cars in 2011

[cut the b.s.]

Maybe it shouldn’t be that expensive to throw away 50kg and to use a 36mm restrictor in actual N4 cars, but main problem about N4 it’s the number of manufacturers involved, specially after the close down of Ralliart, that probably will make Gr.N to look like an Impreza trophy (will there be a Evo 11 suitable for rally use?).

The number of manufacturers involved in S2000 has opened a large door to top national teams in order to get importers and dealers sponsoring, but that door will be fastly closed by the prohibitive costs of 1.6WRC cars, mainly because the direct involvement of factory teams in the new category will make FIA’s efforts to control costs completely helpeless.

The lack of N4 manufacturers and the huge costs of 1.6WRC should make FIA rethink S2000 new homologations ending, letting this well born category to fill the R4 vacant space, essentially directed to regional and national series - living 1.6WRC cars where they belong: the world championship.

if Regs allowed N4 to be more competitive I'm sure we would see more evolutions of the Lancer

[OldF]

Regarding the technical regulations for the 1.6T engine, the only I’ve found is a short story in the Finnish motorsport magazine VM where they’re speculates which manufacturers will enter the WRC for sure, which maybe and which wont (VW is said to be interested to act as an engine manufacturer).

The regulations for the engine demands by far use of same and identical moving parts of the engine. For example the camshafts will be homologated for different motorsport categories. The boost will be controlled with three sensors of which two of them will be for FIA. This system has been successfully tested in WTCC with the Seat TDI engine that had a boost limit of 2,7 bar.

In another issue of the same magazine there was a story of the S2000 Fiesta (Janne Tuohino).
Few points from the story.

It can be said that the aerodynamics, weight distribution and suspension geometry is better compared to the Focus WRC.

The suspension is little bit simpler compared to the Focus WRC because FIA don’t allow for example roller bearings. All the four dampers must be the same.

[navtheace]

Taken from R classes topic:

"The GpN 4WD Turbo rally car category is currently undergoing the process of being renamed as R4 for 2011"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_N

"With the new S2000 rally car category currently under review due to lack of manufacturer interest, R4 which is effectively the new name for GpA (GpN 4WD fitted with a GpA/WRC spec. engine) is being evaluated for rallying in the WRC for 2011."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_A

[Blazquez]

Manufacturers plan for four cars in 2011

Citroen its DS3 WRC



Fiesta RS WRC

[HaCo]

Why would it be hard to build a lot of 1.6T cars? If there are only minor changes on the Fiesta S2000, only the motor (and maybe transmission?) should be changed.

Wonder if we will see these new monsters in the Monte and what about MINI, will they ignore the Monte?

Also about Mini, I have understood they want to focus on selling cars, have they discovered IRC market?

[vkangas]

Direct translation from Timo Jouhki's column:

"Next year will be competed with 1.6 litre turbo cars that have so called high pressure fuel injection and hydraulic gearbox. This means that car prices are not going to be as low as was presumed. Car prices will be closer to current WRC's than S2000 cars."

[N.O.T]

nice looking cars if those are their final liveries.

Direct translation from Timo Jouhki's column:

"Next year will be competed with 1.6 litre turbo cars that have so called high pressure fuel injection and hydraulic gearbox. This means that car prices are not going to be as low as was presumed. Car prices will be closer to current WRC's than S2000 cars."

I believe that. It is logical that prices will be as high as possible. Info coming from Jouhki should be taken seriously as he has direct access to information sources.

[HaCo]

What is the use of the new rules then?

The new rules help a bit, I think. It needs to go further in my opinion.

I think more parts should be standardized or banned, like I said in one of my previous posts.

I am a firm advocate of "spectacle first" I have to admit.