BTCC 2019 season discussion, News and Rumours!

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by Pringles

Any more or less important than any other marque in the BTCC??

no, not at all more important, i dont recall as many "oh but what if" posts when other marques left the grid, or desperately coming up with ideas to shoehorn a completely unsuitable body shape or car they cant use onto the grid because of the brand.


These new MGs are proper s*** boxes, if they were a British marque i could understand the marketing link but there are plenty more relevant marques teams could turn to for decent cars

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Pringles

As said its not being sold over here another mistake by MG. It seems a far better proposition than the first incarnation of the 6. Now they have 3 models currently on sale here a 4th would really help not everyone wants a small car or an SUV. Although the GS won't be around much longer given the HS will probably be its replacement within a year or so maybe.

I really don't see MG not bringing the 6 to Europe as a mistake. Trends in European car purchase are going away from the traditional three box family car; the chances of shifting in enough volume to generate a decent profit are likely very low. Heck, this isn't yet an announced thing - but I would bet my ass on - Ford won't replace the Mondeo when the current car goes off sale. They'll bet on folk buying the Focus, Focus wagon or the Kuga instead.

Like it or not superminis, Golf size hatches, and SUVs of all sizes are what are making money right now. None of these vehicles fit the profile for a typical BTCC sized racecar.

[Petoli]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I really don't see MG not bringing the 6 to Europe as a mistake. Trends in European car purchase are going away from the traditional three box family car; the chances of shifting in enough volume to generate a decent profit are likely very low. Heck, this isn't yet an announced thing - but I would bet my ass on - Ford won't replace the Mondeo when the current car goes off sale. They'll bet on folk buying the Focus, Focus wagon or the Kuga instead.

Like it or not superminis, Golf size hatches, and SUVs of all sizes are what are making money right now. None of these vehicles fit the profile for a typical BTCC sized racecar.

But what is a typical BTCC sized race car. i have heard people say they prefer the saloon style of cars used during the supertouring era, but that segment is pretty much non existent. in 1998 Ford shifted over 300,000 Mondeos in the EU in 2017 they sold 50,000.

Not to mention that the modern hatchbacks are not that much smaller then the saloons of 20 years ago a modern Astra is only 4 inches shorter and about 5 inches wider then a Vectra from 20 years ago. Back in the 80s teams were running Sierra RS500s yet a modern Fiesta is wider.

Now that Crossovers are becoming more popular surely it wont be long before one is entered.

[v jones]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

That's twice, HMRC will come back at them for a third time if they don't pull the finger out. This is simply filing the accounts, not paying any tax bill, so I struggle to understand why this situation exists.

I think the struggle that BMR have is to pay their bills!

[touringlegend]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Heck, this isn't yet an announced thing - but I would bet my ass on - Ford won't replace the Mondeo when the current car goes off sale. They'll bet on folk buying the Focus, Focus wagon or the Kuga instead.

Your not far wrong in a way.

In the United States I believe the only two cars Ford are keeping in the future are the Mustang and the Focus Active crossover. They’ll concentrate on SUVS and ‘trucks’.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Your not far wrong in a way.

In the United States I believe the only two cars Ford are keeping in the future are the Mustang and the Focus Active crossover. They’ll concentrate on SUVS and ‘trucks’.

Only Ford car will be the Mustang, the Focus Active won't be sold in America now because of the 25% import duty.

[BLiTZ]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Your not far wrong in a way.

In the United States I believe the only two cars Ford are keeping in the future are the Mustang and the Focus Active crossover. They’ll concentrate on SUVS and ‘trucks’.

They've since ditched the the Focus AC as it fell foul of Trumps import tariffs as its built in China leaving the Mustang as the only 'car'.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I really don't see MG not bringing the 6 to Europe as a mistake. Trends in European car purchase are going away from the traditional three box family car; the chances of shifting in enough volume to generate a decent profit are likely very low. Heck, this isn't yet an announced thing - but I would bet my ass on - Ford won't replace the Mondeo when the current car goes off sale. They'll bet on folk buying the Focus, Focus wagon or the Kuga instead.

