2005 DTM car count - Page 4

BSchneiderFan · 14 Dec 2004, 02:01 (Ref:1178857)

A Rover 75 with a Zytek-prepped V8 would be something to see. Peugeot - do they have a V8?

kmchow · 14 Dec 2004, 02:15 (Ref:1178862)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

BIG NEWS: a fourth manufacturer will join already NEXT year, so 2005.
source: www.dtm.de

My money would be on Toyota since there was a HKS prepped DTM-ish Toyota Altezza 2 years ago?? It also fits in with Toyota's global motorsport efforts in the past. high profile involvement with big budget/attention grabbing series!

Rover would really suprise me considering they're undergoing all this pending ownership change.

I would bet Ford with their Mondeo/Jaguar X Type before Rover b/c they're the last of the big automakers not to be involved? Ford is one of the big 3 (NA at least). GM/DC/missing Ford??

Whoever it is, their DTM entries must currently be under construction?? OTOH, how can a manufacturer test their DTM entry without being discovered? Surely they must have track tested it? Doesn't Toyota and Honda have their own test track in Japan?

toot toot · 14 Dec 2004, 10:43 (Ref:1179061)

Rover is very unlikely, companies don't plough millions into a project when they're on the verg of takeover, especially when you don't have the millions.

Peugot would make more sense considering they have seen consistent growth in profits exceeding most other manufacturers over the past few years and trying to gain in the large highly competitive German car market makes sense and what better way than DTM?

BSchneiderFan · 14 Dec 2004, 12:45 (Ref:1179143)

Aiello, Fassler, Reuter and Frenzten confirmed as the Opel squad. Bit of a kick in the teeth for poor old Peter Dumbreck - let's hope he's picked up by someone else.

flor · 14 Dec 2004, 13:17 (Ref:1179160)

yes, and also for Scheider, those 2 always seemed to be faster than Aiello, Frentzen and Reuter

BSchneiderFan · 14 Dec 2004, 13:36 (Ref:1179178)

It is in some ways a strange decision. OK, Reuter won the ITC and Aiello was DTM champ, but Reuter's title was a while back now and Aiello has never really settled at Opel. As for Frentzen, his transition to tintops hasn't been especially smooth. Dumbreck might at least have given Opel a few points in their last season.

Are Opel entering 2004-spec cars too, or just the four 2005-spec cars?

flor · 14 Dec 2004, 13:42 (Ref:1179186)

there will only be 04 cars if they find a sponsor for them

John Winter · 14 Dec 2004, 13:46 (Ref:1179193)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

It is in some ways a strange decision. OK, Reuter won the ITC and Aiello was DTM champ, but Reuter's title was a while back now and Aiello has never really settled at Opel. As for Frentzen, his transition to tintops hasn't been especially smooth. Dumbreck might at least have given Opel a few points in their last season.

Frentzen and Fässler were already signed on before they knew that they could only enter four cars. So you can't blame them for letting Frentzen drive instead of Dumbreck. Reuter got the only Podium for Opel last year, so it's unfair towards him to say that Dumbreck is better, just because Dumbreck was the best Opel-driver in 2003. Reuter even scored more points than Dumbreck.

gwyllion · 14 Dec 2004, 14:00 (Ref:1179208)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

A Rover 75 with a Zytek-prepped V8 would be something to see. Peugeot - do they have a V8?

Zytek has indeed got a suitable engine: the ZB 408 is a 4 liter V8, exactly what is needed for DTM.

Autosport.nl says sources confirm that Zytek has been working on a touring car since september, but they can not confirm that it is Rover.

Rover is also being taken over by Shanghai Automotive Industry (SAIC). Maybe the Chinese were impressed by the DTM race in Shanghai.

**FIRE** · 14 Dec 2004, 17:53 (Ref:1179339)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gttouring

butmaybe it'll be Cadillac, and as Opel phased out, GM still has presence in an already DTMified Tourer...the CTS-V

It would IMO make no sense. Cadillac market share in Europe is almost zero. Or they take the cheap way by using a Opel Vectra chassis with a CTS body? Is it the reason why Opel enters only 4 cars, the other 4 will be entered by "new manufacturer" Cadillac? Probably whisfull thinking....

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmchow

My money would be on Toyota since there was a HKS prepped DTM-ish Toyota Altezza 2 years ago?? It also fits in with Toyota's global motorsport efforts in the past. high profile involvement with big budget/attention grabbing series!

Toyota would be great because they have €$€ and would take it serious (see IRL, F1 and Nascar Truck Series).

