Mini is back ... official

[Mike_Wooshy]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-10775125
There's other various sources saying the same thing,
done under Prodrive as expected ....
Sorry if there is already a thread for this .....

[mildura1963]

Hopefully this will encourage a few other new manufaturers too

[cg7aa]

Originally Posted by mildura1963

Hopefully this will encourage a few other new manufaturers too

Fingers crossed!

[NaBUru38]

Prodrive boss David Richards tells something unusual: not only was the WRC project self-supproted, they didn't picking the manufacturer that would support them better...

Originally Posted by David Richards

Instead, we took the new regulations and said, 'right, what would the ultimate car look like?' We used reverse engineering. Three months in, we looked at what we’d got and analysed this against the cars of all the manufacturers in the world. By March 2009 we had come up with 11 target cars. Then we went to talk to the manufacturers.

Ironically the MINI wasn’t on that list because the car as we knew it was too small. It just didn’t fit the rules. But during discussions we found out that a new, larger car was in development - the four-door Countryman - and it went straight to the top of our list. Firstly, as being just about perfect in dimensions and layout, and secondly being one of the most iconic names and rally brands ever.

[FIRE]

The Mini will use the BMW developed engine of the BMW WTCC car.

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Prodrive boss David Richards tells something unusual: not only was the WRC project self-supproted, they didn't picking the manufacturer that would support them better...

And yet next year they are using superminis in the WRC...

[NaBUru38]

I agree, superminis aren't the ultimate rally cars. I'd have left them for Super 1600 and forced WRC manufacturers to use C segment cars. I find it really strange that the WRC official website says "[supermins] are preferred by the FIA and the manufacturers as they are more environmentally friendly and are popular with the public", as if Civics, Corollas, Focus and Golfs weren't.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I agree, superminis aren't the ultimate rally cars. I'd have left them for Super 1600 and forced WRC manufacturers to use C segment cars. I find it really strange that the WRC official website says "[supermins] are preferred by the FIA and the manufacturers as they are more environmentally friendly and are popular with the public", as if Civics, Corollas, Focus and Golfs weren't.

Could it be that FIA thinks "Supermini" as the old 205, S1, Delta?.
Because that would be awesome, but i do not see the 107, Aygo, Fox etc. as the "top field" rally cars, unless we return to Grp. B spec regulations.

It could be interesting

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by CTD

Could it be that FIA thinks "Supermini" as the old 205, S1, Delta?.
Because that would be awesome, but i do not see the 107, Aygo, Fox etc. as the "top field" rally cars, unless we return to Grp. B spec regulations.

It could be interesting

I would say more 207 size. We had the 206 racing a while back.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

I would say more 207 size. We had the 206 racing a while back.

well, the 207, and 206 wasn't a supermini, but more a "mini" or small car. The supermini term is the 107 and so on.
The reason i mention the 205, S1 and Delta, is that they are smaller than todays 207, but still larger than the 107.