golf etc are here.

Bramzel · 8 Apr 2011, 14:42 (Ref:2860551)

Sorry, the tone of my post was probably wrong. I was supporting your statement rather than attacking it

Craner Curves · 8 Apr 2011, 17:36 (Ref:2860602)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riley54

So if the BTCC is no longer a championship for touring cars, why perpetuate the myth that it is? Why not acknowledge the changing market with a new name that accurately reflects it?

But when it became the BTCC it had cars like the Metro, Escort MK3, Toyota Corolla and VW Golf. Are they touring cars? No, but who honestly cares?

mattt · 8 Apr 2011, 17:45 (Ref:2860604)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riley54

So if the BTCC is no longer a championship for touring cars, why perpetuate the myth that it is? Why not acknowledge the changing market with a new name that accurately reflects it?

BHTCC?

British Hatchback and Touring Car Championship

Or just leave it as the BTCC and stop whining about hatchbacks being in it heck the NGTC regulations almost exclude the smaller hatchbacks out of the championship.

duke_toaster · 9 Apr 2011, 09:03 (Ref:2860798)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

But when it became the BTCC it had cars like the Metro, Escort MK3, Toyota Corolla and VW Golf. Are they touring cars? No, but who honestly cares?

Bearing in mind it's had everything from Camaros to Minis throughout it's history I don't see why hatches are any less touring cars than massive saloons.

Gingers4Justice · 11 Apr 2011, 15:07 (Ref:2861946)

There was a time, a better time, when Ford Mustangs, Minis, Fiat 500s, Lotus Cortinas et al battled it on track.

A touring car should be a road-going saloon or hatch-back of any shape or size with slicks and a roll cage in it.

If we're going back to the 1920s? Well, it was just a car with covered wheels.

There are way too many regulations in touring cars.

Greem · 11 Apr 2011, 15:34 (Ref:2861959)

You wanted bigger cars:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/90644

Sodemo · 12 Apr 2011, 10:40 (Ref:2862329)

I just hate the Civic. I have no problem with the Leon or Focus.

I would much prefer "proper" saloons, but part of me is warming to the hatchbacks. Would have still prefered the Focus to have been the "Focus Saloon", which actually looks quite nice. The Golf? Its ok, though again, I would have prefered something "Bora" sized, so the Jetta, or Passat.

Super Hans · 12 Apr 2011, 11:16 (Ref:2862348)

The Airwaves Focus is a beatiful thing.

Senninha25 · 12 Apr 2011, 11:46 (Ref:2862364)

Would be great to see many of the current road saloons get converted into a touring car spec race car...just one question, are those Insignias built with works support or is it just an independent effort?

duke_toaster · 14 Apr 2011, 09:42 (Ref:2863180)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senninha25

Would be great to see many of the current road saloons get converted into a touring car spec race car...just one question, are those Insignias built with works support or is it just an independent effort?

What Insignias - the ones Thorney have announced plans to enter that haven't been built yet?

Riley Blue · 14 Apr 2011, 18:31 (Ref:2863393)

Quote:

Originally Posted by redshoes

So what name would you suggest?

The way I feel about the BTCC as it has now become I'd keep the initials and call it the British Toy Car Championship.

Senninha25 · 14 Apr 2011, 18:51 (Ref:2863398)

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

What Insignias - the ones Thorney have announced plans to enter that haven't been built yet?

Yes, those Insignias. Plans are plans but I don't know if they'll be building those cars all on their own or with help form Vauxhall.

duke_toaster · 14 Apr 2011, 19:34 (Ref:2863418)

I don't think they will be getting any factory help.

Senninha25 · 14 Apr 2011, 21:32 (Ref:2863468)

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

I don't think they will be getting any factory help.

then it's going to be a bit of a challenge for them...all the best for them though, I'd love to see what those Insignias have to show on track.

Tracsmart · 15 Apr 2011, 21:56 (Ref:2863996)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senninha25

Yes, those Insignias. Plans are plans but I don't know if they'll be building those cars all on their own or with help form Vauxhall.

Why on earth are the rumours intermating any possible help or works support from Vauxhall. If GM had any budgets (which they don't) their first call would be 888 having been and proved they are successful. Thorney have been very successful in Sport Maxx with the Astra's but we have seen numerous talk in the past about entering BTCC.

Thorney · 17 Apr 2011, 07:14 (Ref:2864734)

Hi, I guess I should comment.

No, we have no official factory backing for the entry, this is not an official Vauxhall factory team. However that is not to say we don't have Vauxhalls support, to quote one person in Luton 'why wouldn't we help you, you're racing our product?'

I'd also have to agree with the comments ref 888, if Vauxhall wanted to come back into BTCC then 888 would be the logical choice, but race teams are exactly that - teams of people and it's the people who make it happen not necessarily the company.

Our entry into BTCC is the culmination of 3 years of planning, that's 3 years of arranging the finance, the timing and most importantly the people we need to allow it to happen and to do it with a plan to be competitive from the beginning. The only thing I can guaranty is that we will put 100% into this of that I can assure you.

ckBrenneke · 19 Apr 2011, 07:50 (Ref:2866276)

Plato talks about NGTC with us back in December. Interesting comments regarding the NGTC engine and equalisation issues.

http://youtu.be/SgrL9iSnRn4

gttouring · 19 Apr 2011, 15:52 (Ref:2866519)

The BTCC is tops for me, something about it is great although the intro music last season is hideous.
I agree with plato, and thesupertouring regs were great. Maybe NGTC might work well.
my current conundrum is why anyonne is complaining the turbo cars have any advantge. Allcars will go to ngtc and turbo so it just shows this year that you need to get on the stick and go for it already, it will be the standard so get used to it

Jimmy Magnusson · 19 Apr 2011, 19:20 (Ref:2866612)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gttouring

The BTCC is tops for me, something about it is great although the intro music last season is hideous.
I agree with plato, and thesupertouring regs were great. Maybe NGTC might work well.
my current conundrum is why anyonne is complaining the turbo cars have any advantge. Allcars will go to ngtc and turbo so it just shows this year that you need to get on the stick and go for it already, it will be the standard so get used to it

After years of drivers whinging in the WTCC about everything except the colour of their socks I have just about zero tolerance for that stuff. But the turbos have too much power right now and the racing suffers for it. This was supposed to be a transition year with fairness across the board. I'm sure Chevy wouldn't have come back knowing they'd be stuck around the bottom edges of the top ten most circuits, and Tech-Speed's investment is quickly going down the drain. No quicker way to kill a series than to alienate your participants.

NikkiM · 20 Apr 2011, 09:00 (Ref:2866837)

Good points, well made!

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