I believe manufacturers are not necessarily looking for a cheaper bill but what they want is a value for what they have invested in, and that means you don't necessarily have to throw away all the new technology. Motorsports serves as a place for manufacuters to showcase their technology, too, and cutting too much technology will make the series less attrative even if it's cheaper. So I don't necessarily agree on "simplifying" the format.

Yes, the new technology costs you lots of money but if the investment actually worth something, the manufacturers will be interested. A good example is the introduction of diesel to Le Mans series. Formula One is now trying KERS. WRC needs something to present manufacturers some challenge, so the manufacturers can showcase how good they are.