Australian S2000

[Livewireshock]

The website for the Ford team is http://pirtekrally.com.au

It is not yet fully functional & live yet though. Still needs some work, for example getting the name of the team right on the page. Currently spelled Pirtex instead of Pirtek for some reason!?!

[Livewireshock]

Australian Motorsport News reported that the Fiesta S2000 cars have been quietened. Newly designed mufflers have been put in place for last weekends Quit Forest Rally in WA.

A measurement of 156db was given for the cars in Queensland, where communication with in the car was hampered by the extreme noise. An interesting figure for all the officials out there.

Was an interesting experience to hear it raw & live as I did though. Good to see that the new change obviously has not robbed the cars of too much power judging by their times.

[Erki]

156db? Wish I was there, listening to that one! Any videos of the car/and of ARC generally?

[ian959]

Australian Motorsport News reported that the Fiesta S2000 cars have been quietened. Newly designed mufflers have been put in place for last weekends Quit Forest Rally in WA.

A measurement of 156db was given for the cars in Queensland, where communication with in the car was hampered by the extreme noise. An interesting figure for all the officials out there.

Was an interesting experience to hear it raw & live as I did though. Good to see that the new change obviously has not robbed the cars of too much power judging by their times.

Love to know where the 156db figure came from - the figure quoted to me was 136db. Anyway, still effing loud... Story I was told was the guy taking the readings in the bush could not hear for ten minutes after the cars passed the measuring point. Would hate to think what it actually sounded like in the car.

They sounded good at Nannup - now all they have to work on is the sway bars for ROC. Interesting site watching the Fiestas do the Busselton Super Special Stage! They really ought to make a road version - awesome looking little beast (and I am no fan of the blue oval).

[HaCo]

ian,

Here you find some videos of Queensland:
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search

[Livewireshock]

156db? Wish I was there, listening to that one! Any videos of the car/and of ARC generally?

I do not have the means to convert VHS to my hard drive, but Mark Stacey, co-driver to Guesty could hardly make himself heard over the intercom. He lost his voice trying to shout out the pace note calls. It is plain to see on the coverage.

[Sulland]

Are the Auris' used in Australia and the one used in South Africa build from same spesifications and developed at one of the places, or are they two different and indipendent projects ?

Are anyone of them planning to have them FIA homologated ?

Are any of the teams planning to have an European arm, as Rene Georges Rally Sport is for the SA Polo, and like RED was for the Corolla ?

[TheDogBox]

Sulland, The Australian Auris (marketed in Aus as the Corolla) was developed by Neal Bates Motorsport in-house. They also developed a Group N(P) version the previous generation Corolla which they ran for 4+ years in the Australian Rally Championship up until the end of last year. I think it is still true to say they are running under the regional homologation rules that allows smaller operations to develop S2000 cars without having to meet full international homologation requirements. Have a look around these forums and you'll find plenty of info on the Sth African developed cars.

[TheDogBox]

The following just appeared on rally.com.au: In 2006, the Australian Rally Commission took the decision to embrace the FIA’s new Super 2000 category with the intention of providing the ability for manufacturers other than those producing Group N cars to be eligible. Both Toyota and Ford took that opportunity and developed cars to meet the new FIA rules. 2007 was the first year of competition with these cars, with cars being developed throughout that year. To enable them to compete in advance of their FIA homologation, the Australian Rally Commission has required technical inspections to check the cars are in compliance with the FIA’s technical and homologation regulations. They have been subject of a CAMS recognition which is based on the FIA’s homologation document. The cars must remain in compliance with this document. In November 2007, two senior FIA officials inspected the cars with a view to their homologation applications being presented to the FIA’s Homologation and Technical Working Group. Only minor areas of non compliance were observed and, in the main, were related to paperwork improvements in the homologation document itself. In relation to the Toyota, a minor rear suspension issue was identified and has since been resolved. An issue exists with the firewall design, which is similar to the already homologated (but earlier model) South African car which is subject of an FIA approval. ARCom has authorised this via the recognition document but otherwise no other issue has been identified in either CAMS or FIA inspections in relation to the FIA rules. The Toyota team has been advised of the requirement for this to be resolved and is in the process of doing so. An application to the FIA has been lodged by CAMS regarding the Ford Fiesta homologation and this car is expected to be approved for homologation shortly. The Corolla requires homologation of the base Group A car before an application can be lodged – the Fiesta had already been homologated via the UK Motor Sports Association. The Corolla will continue to compete in the ARC with a CAMS recognition until FIA homologation can be pursued. Initially these homologations will be for the Asia Pacific region and will allow the cars to compete in international competition such as the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship or the WRC events run in this region as well as the Australian Rally Championship. Technically the cars are still required to be compliant with the Super 2000 Rallye rules, but have a relaxation on the number of build ‘kits’ that need to be produced. In every aspect the S2000 cars that have added so much excitement here in the ARC are meeting the same technical regulations as those seen elsewhere in the world.

[HaCo]

There will be a VW Polo S2000 this year, awesome news! Hope this car can beat the Toyota's, they are winning too long now...