WRC future

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Shame none of the 4WD hot-hatches of today have any link wirh rallying.

The Golf R for example is about the dullest looking and driving performance car out there. And even the Focus RS looks anonymous to the general public.

[Vahula]

Can someone do a photoshop of a Rally Taycan

[NickRally]

In another thread Rally Power (and Cali) suggested writing about my thoughts on the rally future, which I, out of respect, will do, but following the discussion so far, I think pretty much every topic has been covered well.

• Spaceframe chassis – knowing how things have developed in other forms of motorsport, I won’t be surprised if FIA (as already suggested in this thread) introduce a single make spaceframe assembly supplied to each manufacturer for them to add their own mechanical components and bodywork. Will it be a chipper way for existing manufacturers to go rallying and facilitate new ones to enter in - most likely. Am I fun of this solution – no, but if it allows rallying to survive, I am not going to be against it. Other series have gone through a similar process (i.e. Nascar moving from stock chassis to spaceframe long time ago and DTM with single type survival cell), so it is difficult to argue.
• Propulsion system type – I am an older generation, so the internal combustion engine is engrained in my DNA, though as an engineer, I can’t fail to see the advantages of the electric motor as a propulsion system (obviously the energy source for these is not yet there). My fear is that neither (or combination there off) of these is a satisfactory solution one way or another, as pointed out in various posts here. The potential and hypothetical new generation of spectators that would be interested in electric power is not tremendously concerned with motorsport in general, while the older one like me, with the internal combustion engine in mind, do not represent a segment of the population that the manufacturers much care about. Some form of hybrid may temporarily satisfy the current manufacturers but, as pointed by others, even this is becoming quickly outdated in the automotive world. And we have to agree with Mirek, that rallying must be attractive from marketing point of view to the manufacturers in order to persuade them to splash the cash on rally cars.

All of the above means it will be very challenging for motorsport to survive in general. Interestingly somebody at work pointed out to the below (few months old now) link yesterday – even less reasons to be optimistic

https://www.thegwpf.com/net-zero-co2...ant-every-day/



Interestingly, I am of the opinion that the future of transportation will look like in the Minority Report film, with the automated city/motorway cars (in my opinion) being powered by rails embedded in the road with small batteries present to cover any stretches of unpowered roads, which leaves even less room for any marketing interest in rallying from whatever vehicle manufacturers are left out there.

On the positive side, historic motorsport will most likely thrive, at least for a while as the rich would be able to buy their way out of anything.

[NickRally]

By the way Toyota GR-4 sounds great, I am sure they didn’t mean Gazoo Racing by the “GR” acronym, but “Group” 4 – excellent reference to the heritage of rallying.

[racerx1979]

By the way Toyota GR-4 sounds great, I am sure they didn’t mean Gazoo Racing by the “GR” acronym, but “Group” 4 – excellent reference to the heritage of rallying.

GR just like the Toyota Supra GR stands for Gazoo Racing. GR (Gazoo Racing) is basically Toyota's "M" division like the BMW.

[NickRally]

GR just like the Toyota Supra GR stands for Gazoo Racing. GR (Gazoo Racing) is basically Toyota's "M" division like the BMW.

Hi racerx1979, it was a joke

[Andre Oliveira]

https://youtu.be/xv6ZF1LMhFY

[er88]

The absolute state of watching that stage-side.

[SubaruNorway]

https://youtu.be/xv6ZF1LMhFY

Unless they have found some tyre with insane grip in the rain a lot of that was speeded up...

[TypeR]

Unless they have found some tyre with insane grip in the rain a lot of that was speeded up...

Thought the same.. like Knight Rider back in the 80's