BTCC - Affecting Buying Habits?

[Mp3 Astra]

I've been thinking lately, about how the BTCC affects peoples' buying/wishing habits with cars.

It may be a shallow thing to think, but a lot of the time, I'm more attracted to buying the cars that are doing well at the front of the field, because I can see them having a sort of "racing breed" within them.

Like, back in the days in 1998 where Peugeot weren't doing very well at all, I was dissuaded from wanting to buy a Peugeot (even though I was only 7, it had an effect). When I think of Peugeot I do indeed think of their BTCC failures, but that's not such a great factor any more.

SEAT is another example, seeing them do so well in the BTCC and also seeing the SEAT fan club turn up at the meetings does influence me to want to buy a sporty SEAT.

It's exactly what the manufacturers want people to think, and that's the only reason they enter, so it must work to a greater extent.

So my question is, are you affected by what you see on the BTCC (or motorsport in general) , and do you think it's a shallow way to think?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I would choose a BMW over a Merc because of their touring car pedigree. I don't think that I would go for a SEAT though, they seem a bit 'ginger beer' :erm:

[Mp3 Astra]

I don't think that I would go for a SEAT though, they seem a bit 'ginger beer' :erm:

Get out of my forum... :mad:

[Allyc85]

lol im a ford man so the BTCC dosnt affect my car buying, just my wallet!!

[KILOHMUNNS]

It would never affect me as they don't race people carriers!!!!!!

Also race pedigree doesn't relate to road pedigree, eg would I buy a Vauxhall/SEAT (doing well) or do I buy a Beemer/Alfa (not so well). No real choice really as it really depends on your wallet size.

[WelshLegend]

Get out of my forum... :mad:


chill out mate he was only giving his opinion. thats what the entire forum is about

[Les]

have to say I do fancy a clio or a Leon.... but the purse is not big enough

[mattie007]

It definatly influenced my buying decision!
When MG first entered in 01 I started to follow them and have done ever since, regardless of who was running the cars!
Got my ZS a year ago and I love driving it to each round!
It used to be great when WSR/MG SnR ran the cars as the MG fan club was great, something SEAT seem to of taken over now.

[thompp]

I must admit the BTCC has made me look at card ads in a slightly different light. I reckon it might influence me on my car choice.

[Iain]

I would choose a BMW over a Merc because of their touring car pedigree. I don't think that I would go for a SEAT though, they seem a bit 'ginger beer' :erm:

Please, do elaborate on how you came to that conclusion..........

It and the support races has influenced my thoughts and my purchases. I bought a Vauxhall because I was a Vauxhall fan pre-2000 and when it came to buying my first SEAT, it was a toss-up between that and an MG ZS. Garage I went to had no suitable ZS on sale, and I got the SEAT instead, in the grey colour that the Cupra Championship cars were based on at the time.

[AlexD]

When I think of Peugeot I think of the huge rally sucess rather than the average BTCC performance. Same with Ford.
However, I probably wouldn't care much for the MG ZS if it wasn't for the BTCC. Also whenever I look at an Alfa 155 (sadly quite a rare occasion now) it reminds me of Tarquini driving on two wheels!

[speedy king]

It's having a slight effect on me....I'm undecided on whether to get an Astra Sporthatch or Civic Type S (new type) i liked the Sporthatch tourer but i think i'll end up going for the Honda with build quality.... so a slight effect..

Still undecided whether i'm completely happy with the new Civic, i'm hoping that like every other one it will grow on me over the three year finance :s

[Mp3 Astra]

chill out mate he was only giving his opinion. thats what the entire forum is about

Sorry I was only joking :D

[Steelrat]

I suppose you could say it's the the opposite for me. Got the new Honda Civic and was pleased when it was entered for this years BTCC.

Problem is, I don't like Team Halford .....

Now, if Mike Jordan switches to one for next year, I'll be a happier bunny than the one who's head we saw in the field at Brands last year ....

P

[SEATFreak]

Even though I myself cannot drive, seeing certain makes and models in the BTCC do not make me go out and buy them. It I could drive the car I would go for every time is the Mazda MX-5 or the RX-8.

