R-Classes News

[navtheace]

Sorry, here is the link: http://www.rallybrc.co.uk/docs/forms..._evolution.pdf

Also this news following that: BRC creates a stir

Following the announcement last week of proposed new technical regulations for the 2013 MSA British Rally Championship, the interest from manufacturers, their representatives and professional motorsport teams has been unprecedented.

Prodrive is the first company to publicly announce its intention to take advantage of the new rules. The Banbury firm’s Business Development Director Richard Taylor was reported in Motorsport News (29/08/2012), confirming that it is evaluating an R3 car based on the Mini Cooper.

The new regulations provide an opportunity for cars to be brought to the 2013 championship and run alongside currently homologated cars under a controlled passport system, which will serve as a reference in a similar way to FIA homologation papers.

[HaCo]

Very nice!

Verstuurd van mijn MT15i met Tapatalk

[Hazza555)]

Hazza555): Engine regulation under R4 are same as for N4. No different engine possible.

Thought so... So to my understanding, R4 is basically N4 but with modified suspension. Is there anything else... I notice that R4 impreza's have bonnet vents similar to that of the old 555's and WRC '97-'00.

[Mirek]

It's more things yes. I'm not absolutely sure so take the list easy. Besides new suspension it is lightened bonnet with vents, boot door and roof (?), plastic side windows, safety foam in door panels, new light dashboard (á la WRC) and maybe something else. Overall it shall be something like 40-100 kg down depending on a car type (most for Evo X).

[TyPat107]

Light weight heater assembly is another. And they are ridiculous expensive. €86 for a generic one from demon tweaks €300 with an sti badge... And they are similar enough

[janvanvurpa]

Have you seen the R4catalog John? They are upgraded arms with bearings not bushings and the have weld-in upper strut mounts to increase travel, kinda like what I think you did for DaveK. So they are better but I think it's only another 1-2" travel so not a lot better.

http://www.sti.jp/e/competitor/r4_pa...rtscatalog.pdf

Slightly off topic, but since John brought up the bore x stroke thing again...
Also after our conversation 2 weeks ago John I was doing some research that I want to try. Subaru made a 1.6l block with an 87mm bore and short stroke. The 79mm crank from a us 2.5l engine, factory length rods and custom pistons. Displacement will be just over 1.9l so it should rev a bit still with a 34mm restrictor, leaving terrible final drive options as the last hurdle...

It sure seems there something to that idea aboout right at 86mm being about the best all round bore for having enough room for 2 decent sized intake valves and do the quick burn,,,
Did they sell those EJ16s in Norte Americano market?
What about liners or sleeves and finally I'd sure as hell reace out the 87 onto the head and see if the valve aregoing to ram into the top of the block...

[vkangas]

Thought so... So to my understanding, R4 is basically N4 but with modified suspension. Is there anything else... I notice that R4 impreza's have bonnet vents similar to that of the old 555's and WRC '97-'00.

Tommi Mäkinen Racing's R4 kit (to TMR spec N4 Impreza)

LIST OF STANDARD R4 UPGRADE PARTS

SUSPENSION ITEMS (BOS R4) Rear Running gear (Turret) Top Mount Front Top Mount Rear Trailing link Pillow Ball Bush Front for Trailing link Pillow Ball Bush Rear for Trailing link Rear lateral link Assy Front Pillow Ball Bush for Rear Lateral Link Front Rear lateral link Assy Rear Pillow Ball Bush for Rear Lateral Link Rear Pillow Ball Bush for Rear Upper Arm Front Pillow Ball Bush for Rear Upper Arm Rear Stabi link Front Stabi link Rear Ball Joint for Front Lower Arm * Front Cross Member / Reinforcement kit * Front Cross Member MTG Kit * Pillow Ball Bush Front for Front Lower Arm * Pillow Ball Bush Rear for Front Lower Arm * Rear subframe * Rear subframe MTG Kit * SAFETY ITEMS Front Doors Impact-Form Rh/Lh Rear Doors Impact-Form Rh/Lh Head Protection Form Rh/Lh Front Door Carbon Trim Rh/Lh Rear Door Carbon Trim Rh/Lh WEIGHT SAVING ITEMS Front Door Windscreen Rh/Lh Rear Door Windscreen Rh/Lh Rear Gate Windscreen Heater and Demister OTHER ITEMS Front Heated windscreen (For Spec-C) * Grill Hood Rh/Lh * Available on complete kit

[navtheace]

Yes the R4 rules allow the car to be better.

However, the rules ensure that R4 is lot slower than WRC category. Why would Mitsubishi and Subaru be interested in R4 when the image to the public is a small town car (Fiesta and DS3) are faster than these hot 4wd turbo machines. Then from there, why would privateers buy R4 cars when they will be no where in a world champ or national rally.

People in rallying are wondering why Subaru and Mitsubishi are not committed to the world rally championship. Well, if you were one of the top people in any of these two Japanese companies, would you enter into the world rally championship in R4 and have a Fiesta and DS3 blow you away on the stages? How is that going to give the £20K plus 4wd turbo cars you have in the showroom a good image?

Rallying is no longer about what the road car can do, as a world rally car is not much to do with the road car anymore. All these R categories are just too expensive and will never be in the lime light whilst the World Rally Car class is still around.

FIA should cancel World Rally Car & S2000 and leave just R categories. Citroen and M Sport will soon adjust themselves into those categories after making threats that they will leave the sport.

[Franky]

I had this page open for a few hours because I couldn't decide wether to reply or not. I'm still not sure if it is the right thing to do, but here it goes.

Navtheace, you sound like a broken record or a human version of a bot. You seem to post, if not all the time lately, but at least most of the time the same kind of bitter comments regarding the World Rally Cars and the R categories. I understand that everyone has a right to their opinion but this is a bit silly. There have been plenty of counter arguments to your posts but it seems that you've decided to ignore them and come up with the same kind of negative posts.

Regarding your last post. There are manufacture teams only at the highest level. WRC is for the manufactures, all the R categories are more for the privateers and private teams. For example Honda, in Estonia the Honda Civic Type-R R3 has been quite popular among the fastest FWD drivers. And if that is not enough, then please explain me why there are so many group N Lancers and Imprezas in rallying.

Watching shopping carts drive on nice roads isn't interesting for the general audience.

[stefanvv]

Yeah, I've began to read the above post and gave up after the second line. I think I can explain this in the simplest possible way (as I understand it of course) - WRC cars are for just that - (W)orld (R)ally (C)hampionship - very expensive top machinery even based on cars from the lower class; S2000 are used mostly for IRC and ERC as top category cars; R-classes (I believe "R" comes from (R)egional) Rally cars, i.e. national championship as they are relatively cheap for a Rally cars. Of course every car can be used in every event, but that doesn't make much sense (WRC car to be used for local event with 15 entries) (at least for me) in conditions of global crisis. All these categories and classes exists to make Rally racing on every level affordable for every enthusiast. I don't see anything wrong with that.

I don't thing any manufacturer will be against to sell more of their cars, no matter in what conditions. After all, that is what all is about isn't it?