Rally2 (ex-R5) News

[Mirek]

MSD and MG is a project I don't know anything about. Weren't they involved in the Hyundai Accident WRC? (intentional )

Yes, it's the same team.

Somehow I still believe that it gets the name across... If proton was available for Purchase in sweden and they had still been competitive (and did an actual hot hatch) I could consider buying it even though it would not be mega competitive.

I did actually consider buying a 208 GTI because LOOK AT THAT 208 R5, daaaaaaamn! (*drool*) Economy and sense made sure I bought another, newer 206 GTI instead. Citroën DS3 was also considered but their engines are too weak (and the racing look silly).

If I had taken anything from the ERC and the WRC 2 with me in those considerations, I would have come to the conclusion that 208s run 5 km and then break down, badly. I didn't however because many more factors than pure performance played in.

As a kid I had not heard about neither Skoda not Hyundai but thanks to their WRC participation I subsequently knew about them. I didn't care much for the Accident but I did drool a bit over the Skoda vRS models (after counting my weekly allowance and realising that I'd die before I'd buy a 206 GTI with that aloowance).

Now I am adult and my allowance is bigger so I bought two 206 GTI instead (because ultimately it was better looking and Grönholm is cooler than Roman Kresta!).

I think participating does matter. If I was a kid this summer and saw a Mirage blast past my parents front lawn, I'd be interested! I'd read that rally program that we got in the mailbox a million times over and the car would stick in my memory (because it isn't horribly hideous).

Really nice text, thank You for that. I'm sometimes probably too serious to enjoy some dreams and well-meant wishes. It's most likely because I work in car industry and know how it goes there (I don't work in Škoda, actually nearly all my projects were for Ford). I think I won't change and stay skeptical. It has one advantage, You are rarely disappointed

Also Skoda is where they are because the VW wrc team has shared their knowledge with Skoda, I'm sure!

Actually it was the opposite way at the beginning of WV WRC adventure. For example the Polo WRC suspension is a near copy-paste of Fabia S2000 modified for Sachs dampers and with suspension travel enlarged to the extreme. Fabia R5 again goes against the trend and has completely different suspension geometry than other cars. Sachs dampers on Fabia R5 are more a case of VAG internal politics as Škoda wanted to stay with Reiger (if I have good information). I guess that there was some cooperation regarding the engine though.

[itix]

Yes, it's the same team.



Really nice text, thank You for that. I'm sometimes probably too serious to enjoy some dreams and well-meant wishes. It's most likely because I work in car industry and know how it goes there (I don't work in Škoda, actually nearly all my projects were for Ford). I think I won't change and stay skeptical. It has one advantage, You are rarely disappointed



Actually it was the opposite way at the beginning of WV WRC adventure. For example the Polo WRC suspension is a near copy-paste of Fabia S2000 modified for Sachs dampers and with suspension travel enlarged to the extreme. Fabia R5 again goes against the trend and has completely different suspension geometry than other cars. Sachs dampers on Fabia R5 are more a case of VAG internal politics as Škoda wanted to stay with Reiger (if I have good information). I guess that there was some cooperation regarding the engine though.

Now I need to read about the MG... There can't be stuff I don't know about rallying (the shaaaaame)

That text above is in my opinion why rallying is better marketing proposition than Formula racing. I can't imagine a kid seeing a Mercedes and then reading a car magazine and think wow, I bet that is just as fast as the formula car. They don't even look the same (sorry in advance to any formula racing fans... I have fallen out of love with F1 again so I'm bitter. Third time now and I don't imagine I'll fall back in love anytime soon).

Thanks for the info on VW and Skoda. I learnt something new also today

[Andre Oliveira]

Mirage R5 this weekend, 2nd overall (and Mats Jonsson still winning with Escort WRC) : http://ewrc-results.com/final.php?e=...Askersund-2015

[Rallyper]

Jonsson, it is.

[Andre Oliveira]

Ups

[Rally Power]

Nice result for Johansson and his little Mirage! He managed to beat Friberg's DS3 R5 and his ss times showed a hell of a progression during the rally: http://www.resultatservice.com/rally...t/1result.html

What about the other Mirage (#31, Martin Berglund), did he started?

[Rallyper]

Nice result for Johansson and his little Mirage! He managed to beat Friberg's DS3 R5 and his ss times showed a hell of a progression during the rally: http://www.resultatservice.com/rally...t/1result.html

What about the other Mirage (#31, Martin Berglund), did he started?

According to list of retired cars (brutna) Berglund retired before SS1 for technical reason.

[Rally Power]

Thanks!

[Rally Power]

do You think that the epic fails of MSD with MG or Opel helped the brands somehow? In my opposite it was exactly opposite (...) R5 is very very difficult class to build a competitive machine and You can see that even Peugeot Sport/Citroën Racing failed miserably. You can only dream about some private car being competitive there.

You're being harsh regarding MSD's S2000 efforts.

The MG project was supported by Nanjing, at the time MG brand owner, but Nanjing was then acquired by SAIC (a chinese automotive giant, that previously had buy Rover assets (apart the brand name) and manage to move the industrial tools from Birmingham to China, producing locally the 75 under the name of...Roewe!), and SAIC stopped funding MSD. The few ZR R5 built units were never properly developed and ended in private hands across the UK. https://youtu.be/VdeNpzLEZDM

Then MSD turned to Opel, resurrecting a strong ancient link (back to the Gr.A Astras), but due to GM financial collapse after the US subprime crisis, Opel sport activities were pulverized. Again, lack of development never allow to fulfill the car potential, showed in some IRC and national championships (Germany/Ireland) outings. https://youtu.be/-nKql5B6rsU

I still believe that private tuners can sort a competitive R5 cars, these aren't so technically demanding like you pretend, but obviously manufacturers teams will always get an advantage.

PS: Pug and Citro R5 cars problems seems to be linked with a limitation design of the standard engine block. Regarding the makes bright record in high-tec WRC, we can think they're struggling with R5 regs restrictions!

[Mirek]

I don't think that R5 are so technically demanding but it needs (absolutely needs) and incredible amount of testing to sort everything out. The limitation to some stock part, weight limits for suspension parts etc. make them very very hard to tune to something both fast and somewhat reliable. It's very expensive to run such testing program but it's a must. Also don't forget there is a 3-years old homologation cycle and once You homologate something wrong You are fucked (as the engine block of PSA cars).

You are right that the problem with MSD S2000 projects was that those were underfunded. But that is exactly my point. You can't expect from private projects to have funding like factory ones and that's why there is a high risk they will end similar like those MSD projects.