It is the same for all the ad's for lager or even the one for Lynx where it is marketed as a product women seem to be drawn to.

I am not in the slightest influenced by what I see. I remain a firm and proud tee-totaler and I know that Lynx will NOT make me irrestisable to any female of the species on this planet - human or otherwise. And I know buying a Leon because my beloved team races one won't make me Jason Plato or Darren Turner.

I for one am wondering what it says about one who buys a car purely because they saw it in the BTCC.

[VXRDartford]

Firstly SEATFreak do you just post on this forum to stir things up. You obviously have nothing better to do.


Lets get back to the point. I have to say that I bought my Vauxhall Astra in the colour I have it (green) because of the green on the egg sport astra looked good on the car. Of the current BTCC I think all the cars look good in racing spec and the manufacturers who offer their cars that look very close to the btcc spec would prob sell more as they can virtually see their car racing.

The manufacturers must be undecided on the issue as there are only 2 in the btcc and 3 in the wtcc.

For the record if I had the choice of a car from the btcc I would go for the lexus as they look very smart on the road.

[KILOHMUNNS]

[quote="VXRDartford"]Firstly SEATFreak do you just post on this forum to stir things up. You obviously have nothing better to do.
quote]

I think that was a bit uncalled for!! I thought it was quite a valid point.

[Marshall]

I encouraged my parents to buy a Volvo V40 after seeing the S40's success in the '98 BTCC and Bathurst races...we've still got the thing.

The Alfa 155 and Audi A4 are also cars which I had toys of or saw being successful in racing when I was little. I then followed Audi into sportscar racing and still support them to this day. As for Alfa, I'm looking to get one, and support them too in the various championships the 156 runs in.

[Robinho]

yes and no, i guess the racing may bring cars to my attention hat i previously hadn't considered, but ultimately i look for what the road car is like to drive, generaly with the aid of Evo magazine and other reviews, experiences, plus a test drive. as a result i've currently got an '06 MG ZS 180, mostly because its a good drive, good looking and quick as well as cheap (after MG went bye bye), perhaps slightly due to it being a good racing car, but if it hadn't been i might well have one anyway.

i also wouldn't rule out a car or manufacturer purely on the basis of on-track exploits.

i think the biggest factor for me has to be the quality of the cars ability on the road, as long as i can afford it!

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Please, do elaborate on how you came to that conclusion..........

It and the support races has influenced my thoughts and my purchases. I bought a Vauxhall because I was a Vauxhall fan pre-2000 and when it came to buying my first SEAT, it was a toss-up between that and an MG ZS. Garage I went to had no suitable ZS on sale, and I got the SEAT instead, in the grey colour that the Cupra Championship cars were based on at the time.

You see a lot of bright yellow ones for a start. The old Leon looks superb and I would love to have a grey or black Cupra. But the new one looks like it drinks vodka and coke, and if you were giving it a name it would be called Julian or Lance. :erm:

[SEATFreak]

Firstly SEATFreak do you just post on this forum to stir things up. You obviously have nothing better to do.

Firstly..... :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

Secondly, you say you bought a green Vauxhall Astra because Egg:Sport ran green Astras. So, in terms of percentage how much of your decision to have an Astra and one in green was to do with Egg:Sport? 30%? 60%? 90%?

And would you say buying a car becuase it runs in a motorsport series is more or less important to buying a car than reading reviews from experts and listening to people who have or have had one - both of whom who have driven the version you will be driving - the roadgoing version - as a pose to a heavily modified version?


I think that was a bit uncalled for!! I thought it was quite a valid point.

Thanks for that rare bit of support but I'm used to it. It is best to just laugh at people like him.

[CarlMetro]

I brought another Astra at the beginning of April, it replaced an Astra which in turn had replaced an Astra, however the only factor in the purchase was the sizeable discount I got off of it because the wife's sister works for GM.

If I could have had a Civic Type-R for the same price as I paid for the Astra then I would have a Honda on my drive, but not because of what they do on the track but because it's a damn fine road car.

