[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[auroan]

Originally Posted by pagey318

I reckon it would be too long. Longer wheelbase than all cars in its class so could even compete with Merc E types. Not to mention no mention of it coming to the UK. Shame really.

If I take my glasses off it does remind me a bit of the Audi A7 or Porsche Panamera

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by auroan

If I take my glasses off it does remind me a bit of the Audi A7 or Porsche Panamera

Reminds me of the Alfa Giulia.

[thlbtcc]

Love the love of that Kia, and RWD too.

Perfect fit for VASC as Racing Hartz mentions.

Too big for BTCC I believe.

[auroan]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

Love the love of that Kia, and RWD too.

Perfect fit for VASC as Racing Hartz mentions.

Too big for BTCC I believe.

True, you have a point. The longest wheelbase cars in BTCC are;

MG 6 wheelbase 2705 mm
VW CC wheelbase 2705 mm
Toyota Avesis wheelbase 2700 mm

The kia is 20 cm longer @ approx 2906 mm

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by auroan

True, you have a point. The longest wheelbase cars in BTCC are;

MG 6 wheelbase 2705 mm
VW CC wheelbase 2705 mm
Toyota Avesis wheelbase 2700 mm

The kia is 20 cm longer @ approx 2906 mm

Larger NGTC cars have been built (although success is questionable)

Insignia - 2737 mm
Q50 - 2850 mm

Would the Kia be too big for regulations, or just too big to make a success?

[porsche962fan]

why is there any discussion ? KIA are impotent when it comes to real touring cars , they have no cojones whatsoever , heck Proton managed to get cars on the BTCC grid but KIA is incapable to even have a road shell supply deal with an existing team

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

why is there any discussion ? KIA are impotent when it comes to real touring cars , they have no cojones whatsoever , heck Proton managed to get cars on the BTCC grid but KIA is incapable to even have a road shell supply deal with an existing team

[Bramzel]

Yearly Kia rumour round: Check!

Now where did I leave that Volvo gossip?

[Accident]

In CTSCC in the ST class for a few years too.



Regardless, I certainly don't expect anything.

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by Accident

In CTSCC in the ST class for a few years too.



Regardless, I certainly don't expect anything.

STCC as well...

[porsche962fan]

^ that's why I said "real" touring car, not just some silouttes


now the Volvos from Unicorn land are needed

[thlbtcc]

Jeff Smith returns with his team Eurotech in 2017, testing abroad planned for end of Feb and significant investment appears to have happened.

Depper has left the team.

https://www.autosport.com/news/repor...-with-eurotech

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

^ that's why I said "real" touring car, not just some silouttes

But how do those other Kia efforts differ from BTCC silhouette racing?
You gave Proton as a comparison, and mention their deal to supply shells.
Is that not what Kia have done in other touring car championships?

[pagey318]

Just to clear it up, the reason KIA never entered is cost. They were interested this season (probably the first time they actually were and should have been linked with the BTCC) but £3m over a 3 year programme was too much for them to invest. Simple as that. They were the figures, KIA didn't like it. A cheap deal was attempted but time constraints meant for this year, it wasn't going to happen.

[850Estate]

Hmmm, I wonder if we might see Depper at Motorbase in that case. I remember it being rumoured on here a wee while back.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by 850Estate

Hmmm, I wonder if we might see Depper at Motorbase in that case. I remember it being rumoured on here a wee while back.

eSpares is his business and they are on the new Motorbase livery. I guess that's where the link comes from.

[mark_l]

This is not surprising, the only unexpected thing is Martin Depper moving on.

Almost qualifies for 'pointless press release of the week'.

[porsche962fan]

17 confirmed , 15 remaining


Team Dynamics - Honda Civic - Matt Neal
Team Dynamics - Honda Civic - Gordon Shedden
Simpson Racing - Honda Civic - Mat Simpson

Eurotech - Honda Civic - Jeff Smith
Eurotech - Honda Civic - ????

Speedworks - Toyota Avensis - Tom Ingram

Handy Motorsport - Toyota Avensis - Rob Austin ?

PMR - Vauxhall Astra - Senna Proctor
PMR - vauxhall Astra - Tom Chilton

BMR - Subaru Levorg - Jason Plato
BMR - Subaru Levorg - Colin Turkington ?
BMR - Subaru Levorg - Warren Scott ???
BMR - Subaru Levorg - James Cole ?

888 - MG - Ash Sutton ??
888 - MG - ???

WSR - BMW 125 - Andrew Jordan
WSR - BMW 125 - Rob Collard ????
WSR - BMW 125 - ????

Motorbase - Ford Focus - Mat Jackson
Motorbase - Ford Focus - Martin Deeper ???
Motorbase - Ford Focus - ???

Cicely Racing - Mercedes A-Class - Adam Morgan

Laser Tools - Mercedes A-Class - Aidan Moffat

AMD - Audi S3 - Ollie Jackson
AMD - Audi S3 - ??????

HARD - VW CC - Will Burns
HARD - VW CC - Mike Epps
HARD - VW CC - ?????

Team Parker Racing - Ford Focus - ?????

Maximum - Ford Focus - Stewart Lines ???

BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Chris Smiley
BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Dave Newsham

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by mark_l

This is not surprising, the only unexpected thing is Martin Depper moving on.

Almost qualifies for 'pointless press release of the week'.

not really


I think the main purpose for Jeff Smith was to say "HEY a seat is available here, please come to talk"

[pimmy]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

eSpares is his business and they are on the new Motorbase livery. I guess that's where the link comes from.

eSpares were on Jackson's car all of last year as well. It doesn't necessarily mean that Depper will join Motorbase but I wouldn't rule it out.

[luckn002]

Originally Posted by pimmy

eSpares were on Jackson's car all of last year as well. It doesn't necessarily mean that Depper will join Motorbase but I wouldn't rule it out.

Maybe he will join Motorbase with more of a managerial role rather than a driver, sort of like Simon Belcher stepped back?

Still, as long as Jake Hill gets the other seat I don't mind!

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Maybe he will join Motorbase with more of a managerial role rather than a driver, sort of like Simon Belcher stepped back?

Still, as long as Jake Hill gets the other seat I don't mind!

They have enough management at Motorbase and they are concentrating fully on btcc this year. He's good pals with Stewart Lines, another possible option. I take it my Aron Taylor-Smith to Hard suggestion wasn't taken seriously in all of the Kia chat.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

They have enough management at Motorbase and they are concentrating fully on btcc this year. He's good pals with Stewart Lines, another possible option. I take it my Aron Taylor-Smith to Hard suggestion wasn't taken seriously in all of the Kia chat.

I did think Smith might if signed with them when they looked like they were getting a 4th TBL as they were tweeting #gamechanger which I would of thought ment they had signed a race winning driver, then again we know what Team HARD are like with their #hashtags#hastag, obviously never been only social media training, as they only advise 2 hashtags per tweet #tweetfail

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Maybe he will join Motorbase with more of a managerial role rather than a driver, sort of like Simon Belcher stepped back?

Still, as long as Jake Hill gets the other seat I don't mind!

Likewise, I've got my fingers crossed Jake will be in one of the cars, I'd say Depper or Collard the others in contention.

[Racing Harz]

So Gilham likes Goff on Facebook...