WRC changes- good and bad
Oct 4, 2004 | 08:13 PM
#16
Evolved Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 554
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From: Durham, NC
No BS here folks -- saw it myself on WRC on Speed Channel last night.
There is no confirmation that they will be making these changes, but they have been considering the changes as possibilities...
Cabo
There is no confirmation that they will be making these changes, but they have been considering the changes as possibilities...
Cabo
Oct 4, 2004 | 08:22 PM
#17
Wow... I don't know what to think about this. The WRC homologated cars like the Evo and WRX will have to change now. I can see it as being a good thing for the races themselves, bu not for the cars. They should have made the rallies longer instead, like they used to. 
Oct 4, 2004 | 09:19 PM
#18
Evolved Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 574
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From: New Bedford, MA
Originally Posted by rebelzx
Wow... I don't know what to think about this. The WRC homologated cars like the Evo and WRX will have to change now. I can see it as being a good thing for the races themselves, bu not for the cars. They should have made the rallies longer instead, like they used to.
Just remember folks, part of "benefits" of the FIA stuff is there is a trickle-down effect of the technology into street cars. If these guys had to produce 2.0L NA motors that had serious torque and top-end, they'll simply have to get creative. The benefit could be more interesting, low-displacement, fuel-efficient cars for the consumer.
Oct 4, 2004 | 09:55 PM
#20
All true
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/rally/13153/
FIA Plans Radical Overhaul of WRC Rules
Written by: RACER staff
London, UK – 9/29/2004 The WRC cars will be very different animals in '06 if the Super 2000 proposals are adopted (LAT photo)
FIA president Max Mosley has sent out his starkest warning yet to manufacturers in the World Rally Championship that the series will not survive unless drastic action is taken to cut costs.
In a move that mirrors his bid to cut spiraling costs in Formula 1, Mosley has contacted all the current and possible future manufacturers in the WRC outlining rule changes he plans to introduce in 2006.
The proposed regulations – known as Super 2000 – would be a dramatic move away from the sport’s current rules, but Mosley believes they constitute the only hope of keeping the WRC alive.
He told Autosport magazine, "On the basis of the information available at present, the only sure way of keeping the World Rally Championship alive and prosperous is to make the changes which are currently under discussion."
Under Mosley's proposed new system, two-liter engines would replace the existing turbocharged power plants, while the sophisticated electronic and transmission systems would be canned in favor of a simpler and cheaper alternative that would be made available to all the manufacturers through a single supplier.
The WRC currently has five manufacturers competing in the series. But Mitsubishi suspended its 2004 program following Rally Deutschland after a disastrous time with the Lancer, while Ford has yet to decide whether it will even take part in the championship next year.
"The way things are right now, it's almost certain one manufacturer is going to walk away," admitted a senior source within the FIA. "If that happens then we will lose one of the French teams. If that happens, then it is highly unlikely one French team will stay to fight Subaru, so they will also go – then the world championship will collapse.
"There is a high level of interest in Super 2000. These cars would cost about a quarter of what current WRC cars cost and, if we are draconian in the way we govern the sport in the coming years, then we can avoid that collapse. The case for Super 2000 is overwhelming. The alternative is nothing.
The alternative is no WRC."
http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/rally/13153/
FIA Plans Radical Overhaul of WRC Rules
Written by: RACER staff
London, UK – 9/29/2004 The WRC cars will be very different animals in '06 if the Super 2000 proposals are adopted (LAT photo)
FIA president Max Mosley has sent out his starkest warning yet to manufacturers in the World Rally Championship that the series will not survive unless drastic action is taken to cut costs.
In a move that mirrors his bid to cut spiraling costs in Formula 1, Mosley has contacted all the current and possible future manufacturers in the WRC outlining rule changes he plans to introduce in 2006.
The proposed regulations – known as Super 2000 – would be a dramatic move away from the sport’s current rules, but Mosley believes they constitute the only hope of keeping the WRC alive.
He told Autosport magazine, "On the basis of the information available at present, the only sure way of keeping the World Rally Championship alive and prosperous is to make the changes which are currently under discussion."
Under Mosley's proposed new system, two-liter engines would replace the existing turbocharged power plants, while the sophisticated electronic and transmission systems would be canned in favor of a simpler and cheaper alternative that would be made available to all the manufacturers through a single supplier.
The WRC currently has five manufacturers competing in the series. But Mitsubishi suspended its 2004 program following Rally Deutschland after a disastrous time with the Lancer, while Ford has yet to decide whether it will even take part in the championship next year.
"The way things are right now, it's almost certain one manufacturer is going to walk away," admitted a senior source within the FIA. "If that happens then we will lose one of the French teams. If that happens, then it is highly unlikely one French team will stay to fight Subaru, so they will also go – then the world championship will collapse.
"There is a high level of interest in Super 2000. These cars would cost about a quarter of what current WRC cars cost and, if we are draconian in the way we govern the sport in the coming years, then we can avoid that collapse. The case for Super 2000 is overwhelming. The alternative is nothing.
The alternative is no WRC."