[thetrooper_uk]

Even though I myself cannot drive, seeing certain makes and models in the BTCC do not make me go out and buy them. It I could drive the car I would go for every time is the Mazda MX-5 or the RX-8.

It is the same for all the ad's for lager or even the one for Lynx where it is marketed as a product women seem to be drawn to.

I am not in the slightest influenced by what I see. I remain a firm and proud tee-totaler and I know that Lynx will NOT make me irrestisable to any female of the species on this planet - human or otherwise. And I know buying a Leon because my beloved team races one won't make me Jason Plato or Darren Turner.

I for one am wondering what it says about one who buys a car purely because they saw it in the BTCC.

Well for a start how can you compare cars when you can't even drive. Why don't you get on a forum where people catch trains or buses. Your opinion counts for not a lot. It seems that you like to have a say on nearly every thread that's posted. Once you pass your test and actually drive different cars, then you can comment on how good they are. I think most people on here are fed up with your so called opinions. :s nore:

[CarlMetro]

Well for a start how can you compare cars when you can't even drive. Why don't you get on a forum where people catch trains or buses. Your opinion counts for not a lot. It seems that you like to have a say on nearly every thread that's posted. Once you pass your test and actually drive different cars, then you can comment on how good they are. I think most people on here are fed up with your so called opinions. :s nore:

So because someone doesn't drive, they can't have an opinion on cars? Do be so stupid :rolleyes:

I can't fly a plane yet, but that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion on them, nor can I play an instrument or sing but I have very definate opinions on music.

If you actually read the thread, instead of jumping on someone you clearly don't like at the first oportunity, then you might have worked out that it was about the manufacturer influence of cars in the BTCC on the choice of those who watch the sport. Which, funnily enough, is the reason why manufacturers actually enter motorsport in the first place.

[thompp]

Well for a start how can you compare cars when you can't even drive. Why don't you get on a forum where people catch trains or buses. Your opinion counts for not a lot. It seems that you like to have a say on nearly every thread that's posted. Once you pass your test and actually drive different cars, then you can comment on how good they are. I think most people on here are fed up with your so called opinions. :s nore:

A little harsh, I fear.

You could try the BTCC - Bus and Train Catching Championship

[Iain]

You see a lot of bright yellow ones for a start. The old Leon looks superb and I would love to have a grey or black Cupra. But the new one looks like it drinks vodka and coke, and if you were giving it a name it would be called Julian or Lance. :erm:

Since when has yellow been a gay colour? :confused: I suggest you pop over to SeatCupra.net and tell all the yellow car owners that they have a camp car. ;)

Trooper and VXRDartford, very unfair responses to SEATFreak. Comments like that aren't needed here, when we've got an interesting topic on the go.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Since when has yellow been a gay colour? :confused: I suggest you pop over to SeatCupra.net and tell all the yellow car owners that they have a camp car. ;)

.

If I drove a yellow car down deepdale I'd get my fecking head kicked in!!

In order of 'ungayness' the primary colours go

1) Blue
2) Red
3) Yellow

That's proof! OK :D

[CarlMetro]

You see a lot of bright yellow ones for a start.

An old friend of mine has just ordered a 911GT3 in yellow, PM me your address so you can tell him face to face that you think his new car is gay. You might need to stand on a box though as he's 6'5" and a former prop forward for the same club I played for :\

[Brown, Jon Brow]

An old friend of mine has just ordered a 911GT3 in yellow, PM me your address so you can tell him face to face that you think his new car is gay. You might need to stand on a box though as he's 6'5" and a former prop forward for the same club I played for :\

A yellow Porsche??