Or maybe a private Alfa team with involvement from Michael Schumacher? There was speculation last year, see this. Alfa did a BTCC and DTM project at the same time in the 90's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmchow

I would bet Ford with their Mondeo/Jaguar X Type before Rover b/c they're the last of the big automakers not to be involved? Ford is one of the big 3 (NA at least). GM/DC/missing Ford??

Ford announced a low-profile WTCC entry. Beside that they sold their F1 involvement and cut back their WRC operation because of high costs. So a DTM project is not realistic.

flor · 14 Dec 2004, 18:24 (Ref:1179351)

there were always rumour of volvo wanting to enter, but ford didnt allow it

**FIRE** · 14 Dec 2004, 18:26 (Ref:1179353)

Quote:

Originally Posted by flor

there were always rumour of volvo wanting to enter, but ford didnt allow it

Zakspeed wanted to enter a Volvo C70 in 2000 but they got no green light from Ford and ITR.

andy_b · 14 Dec 2004, 18:27 (Ref:1179354)

Rover havent been taken over. IIRC SAIC have bought a small part of Rover and Rover have done the same (although I maybe a little wrong). At the same time a new "joint company" has been created.

Hazard · 14 Dec 2004, 18:40 (Ref:1179366)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

A Rover 75 with a Zytek-prepped V8 would be something to see. Peugeot - do they have a V8?

Just to note. Opel doesn't really have a V8 either.

John Winter · 14 Dec 2004, 18:55 (Ref:1179384)

Opel uses a V8 from Oldsmobil. Audi has a v8 from a BMW-tuner

**FIRE** · 14 Dec 2004, 19:38 (Ref:1179426)

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Winter

Opel uses a V8 from Oldsmobil. Audi has a v8 from a BMW-tuner

I think Audi uses a engine original from Mugen, see this topic. Or do they use a original Audi engine since they have offiical backing from Audi?

alesi95 · 14 Dec 2004, 19:49 (Ref:1179432)

Quote:

Originally Posted by flor

yes, and also for Scheider, those 2 always seemed to be faster than Aiello, Frentzen and Reuter

Always thought of Schieder as Opel's very own Ekstrom. He was a gem.

Very Gutted he's gone.

John Winter · 14 Dec 2004, 20:47 (Ref:1179488)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

I think Audi uses a engine original from Mugen, see this topic. Or do they use a original Audi engine since they have offiical backing from Audi?

No, you're right. In 2000 they used the Mader (the BMW-tuner I had in mind). From 2001 on they used the Mugen. They haven't changed that since the official return of Audi.

JAG · 14 Dec 2004, 21:31 (Ref:1179532)

Is this new manufactuer a privateer effort inthe mold of ABT?

JAG · 14 Dec 2004, 21:33 (Ref:1179538)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_b

Rover havent been taken over. IIRC SAIC have bought a small part of Rover and Rover have done the same (although I maybe a little wrong). At the same time a new "joint company" has been created.

As I understand it they will receive 70% of the shares in Rover in return for a £1 Billion investment.

Although this may have changed since I saw it reported a few months back!

gwyllion · 14 Dec 2004, 21:50 (Ref:1179555)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

As I understand it they will receive 70% of the shares in Rover in return for a £1 Billion investment.

Although this may have changed since I saw it reported a few months back!

Yes, that's what I read on various site. SAIC gets 70% and Rover 30% of a joint venture.

The announcement was made less than a month ago (around November 21). The Chinese government still has to approve that takeover (somewhere in Januari). The MG Rover top is very optimistic about the buyout: they think it will allow they to release 4 new models in 14 months.

Anthonychung · 15 Dec 2004, 00:53 (Ref:1179666)

I think that Jaguar will join DTM in 2005 because it retire my F1 In 2004 and do not join any touring car series. Jaguar has been joined ETCC in 1970'-1980' , I think that they will join touring car series again. I hope to see it again.

Silk Cut Jaguar · 15 Dec 2004, 01:22 (Ref:1179676)

Jaguar would be more likely to invest in a prototype program (wishful thinking I know) than join the DTM. The DTM is far from cheap and even Opel who have thrown money at it for years haven't got a huge amount to show for it thanks to the might of Mercedes.

Any new marque would have to be extremely confident in joining the series or have a desire to lose a huge amount of money. I don't think Jaguar has either at the moment.

flor · 15 Dec 2004, 05:13 (Ref:1179729)

seems like canadian Bruno Spengler has a seat in a 04 merc at team Mücke

Anthonychung · 15 Dec 2004, 09:29 (Ref:1179816)

If Jaguar with TWR to join DTM, it is a competitive team just like AMG with Benz.

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