Oct 4, 2004 | 09:56 PM
#21
Originally Posted by MisterSpoot
I heard it last night as well. They're looking to reduce costs in an attempt to get other manufacturer's to give competing in WRC a look.
Just remember folks, part of "benefits" of the FIA stuff is there is a trickle-down effect of the technology into street cars. If these guys had to produce 2.0L NA motors that had serious torque and top-end, they'll simply have to get creative. The benefit could be more interesting, low-displacement, fuel-efficient cars for the consumer.
Just remember folks, part of "benefits" of the FIA stuff is there is a trickle-down effect of the technology into street cars. If these guys had to produce 2.0L NA motors that had serious torque and top-end, they'll simply have to get creative. The benefit could be more interesting, low-displacement, fuel-efficient cars for the consumer.
It's a shame though. I don't watch WRC, cause I wouldn't know what is going on but why don't they just have a class system of cars, some NA and some turbo? Might be a dumb question but I'm pretty dumb.
Fox
Oct 5, 2004 | 05:05 AM
#23
You know the really crappy thing about it.......well it may be good.....You can go and buy a street car, spend 20k on it and you would be able to kick Seb Loeb's ***. hehe
Cause I highly doubt that they will be able to get NA cars to perform the same as the turbos.
Another bad point is that it will affect the marketplace of our cars. These cars are popular in the first place because it is basically a rally(inspired) car, Now it is not.
But I guess it is good for the OZ's
Cause I highly doubt that they will be able to get NA cars to perform the same as the turbos.
Another bad point is that it will affect the marketplace of our cars. These cars are popular in the first place because it is basically a rally(inspired) car, Now it is not.
But I guess it is good for the OZ's
Oct 5, 2004 | 06:16 AM
#26
yeah i doubt they will get rid of turbos for the WRC ... but i do see the universal transmission thing because even now, many of the cars already have a universal transmission, just modified for their car
Oct 5, 2004 | 06:55 AM
#28
First off, these are proposed changes not changes that have been passed. I can understand the reason for the changes, especially seeing as Ford might pull out next year due to lack of funding. However, the FIA are killing motorsport. They did it to the WRC with the 2 driver rule which lead to a couple of the best known names in the sport looking for a drive. Losing Colin McRae and Tommi Makinen (I know Tommi retired) has done nothing good for the sport.
Now, I've argued this before and I have been flamed for it but I am still right
. The changes will not affect the Evo. The only reason Mitsu needs to build the Evo anymore is so that it can homologated for Group N. The WRC car is based off the Lancer (just as the Evo) and carries the same power plant but the homologation doesn't involve the Evo at all, just the base Lancer. The WRC car is, basically, a Lancer and is classified as such (Lancer WRC) whereas the Group N cars are classified as Evos. Look at the Citroen Xsara, for example, as Citroen don't make a road going Xsara with a turbo or all wheel drive. Ford have been running the AWD turbo Focus for years with no road going counterpart (although the RS has arrived now). Same with Peugout. There is no homologation requirement under WRC group rules that state that they have to make a road going counterpart, they simply take a base model that sells enough units to be homologated (the Lancer) and soup it up. Switching to NA cars will have no bearing on the future of the Evo unless they re-classify the spec of Group N cars. It will have a bearing on the sport as a whole though.
Now, I've argued this before and I have been flamed for it but I am still right
. The changes will not affect the Evo. The only reason Mitsu needs to build the Evo anymore is so that it can homologated for Group N. The WRC car is based off the Lancer (just as the Evo) and carries the same power plant but the homologation doesn't involve the Evo at all, just the base Lancer. The WRC car is, basically, a Lancer and is classified as such (Lancer WRC) whereas the Group N cars are classified as Evos. Look at the Citroen Xsara, for example, as Citroen don't make a road going Xsara with a turbo or all wheel drive. Ford have been running the AWD turbo Focus for years with no road going counterpart (although the RS has arrived now). Same with Peugout. There is no homologation requirement under WRC group rules that state that they have to make a road going counterpart, they simply take a base model that sells enough units to be homologated (the Lancer) and soup it up. Switching to NA cars will have no bearing on the future of the Evo unless they re-classify the spec of Group N cars. It will have a bearing on the sport as a whole though.
Oct 5, 2004 | 07:56 AM
#30
colin will be back, and being off this year he has done a few good things, first off he ran Dakaar in a toureg, and he ran 24 hours at le mans- in a ferrari i think. i am a big fan, but maybe he saw these changes coming and is off to bigger and better things. (in his eyes) with ford out, maybe, there could potentially be a group of 5 drivers that wouldnt have rides, unless they get new manufacteres to join up. there is only really 5 factory teams, citroen, peugeot, subaru, ford, then we have skoda, mitsu, and hyundai. it would suck to see these guys not have a team to drive for next year. i dont think we are at risk to lose everything to honda, but thne again they raced in japan this year. and if the changes for sure happen, honda could find some unknown japanese driver that doesnt know any english and win the first three races. they always do shiz like that. maybe the 4 cylinder will work out better for them than Takuma Sato's V-10. IMHO