Cue the small penis jokes :p : :laugh:






:uhoh:

[kmchow]

yes and no, i guess the racing may bring cars to my attention hat i previously hadn't considered, but ultimately i look for what the road car is like to drive, generaly with the aid of Evo magazine and other reviews, experiences, plus a test drive. i also wouldn't rule out a car or manufacturer purely on the basis of on-track exploits.

i think the biggest factor for me has to be the quality of the cars ability on the road, as long as i can afford it!
My thoughts exactly. But I do find I pay more attention to the successful ones! :D

[SEATFreak]

I must be dreaming!! :eek: Nobody has stuck up for me this many times on one thread!! Thanks one and all who have. :up: It seems unfair comment of the type are said when I deserve it and when I haven't one is made anyway. It is nice to know I am not toally alone.

VXRDarford thinks I have nothing better to do. I do have better things to do. Like ignore rants like that wich I will by laughing at them. But I will say this. If I got involved in only the issues I know about you would never hear from me again.

Can I ask what most would choose, a bottle green Renault Laguna with gold hubcaps (a throwback to the Williams Renault team - the one with the Nescafe sponsorship on) which has failed over 70% of it's MOT tests, or a Honda NSX which has a perfect service history?

I agree totally with Robinho. You notice more cars like the 320si and the Leon when on the road because of their racing counterparts (I do) but ultimately for a good car you need to look at the write up more than what a heavily race modified version of it does on the track.

[VXRDartford]

I got the astra cause it was a toss up between the astra and a focus and I prefer vauxhalls it was already in the green as it was second hand but i had always liked the colour because i had seen it on the egg sport astra and it looked good.

I would always look at a review before buying it cause thats the sensible thing to do but seeing them racing might make you concider a car that you mght not have thought about before hand. I would have never even thought about a seat until I saw them racing but now I would (especially as they have had good reviews)

PS. Sorry SEATFreak if eariler remarks offended was having a bad day.

[BDunnell]

I doubt whether the manufacturers involved really notice the effect in quantifiable terms. Mazda said they did when they first entered the Xedos in 1993, but it clearly wasn't enough in the longer run — and a fat lot of good being in the BTCC did MG! However, the relationship between motorsport involvement and sales is a very hard one about which to come to any conclusions. Individual purchases by enthusiasts are rather different.

[SEATFreak]

I got the astra cause it was a toss up between the astra and a focus and I prefer vauxhalls it was already in the green as it was second hand but i had always liked the colour because i had seen it on the egg sport astra and it looked good.

I would always look at a review before buying it cause thats the sensible thing to do but seeing them racing might make you concider a car that you mght not have thought about before hand. I would have never even thought about a seat until I saw them racing but now I would (especially as they have had good reviews)

PS. Sorry SEATFreak if eariler remarks offended was having a bad day.

I am really struggling to accept your appology. I swore never to accept appologies again. It is a sign of weakness and your willing to let people walk over you. But at the end of the day I am to big a person to not accept appologies. So I accept your appology. :)

But to respond to your point, I know we are basically going round in cicles, but I echo what I have said already and that is it does makes your realise cars you would not have looked at twice - because of the success RBM, Schnitzer WSR and Jackson Motorsport have had every beemer that passes I wonder now "is that a 320si?" - but that is all a factories entry model should do because more than bumping up sales of that model I think a factories entry model really is all about just drawing attention to it.

But I think MG's entry BDunnel was more about building up it's X-Power division than selling the ZS.

[BDunnell]

But I think MG's entry BDunnel was more about building up it's X-Power division than selling the ZS.

And why would they seek to build up that division if not, in the end, to sell cars? For fun? For something to do?

[SEATFreak]

I thought X-Power was about motorsport. Must be mistaken. Then again it is perhaps easy to be fooled into thinking it is about predominantly motorsport when they had three involvements. In Rallying with the ZR, in Le Mans with the Lola and of course the BTCC with the ZS.

In fact wasn't the SV the only purely sales driven area of X-Power? Or have I been fooled again by the clever people who worked on the project?

[Iain]

But to respond to your point, I know we are basically going round in cicles, but I echo what I have said already and that is it does makes your realise cars you would not have looked at twice - because of the success RBM, Schnitzer WSR and Jackson Motorsport have had every beemer that passes I wonder now "is that a 320si?" - but that is all a factories entry model should do because more than bumping up sales of that model I think a factories entry model really is all about just drawing attention to it.

