Prodrive Mini WRC

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Originally Posted by AndyRAC

Oh dear, I'm another one.......I really want it to be a success. For all concerned - Prodrive, drivers, etc BMW won't hang around if it's a failure.
The WRC needs as many competitive teams as possible if it is to be a successful sport.

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I wonder why we all feel this way without anything in the way of evidence that the car is crap? Is it, perhaps, because it's such an unlikely car with which to go rallying? Would we not be batting an eyelid if Prodrive had teamed up with, say, VW to rally a Golf, or with Vauxhall to run the Astra?

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

I wonder why we all feel this way without anything in the way of evidence that the car is crap? Is it, perhaps, because it's such an unlikely car with which to go rallying? Would we not be batting an eyelid if Prodrive had teamed up with, say, VW to rally a Golf, or with Vauxhall to run the Astra?

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I agree, it's strange that we feel this way with little 'hard evidence'. If it had been a normal Mini, or even a BMW 1 series maybe it would be different. It is a strange choice for a WRCar. Isn't there a saying, "If it looks good, it usually is good"?
Saying that, Prodrive's last few years with the Subaru was hardly fantastic. But as I said before, I hope we're all wrong.

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Originally Posted by BDunnell

I wonder why we all feel this way without anything in the way of evidence that the car is crap? Is it, perhaps, because it's such an unlikely car with which to go rallying? Would we not be batting an eyelid if Prodrive had teamed up with, say, VW to rally a Golf, or with Vauxhall to run the Astra?

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Indeed, I probably wouldn't be batting an eyelid either if the had chosen the standard non estate bodyshell. Could Prodrive have spotted a packaging or weight distribution advantage? I wonder whether this was Prodrive or BMW's choice and for reasons other than marketing. Other unorthodox cars like Peugeots 'whale' etc and their lack of success probably also colours our views.

Wouldn't it be fantastic if they blew everyone away on their 1st event.. (Sardinia?) Not gonna be holding my breath though. ;)

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Originally Posted by Zico

Indeed, I probably wouldn't be batting an eyelid either if the had chosen the standard non estate bodyshell. Could Prodrive have spotted a packaging or weight distribution advantage? I wonder whether this was Prodrive or BMW's choice and for reasons other than marketing.

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The BTCC Volvo 850 Estate springs to mind, I must say...

I quite like the shape of the new MINI it atleast looks aggressive and mean the only thing i hope they change is the livery but im sure they will have some new sponsors by the time of their début rally.

I wonder if Prodrive ever had Novikov on their driver list. Would Northern Europeans have more use for a 4x4 Mini than Iberians ?

There is too much negativity around this project already, plus Marcus refusing to drive this season, even if the problem was not the car, didn't help. In the end I think we know what this car is going to be, an average car able to post some top 5 times if extremely well driven.

I have a feeling this car will be like the majority of Subaru WRC's that Prodrive built - good in some areas, devastating in others but drastically bad in a lot too.
Ie. The early they were all good in the mud and cold/slipery conditions, 2000's Subaru WRC's were good at high altitude, but they could never seem to get the top end horsepower or tarmac performance that rival teams could.

I have hope that Prodrive being a very professional outfit arnt going to let the Mini project be another Suzuki/Hyundai/Seat venture.

It also bugs me about the Mini WRC's obvious faults that we fans can see. But, at the same time, I can only hope that there are countless hours of hard work being put in to counter act these obvious downfalls. I certainly bloody hope it was a VW's and not Prodrive's decision to run the Mini and not another car as the basis for their WRC.

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Originally Posted by grugsticles

I have a feeling this car will be like the majority of Subaru WRC's that Prodrive built - good in some areas, devastating in others but drastically bad in a lot too.
Ie. The early they were all good in the mud and cold/slipery conditions, 2000's Subaru WRC's were good at high altitude, but they could never seem to get the top end horsepower or tarmac performance that rival teams could.

I have hope that Prodrive being a very professional outfit arnt going to let the Mini project be another Suzuki/Hyundai/Seat venture.

It also bugs me about the Mini WRC's obvious faults that we fans can see. But, at the same time, I can only hope that there are countless hours of hard work being put in to counter act these obvious downfalls. I certainly bloody hope it was a VW's and not Prodrive's decision to run the Mini and not another car as the basis for their WRC.

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BMW, not VW ;)

I wonder if BMW would send a couple of Schnitzer engineers over to give the Mini project a bit of an audit ?