Like it or not superminis, Golf size hatches, and SUVs of all sizes are what are making money right now. None of these vehicles fit the profile for a typical BTCC sized racecar.

Ford will be unveiling a facelift Mondeo soon. That gives it at least 3yrs.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by RS67

Ford will be unveiling a facelift Mondeo soon. That gives it at least 3yrs.

There or thereabouts would be a reasonable assumption. From what I know (and I'm not anywhere near as well connected as in days gone by) there is no significant work on a replacement currently. Given usual drawing board to road car timescales that suggests either no replacement or the facelift car having a longer than typical production run. Time will tell. Either way, the Mondeo is way too big a barge for the basis of a NGTC car.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Either way, the Mondeo is way too big a barge for the basis of a NGTC car.

Given NGTC has standardised width and the other dimensions are almost identical to the VW Cc there isn't really a problem.

[Robin Marriott]

Any predictions for HARDs 3rd driver announcement on Wednesday?

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by thetool

Given NGTC has standardised width and the other dimensions are almost identical to the VW Cc there isn't really a problem.

There is if you want to be competitive!

[S griffin]

At least HARD are getting it done early

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

Any predictions for HARDs 3rd driver announcement on Wednesday?

An in house driver from another series is my inkling. Too many to educate a good guess from!

[Robin Marriott]

My moneys on Jamie Bond

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Robin Marriott

My moneys on Jamie Bond

Yeah, me too. Makes sense given how Epps & Thompson were in the same position.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

There is if you want to be competitive!

The CC has been competitive in the past. It's far more about the team running the car than the car itself.

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by thetool

The CC has been competitive in the past. It's far more about the team running the car than the car itself.

Hard were reasonably sucessful when running the CC in 2017 with frequent top 10's in both race and qualifying trim, off season they butchered the car by shortening the wheelbase and it never seemed the same in 2018, the driver selection were not slouches, and it took a long time for them to start getting it working correctly. I would say there is an argument that the car itself is the main contributing factor here. (tho the team in making this descision didnt help)

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by thetool

The CC has been competitive in the past. It's far more about the team running the car than the car itself.

I agree on the CC to some extent. The lightest Mondeo road car is a hefty 55kg heavier than the lightest CC though; it's an overweight porky barge. Anyone wanting to try and run one would need to make significant weight reductions

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

There or thereabouts would be a reasonable assumption. From what I know (and I'm not anywhere near as well connected as in days gone by) there is no significant work on a replacement currently. Given usual drawing board to road car timescales that suggests either no replacement or the facelift car having a longer than typical production run. Time will tell. Either way, the Mondeo is way too big a barge for the basis of a NGTC car.

Only Morgan and Adrian Newley use drawing boards these days!

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by RS67

Ford will be unveiling a facelift Mondeo soon. That gives it at least 3yrs.

Indeed will it be called a Mondeo?

[RS67]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Indeed will it be called a Mondeo?

As it is a facelift, why would they call it anything else?

[Robin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I agree on the CC to some extent. The lightest Mondeo road car is a hefty 55kg heavier than the lightest CC though; it's an overweight porky barge. Anyone wanting to try and run one would need to make significant weight reductions

Manufacturers declared kerb weight is a tough one to compare though, they often use different combinations of fuel load, ‘passenger’ and ‘luggage” weight in that measurement, not to mention the fact that even if they’re tested like for like, that 55kg could all be in the front end, which is hacked off and binned anyway.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by RS67

As it is a facelift, why would they call it anything else?

Maybe the same reason they canned the “Escort” and replaced it with the “Focus”. Same sector, same market profile, but if it’s a tired brand, they could push to rename.

[RS67]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Maybe the same reason they canned the “Escort” and replaced it with the “Focus”. Same sector, same market profile, but if it’s a tired brand, they could push to rename.

Escort to Focus was a complete new car, not a facelift.