The 320si is a very rare car in the UK. Only 400 of the 2500 made have come/will come to these shores.


I thought X-Power was about motorsport. Must be mistaken. Then again it is perhaps easy to be fooled into thinking it is about predominantly motorsport when they had three involvements. In Rallying with the ZR, in Le Mans with the Lola and of course the BTCC with the ZS.

In fact wasn't the SV the only purely sales driven area of X-Power? Or have I been fooled again by the clever people who worked on the project?

X-Power (known as MG Sport&Racing) was all about promoting MG's sports department as far as I know. Selling aftermarket performance parts for road, race and rally cars and then MG decided to brand the SV as an X-Power car.

[kmchow]

I doubt whether the manufacturers involved really notice the effect in quantifiable terms. Mazda said they did when they first entered the Xedos in 1993, but it clearly wasn't enough in the longer run — and a fat lot of good being in the BTCC did MG! However, the relationship between motorsport involvement and sales is a very hard one about which to come to any conclusions. Individual purchases by enthusiasts are rather different.
It's difficult to be 100% scientific in quantifying how a motorsports (preferably touring car!!! :D ) affects your sales or perhaps your marques image. OTOH, I think (very scientific!! :rolleyes :) Volvo definitely got their money's worth from their 850 touring car program. It's definitely made me more proud when I drive my '89 Volvo 740 wagon around!

[kmchow]

I've personally written to BMW and Volvo Cdn car divisions congratulating and encouraging them to expand their touring car involvements. Has anyone else have done that? If not, you should consider that.

I had planned on writing to MB Canada to encourage them to run promos based on the DTM involvement. Heck, we even have a Canadian driver in the series. Marketing wise, it can't get much better than that!

[Radders]

Quite an interesting subject this as I wonder how it pays off spending £3m on racing and converting to sales - how do they measure ROI etc?
Still, affected my decision any how :)

[Robinho]

i actuallysaw a 320si on the road today, you wouldn't spot it other than the badge though, other than that i'd say its pretty much identical to a normal 320, maybe a bit of a bodykit.

as for MG, who nows, maybe X-power and their motorsport prjects actually prolonged MG Rover, i think it was very successful in promoting the brand to a new demographic, as before Rover was pretty much the sole preserve of OAP's, unfortunately it was too litlle too late to save Rover, who had many more problems that needed sorting to stay afloat

[mattie007]

I thought X-Power was about motorsport. Must be mistaken. Then again it is perhaps easy to be fooled into thinking it is about predominantly motorsport when they had three involvements. In Rallying with the ZR, in Le Mans with the Lola and of course the BTCC with the ZS.

In fact wasn't the SV the only purely sales driven area of X-Power? Or have I been fooled again by the clever people who worked on the project?

Your dead right SF. The motorsport programs were about building up the MG and Xpower brands using rallying, touring cars and endurance racing.
The SV was a great car, just overpriced and the money really should of been spent on new models. Its the same way that the Vauxhall BTCC team were rebranded VXR and have launced a range of VXR cars bsed on there BTCC successes. Ive got a few Xpower bits on my car, but I dont think the brand was shouted about like it should of been.

As for relating sales to the racing itself, one way to judge is by the SEAT/VXR/MG groups that turn up to support the teams. Also there has been some special editions, such as the 888 Coupe and Leon BTCC. So you could use the sales of these models to judge how much the BTCC influences someone to buy from there brand. Id say that it helped sales of the ZS and Astra most as I see these most at race meets.

And one final point. I bought my ZS based on the BTCC AND reviews. It was a good racer that looked good and won races. And it got some very positive reviews -mainly on handling and engine performance, not so positive with the interior, but its a small sacrifice for the smile it puts on my face! - so I test drove one and bought it!

[thetrooper_uk]

So because someone doesn't drive, they can't have an opinion on cars? Do be so stupid :rolleyes:

I can't fly a plane yet, but that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion on them, nor can I play an instrument or sing but I have very definate opinions on music.

