Quote:
Originally Posted by Mixer
I have to wonder if you watched a single Group A or Super Touring race in your life.
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Politics are unfortunate! Holden, Ford and everyone definitely had the chance to build a competitive car in Group A (likewise Subaru, Mistubishi et al in the rally version), if they were willing to fund it; willing to pay for developing an electronically-actuated all drive system and so on (the sophisticated AWD systems in the GTR and Lancer Evolution were/are certainly engineering marvels!).
Similarly, anyone who spent enough money was able to develop nearly any saloon into a competitive Super Tourer from what I can gather. At various times, the car to beat was the Cavalier, Mondeo, 3 series, Toyota Carina, Alfa Romeo 155, Audi A4, Volvo S40, Nissan Primera and finally the Mondeo again (finally in Prodrive built hatchback form, rather than the early sedan Andy Rouse built form). A huge variety of successful cars!
The Vectra and Accord were thereabouts too. The only works car that was never all that competitive was the Peugeot 406, presumably due to insufficient development.
Naturally Audi were encouraged, politically, to change from AWD to FWD, and that simplified the equivalence of the different drive layouts.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jam3s
Those endplates are unreal.
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Indeed!
They are obviously allowed under the rules, and therefore Ford Performance have chosen to do so for these advantages:
- Preventing spillage into the low pressure zone under the rear wing.
- Aerodynamically stabilising the car when it's at a slip angle (much like the tailfins in F1 or LMP racing).