Quote:
Originally Posted by Mixer
We look back at these things with fondness now but at the time fans hated them, and then the GTR that came after them.
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Such so-called "fans" seem a bit thick! Albeit they could and should be mad at Ford Australia for not selling the Sierra Cosworth locally so you could have one in your driveway.
A simple requirement for two wheel drive only and a maximum capacity of 2.0L for turbocharged cars (so Nissan could run the Skyline GTS-T instead of GTR) would have allowed for great battles between Sierra, Skyline, and Commodore to continue indefinitely!
The Commodore could have had it's capacity bumped up to say 5.7L, which surely would be enough to make it competitive against 2.0L turbos?
BMW runners could have run a 540i with a capacity bump to 5.7L (maybe a 5.7L version of the V12 engine from the 850i?). Later on, the Ford runners could then have upgraded to a 2WD version of the Escort Cosworth or a Falcon with a 5.7 V8, depending on what they preferred.
Where was the initiative to keep turbocharged cars and keep a good variety of manufacturers in the ATCC!? Since you are moving away from Group A, then why not make rules flexible to accommodate as many manufacturers as possible? Why not have 2.0L turbos racing on equal terms with 5.7L NA cars?
The Toyota Supra runners could have upgraded from the JZA70 to the iconic JZA80 -- a downsized 2.0L version of the 2JZ engine may have been a great base for a touring car! The Jones team may have entered a lovely turbocharged 2.0L rear drive Audi 80 which would have been a truly grand thing!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mixer
These cars were 100% the reason the V8 rules got put together.
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A terrible set of restrictive rules! Not even permitting a BMW 540i for outright contention let alone anything else not a Commodore or Falcon.
How about
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Option 1: Two-wheel-drive, maximum 2000cc, forced induction, 1100kg minimum, 10" maximum rim width [Sierra, R32 Skyline GTS-T, HR31 Skyline etc]
Option 2: Two-wheel-drive, maximum 5700cc, naturally aspirated, 1250kg minimum, 12" maximum rim width [Commodore, Falcon, 540i etc]
* Rotary engines, 1000cc maximum for option 1, 2850cc maximum for option 2.
For all: Non-standard front splitter and rear wing allowed as per Group 3A
Why was a such simple equivalence too hard for them!? Why on earth make a fleet of Sierras obsolete? Why on earth alienate works BMW, Nissan and Toyota teams? Absolute madness!