If you actually read the thread, instead of jumping on someone you clearly don't like at the first oportunity, then you might have worked out that it was about the manufacturer influence of cars in the BTCC on the choice of those who watch the sport. Which, funnily enough, is the reason why manufacturers actually enter motorsport in the first place.

You can have an opinion but you can't compare how cars are if you've never driven one.It's like saying a car has bad torque steer but never experinced it for yourself, what are comparing it to. If you want to compare cars then make sure you know what your talking about first. If you want to force your opinions on others then at least have some proper knowledge to back it up.

[Scuderia ferrari]

I'll be honest here- yes a bit. Even though i'm 13, I like SEATs even more than when they were not in BTCC.

But i also support the manafacture that my dad has- BMW

[Eunos]

If i was able to drive back in the Mid Ninities, More than likely my car would have been a Renault Laguna as that was my favourite car in the BTCC.

Correct me if im wrong but were Volkswagen considering Enetering a Pair of Bora's into the BTCC around 1998 time?. That's the Car i currently drive and i just remember seeing that in Autosport one time.

As far as Current Models in the BTCC go, I wouldnt mind a Honda Civic or even an Integra for that Matter. Are Integra's Imported or could pick one up at a local Honda Garage?

If the BTCC does Encourage people to buy Motor's than i think it's save to say why Proton Impians are so rare, In my Time of Driving i think i've only ever seen 1 on the Road. Ive seen more Ferrari F40's (3 Times)

I finish Paying of for my car in Sept 08 so i might just see who's dominating the Btcc round then ;)

[kmchow]

Correct me if im wrong but were Volkswagen considering Enetering a Pair of Bora's into the BTCC around 1998 time?. That's the Car i currently drive and i just remember seeing that in Autosport one time.
This could probably get it's own thread, but I recall, a Bora was built to ST spec--originally for the STW with select BTCC appearances. It was VW Sport that built them?

However, it never officially raced in a ST series. It raced at select outings--an appearances at the 24hrs of Nurburgring?--with a diesel engine. I believe downgraded versions were also sold to other touring car series. One downgraded version was sold to NA and race for about 2 yrs in the World Challenge.

[kmchow]

You can have an opinion but you can't compare how cars are if you've never driven one.It's like saying a car has bad torque steer but never experinced it for yourself, what are comparing it to. If you want to compare cars then make sure you know what your talking about first. If you want to force your opinions on others then at least have some proper knowledge to back it up.
I guess one just have to clarify their "opinions" are actually based on those of another magazine/TV show/writer.

[kmchow]

Depending if I had any money to spare, I wouldnt' mind buying one or more of these ST and S2000 cars and turning them into lookalikes! :D

[kmchow]

Quite an interesting subject this as I wonder how it pays off spending £3m on racing and converting to sales - how do they measure ROI etc?
Still, affected my decision any how :)
I guess the only way to measure that is to ask new owners of the make whether or not their decision was influenced (if any or significantly?) by the version racing on the track. If they say yes, you could take the car price as being the "investment return"

I admit Volvo's involvement has made me more tempted to by their car 850/S40/S60. But then I do wanna turn them into a lookalike! :rolleyes:

[Iain]

kmchow, try the Multiple Quote feature next to the Quote button. ;)

[touringlegend]

I'm in love with the Leon mostly due to JP!, more specifically the Leon Cupra. Drove one round Knockhill and it is an absolute hoot !

[m0rk]

SEAT is another example, seeing them do so well in the BTCC and also seeing the SEAT fan club turn up at the meetings does influence me to want to buy a sporty SEAT.

that'd be me then......

I think it does influence buying decisions, or at least brand awareness

Take 2003 when the Cupra Championship was launched... clever bit of marketing, TV slots and mag coverage - and my god our numbers shot through the roof.

Then a year later they're in the BTCC, with two personable drivers - another PR sucess, our numbers and new owners keep growing.

After each event we 'turn up' at - we'll have no end of newbies who'd seen us there - who'd been looking at SEAT's - and subsequently signed up, and bought one.

