The Best BTCC Car of All Time....

Eurotech

I know this has probably been done already but I'm just wondering what everyone thinks is the best car the raced in the BTCC is.

I want to know The Car, Best Livery, Best Driver etc.

I'd say the Astra Coupe, VXRacing 2004, James Thompson

What about you....?

DazzlaF1

1997 Renault Laguna, no contest (well in my opinion at least)

BTCC2

Yep 1997 Renault Laguna.

wedge

Whaaaat!

Sierra Turbo Cossie, surely no contest?!

If I were to be biased then it would have to be Audi A4 - Vorsprung Durch Technik!

My father bought a spanking new one when it was first released and has been loyal A4 customer ever since.

Eurotech

The problem with the Sierra Cosworth's is that they never had anything to race against...

Daz

Easy one this, the 1996 Audi Sport UK A4 Quattro just looked awesome in silver with the red rings on it.

VkmSpouge

So probably not BMW 320i, J-Team Motorsport 2007, Jim Pocklington?

It's a tricky question, as I can only comment on cars from 1992 onwards (I've only ever seen a couple of races from the before the super touring era). I quite liked the 2005/06 Honda Integra with Matt Neal. Joachim Winkelhock's 1993 BMW 318i was another good one.
I think the best livery of any car good or bad was that on the 1999 Arena Motorsport Renault Laguna.

Rollo

Originally Posted by Eurotech
I know this has probably been done already but I'm just wondering what everyone thinks is the best car the raced in the BTCC is.

In terms of winning championships it's either got to be the Vauxhall Astra Coupe or the Mini; for my money it's the Mini.

John Whitmore and John Love took the car to the Championship in 1960 and 1961, and Richard Longman won back to back in 1978 & 1979, some 18 years after the first time it won the championship.

The Mini also had victories at Bathurst, several Monte Carlo Rally wins, as well as the BTCC and therefore I think is probably one of the "greatest cars ever raced", let alone in the BTCC.

mattie007

For me its the MG ZS. I have been watching BTCC since 1996, but really got into it when MG returned and even bought a ZS.

MG ZS, 2002 MG SnR Hotwheels Livery, Anthony Reid

RaceOnBtcc2010

Originally Posted by Eurotech
I know this has probably been done already but I'm just wondering what everyone thinks is the best car the raced in the BTCC is.

I want to know The Car, Best Livery, Best Driver etc.

I'd say the Astra Coupe, VXRacing 2004, James Thompson

What about you....?

John Cleland Is A Legend
undoubtedly the Best BTCC Driver Of The 80's And 90's
BTCC Champion 1989 Vauxhall Astra
BTCC Champion 1995 Vauxhall Cavalier

Eurotech

no ones mentioned the Honda Integra yet....

Rollo

Originally Posted by Eurotech
The problem with the Sierra Cosworth's is that they never had anything to race against...

At least not in Britain. The BTCC switched to a 2L formula in 1990, and as such the BTCC never saw the greatest exploitation of the Group A rules under which it was built. That accolade goes to the:
Nissan Skyline GTR R32.

The only way to beat the GTR that was tried was to change the rules. As far as I know, no manufacturer took on the GTR at its own game and won... which is a nice segue to:

Originally Posted by Eurotech
no ones mentioned the Honda Integra yet....

The Honda Integra DC5 was Team Dynamics' attempt to out Astra the Astra, and by taking a car which was never officially sold by the manufacturer in the UK they actually did take on the Astra at its own game and won.

CarlMetro

Personal favorite of mine is the Ford Mondeo, with an honorable mention to the old Civic Type R circa 2003 when Matt Neal could drive a whole race without ramming someone off the track, sounds unbelievable but it's true

Mr Jan Yeo

The Audi A4 or Alfa Romeo were probably the best. Stretched the rules and walked most races until rule changes had to be implemented.

I used to quite like the Esso livery on the 406 as well but that yellow and blue Laguna is iconic for me as I was at just the right age.

Driver wise then Cleland is undoubtedly the legend of the BTCC in my era but I always preferred Will Hoy. Menu, Smoking Jo, Biela and even Plato deserve mentions as well (Plato partly for the way that he dominated the Renault Spyder support series)

Abo

So much choice!

Team Dynamics Nissan Primera would be up there on my list just for the impact Neal had on me back then (independent taking on the manufacturers etc. etc.). And the Volvo estate was fun.

For 'best' though I think it'd be a tossup between the 155 and the Cossie. I reckon I'd come down on the side of the Cossie though

Allyc85

Best car is so hard as theres so many variations, rules and situations etc.

But im going to go for the Integra as it was a privately built effort that is still competitive years after its début.

Eurotech

Lets make this a bit easier, how about the Best car from 4 of the different stages of the BTCC:

>Pre 1990
>Super Touring
>BTC-T
>S2000

BDunnell

I think comparisons between eras along these lines are, sadly, impossible. How is an Audi A4 better or worse than a Lotus Cortina?

Mark in Oshawa

AS someone who watched from afar, I loved the Volvo wagon....and James Thompson's Honda...not sure on the year.....

wedge

Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
AS someone who watched from afar, I loved the Volvo wagon....and James Thompson's Honda...not sure on the year.....

Volvo 850 was iconic. Not thee best in its era but surprisingly one of the best cars.