Quote Originally Posted by Doon View Post
Entering the WRC to increase car sales is like flogging a dead horse. Manufacturers would be better off giving away cars and a few quid to B-list celebrities and asking them to post a few pictures on their Twitter/Instagram accounts. Apart from sales of the old 2.0L 4x4 turbocharged cars (Impreza, EVO, Cossie, etc) I've never seen any evidence that supports the notion that competing in the WRC sells cars, winning titles or not. Ok, a few lads might turn up to a national or WRC event in a fast Ford; however, a Hyundai or Toyota?? Even during the Loeb days a spammed up Xsara/C4/C3 was a rare sighting. Someone high up in these companies must have a massive interest in the sport, because rallying really is like throwing money down a drain.
So you think that rallying should only increase the sales of sporty cars? I thought it's more about making the models and brands positive in our minds, whether it's just a basic car or a homologation special. When I see a new Fiesta or C3 on the street I think about rallying, and that puts me in a nice place, and this must be what they want us to feel.