Now with the halo effect of the Mk2 Leon Cupra, we're seeing another surge in membership as people see on TV "their car" winning

Now I'm not blinkered enough to state that a 240bhp turbo shopping cart is the same as an S2000 tourer... but the old addage goes "win on sunday, sell on monday" - except you don't need to win.. just be seen.

I've not seen too many new civic's out though, maybe a tangerine fear is putting people off.

[Steelrat]

As far as Current Models in the BTCC go, I wouldnt mind a Honda Civic or even an Integra for that Matter. Are Integra's Imported or could pick one up at a local Honda Garage?

Imports but you can pick up good used ones reasonably(?) cheaply (about 12k)

P

[Steelrat]

I've not seen too many new civic's out though, maybe a tangerine fear is putting people off.

But more by the day. Got one in March 2006 and, yes, it was unusual in that the amount of people that were staring at it. Now, on a journey up the A2 to London usually see 7 or 8. Even the new Type R is getting more common ....

P

[AlexD]

I've now decided that if i get a Leon FR it's most certainly going to be in Emmett o'Brien green.

[wedge]

that'd be me then......

I think it does influence buying decisions, or at least brand awareness

Take 2003 when the Cupra Championship was launched... clever bit of marketing, TV slots and mag coverage - and my god our numbers shot through the roof.

Then a year later they're in the BTCC, with two personable drivers - another PR sucess, our numbers and new owners keep growing.

After each event we 'turn up' at - we'll have no end of newbies who'd seen us there - who'd been looking at SEAT's - and subsequently signed up, and bought one.

Now with the halo effect of the Mk2 Leon Cupra, we're seeing another surge in membership as people see on TV "their car" winning

Now I'm not blinkered enough to state that a 240bhp turbo shopping cart is the same as an S2000 tourer... but the old addage goes "win on sunday, sell on monday" - except you don't need to win.. just be seen.

I've not seen too many new civic's out though, maybe a tangerine fear is putting people off.

Don't forget that VW messed up the Golf GTI mkIV. Seat showed how it should be done. It snow-balled from there really. Credit to Seat for building its sporty/motorsports credentials.

[daz90]

I was a huge BTCC fan during the Super touring car years, and my favourite driver was John Cleland, thus my favourite car back then was a Cavalier, i was determined to buy a Cavalier when i eventually got my licence. I never did buy a Cavalier though, i came close once, but ended up keeping my Sierra that i had at the time (1999 ish), i did buy a Ford Mondeo after the Sierra though, however the fact that it had raced in the BTCC didn't really enter my mind at the time, i just wanted another Ford and the Mondeo was ideal, i hated Escorts.

So no i dont think the BTCC would influence my buying choice at all. If anything it would be a coincidence if it did. Besides neither Audi or Saab compete in the BTCC, and i want one of those next.

[BDunnell]

So because someone doesn't drive, they can't have an opinion on cars? Do be so stupid :rolleyes:

I can't fly a plane yet, but that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion on them, nor can I play an instrument or sing but I have very definate opinions on music.

By the way, I meant to say 'Well said' to that.

[ZBOYD]

Don't forget that VW messed up the Golf GTI mkIV. Seat showed how it should be done. It snow-balled from there really. Credit to Seat for building its sporty/motorsports credentials.

Not to forget SEAT have a fairly good heritage in rallying before they moved onto the circuits.

We at SEATCupra.net were active as a group of SEAT vehicle fans long before they made the move into touring cars. But as m0rk said, the halo effect of SEAT's involvement in the BTCC does filter down to the public who see their purchase or potential purchase winning races. That effect has rubbed off on our site too, and seen our member list grow hugely over the last few years.

Our intention when we turn up to BTCC events, is mainly to give the team our support and indeed promote some extra SEAT brand awareness.

But I do think it looks impressive to see the car clubs of all brands lined up at the BTCC meets. Would be encouraging for more circuits to put a bit of space aside for more car clubs. Makes a great display and is all extra publicity for the teams and race series.

At the end of the day were all paying punters, we don't get into the circuit for free, so if were promoting the race series and bringing more people into the sport to spectate. Its all good.