Eugene tests an S12 Impreza

[sal]

Pictures here.

http://www.roydempster.com/album.asp?AlbumID=705

[PuddleJumper]

Is this an option for replacing his Toyota Corolla or is it a definite replacement?

[m.lowe]

the deal is done (allegedly)

[VodkaKick3]

Yes i believe Mark is right, and APPARENTLY Gareth Jones has bought an Xsara WRC but im not sure wether to believe that.

[306 Cosworth]

I heard about Gareth Jones too Pat, but am not going to believe it until I see pics of him with it! If it's true hopefully i'll see him in Cork in it :D

[VodkaKick3]

I May go to Galway Luke i dunno yet, but if all these rumours do turn out to be true and apparently Donnellys is, the car should be delivered to him in January the ITC will be fantastic viewing.

[306 Cosworth]

Hopefully Donnelly will change the colour of the Scooby, instead of having it blue!

[Halfshaft]

Heard the colour of the car will be silver from a very reliable source.

[306 Cosworth]

I've read on rally.ie that the colour will be Silver, should look good then :D :up:

[Spud]

Well well well....looks like Eugene is serious eh??? Best of luck to him in his new ride if the deal materialises......

[hyundaimike]

gareth jones is after buying gareth mchales 05 focus. my cousin was talkin to mchale at rally GB and that came from the horses mouth

[WelshLegend]

so it is the end of the legendary corolla then

[MadCat]

Read in Motorsport News today that Donnellys new car will be on the Kumho Stand at the Autosport Show :D Cant wait to see it!

[quicksilver]

Pic of Donnelly's new car :up:
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/9111/donnelly555gg6.jpg

[Halfshaft]

so it is the end of the legendary corolla then

Another N. Irish driver has reportedly bought the Corolla K-AM-651. We will just have to wait and see who.

[quicksilver]

Another pic of the car
http://rally.ie/downloads/070110_231507/Donnelly_S12_Small.JPG

[WelshLegend]

What i don't understand is that the S12 was not competitive in 2006 at the hands of a works team, so why has Donnely bought this car? Wouldn't a Xsara WRC of done untill he could get his hands on a C4 WRC. My guess is that he wont win the Irist tarmac championship this year.

[pauldrew]

What i don't understand is that the S12 was not competitive in 2006 at the hands of a works team, so why has Donnely bought this car? Wouldn't a Xsara WRC of done untill he could get his hands on a C4 WRC. My guess is that he wont win the Irist tarmac championship this year.


It may have been uncompetitive at WRC level, but national rallying is totally different. Hyundais were never really that competitive when they were doing the WRC several years ago, yet they are still winning today at a national level in the UK.

When Eugene used an S11 on the donnegal harvest rally in october he was setting times through the stages a fair bit quicker than he previously has in his corolla (in pretty much the same weather conditions). After testing the S12 he's said that this is even quicker - prodrive arent going to make a new car slower than the previous model.

Plus he's a clever bloke and knows what he's doing, so i'm sure he'll have a really good run again this year.

[cut the b.s.]

He will certainly be quick enough, it was the reliablity of the Corolla that helped him to so much success, not sure he will get it from an S12 but the support Prodrive are meant giving this year, who put in his position could say no to it?

[Tomski]

After testing the S12 he's said that this is even quicker - prodrive arent going to make a new car slower than the previous model.

Ask Petter for his view on that..........................

[rwssport]

I am sure I read somewhere the Eugene wanted to do Rally Ireland with a passive car rather than an active one to get a "fair" comparison of his times with the WRC regulars..

Should still be a good car though even though is was pants in the WRC - should be the closest and best fought championship for years if everyone who is apparently doing the championship actually does.

[WelshLegend]

fair comments everybody else. What ever happened to the Fabia WRC he bought. Somebody told me that it was still for sale. That car for me would have been better instead of the Impreza WRC.

[m.lowe]

Its not Eugene's its Maurice Gass's car and he still has it

[rwssport]

As the season progresses it will be interesting to see Eugene and DMG up against each other in equal cars... Okay I know Del Boy won't be in Galway and will be coming back from injury but will still be interesting to watch.