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I don't think they will actually compete in the WRC, maybe participate in some of the tarmac rallies. They will focus on ERC and IRC, where they might have a chance vs. S2000 (and in IRC to win the 2WD cup).
Too bad that there are no other R-GT manufacturers. I hope that at least Lotus produces more Exiges, so we will at least have a competition among different Lotus drivers.
Image problem with the R-GT class is clear as to what the world rally car category rules allow.
As in the man on the street will see the following:
Fiesta / DS3 / Mini / Polo etc is faster than a Lotus / Aston Martin / Cayman etc
Why would Porsche, Aston, Lotus etc want to get involved in a form of motor sport that shows that?
Plenty of people who have the money for expensive sports cars and will just casually watch/read about rallying in the media when they see it.Quote:
Originally Posted by tommeke_B
It's the image problem that manufacturers do not want. Especially the likes of Aston and Porsche, two highly respected car brands to be beaten by a Fiesta.
If you were one of the main people of Aston or Porsche and were in a board room meeting discussing what motor sport to spend the millions on with the other top people, share holders etc. How would you sell them the idea of going rallying if someone asked if the Fiesta and DS3 will be faster?
Aston-Martin & Porsche are quite used to being beaten by Audi, Peugeot & Toyota, however, they aren't in the same class; LMP1 V GT-Pro/Am So would it really be any different? WRC Fiesta v R-GT Lotus...
Navtheace, does it really matter to a company if their cars are racing in the gentlemen's league and may be slower than World Rally Cars.
By your logic Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari and Chevrolet with their Corvette should be embarrassed of doing endurance racing, when Audi has dominated the sport for the last decade. It doesn't matter that there are shopping carts faster than your high end sports car, when you are the fastest in your own category.
EDIT: AndyRAC beat me to it.
Yeah, that is the reason there is no R8 in Le Mans GT class, there is no point actually for the brand when the LMP1 one wipes out everything else.
Back to the point - that's why there are the different classes. I don't see anything embarrassing for a sports car brand to be in rally GT class while the fastest cars out there are in quite different category - World Rally Car, which usually are everyday city cars.
That IS a problem, I see your point. But somebody maybe just a little more cynical than me might point out that's always been the point---and why people that make "sports" cars sell them to millionaires and only bring them out when there's nothing but other millionaires playing with their millionaire cars and some suitably safe and easy venue-----like some simple circuit.Quote:
Originally Posted by navtheace
It was always a bit amusing to see the confusion , then anger and disgust when one would show Porsche 911 fans that their beloved cars were routinely annihilated by boxy little MkII Escorts when those cars were driven of normal roads.
They simply could not concieve of the concept that anything was better than their 911.
Any news on Lotus? Why don't we hear anything anymore from then? Has the project ended? Lack of budget? Or will they drive (ERC?) in 2013?
According to post of Pluto few days a go the project was canceled.
What a pity... So the GT class is 1 big fail...