From the perfectly reasonable idea of "it'll be cheaper if everyone has a simple 2L class Group A car" to cars that spiralled out of control with incredibly elaborate development and outrageous costs, it's remarkable how it all happened! Thanks for showing us around these cars. They were such iconic cars, it was remarkable how angry and on the limit they sounded, and how much they moved around with the sound of wheelspin, tyres skipping across the surface and all that good stuff! ...In Australia they had the idea of "it'll be cheaper if everyone has a simple 5L Group A Commodore" (or a Falcon which was essentially the same - pushrod engine, 6-speed box, live rear axle with locked diff), which like in the BTCC worked OK to start with before costs started to get out of hand (although not as quickly) -- although costs never got as out of hand as they did in Super Touring. I think the two-make format was to its detriment compared to the BTCC's format.
- I'm just thinking, MacPherson strut front ends were not mandatory, were they? So the Honda Accord (and Alfa Romeo 156 in the ESTC) should've had an advantage with their double wishbone front ends -- but I guess the rates were so stiff and travel so little that it didn't make much difference? - I was looking at the Mazda 323 2.0 V6 lapping and noticed how little frontal area the glasshouse had compared to the some of the other cars. It seems like quite a slippery car plus having the potential for more power from the V6. I reckon that if the Mazda had more development in period, it could have been quite the weapon! - I think Japan's JTCC started off with the 2L regulations in '93 or '94 but after a couple of years "bastardised" the regulations somewhat to allow the Toyota Chaser to compete, even though it was far too big to meet the rules in Britain? From late '95 (IIRC) the Accords and Chasers in Japan had much taller rear wings than those allowed in the BTCC.
I believe the suspension had to mimic the production car so yes the honda having double wishbone could potentially gain advantage with unequal length arms etc. However as with all things in motorsport what you gain in one area is often sacrificed in another. Shame the Mazda never met its full potential, i believe it could have been a race winner if developed in period, great sound too 😁
Thanks a lot for this video. I used to see the BTCC Championship in 1997. Greeteings from Mexico.
From the perfectly reasonable idea of "it'll be cheaper if everyone has a simple 2L class Group A car" to cars that spiralled out of control with incredibly elaborate development and outrageous costs, it's remarkable how it all happened! Thanks for showing us around these cars.
They were such iconic cars, it was remarkable how angry and on the limit they sounded, and how much they moved around with the sound of wheelspin, tyres skipping across the surface and all that good stuff!
...In Australia they had the idea of "it'll be cheaper if everyone has a simple 5L Group A Commodore" (or a Falcon which was essentially the same - pushrod engine, 6-speed box, live rear axle with locked diff), which like in the BTCC worked OK to start with before costs started to get out of hand (although not as quickly) -- although costs never got as out of hand as they did in Super Touring. I think the two-make format was to its detriment compared to the BTCC's format.
This beast was at Croft a few weeks ago beautiful car
❤Btcc✌🏻🇪🇦🔝chanel
- I'm just thinking, MacPherson strut front ends were not mandatory, were they? So the Honda Accord (and Alfa Romeo 156 in the ESTC) should've had an advantage with their double wishbone front ends -- but I guess the rates were so stiff and travel so little that it didn't make much difference?
- I was looking at the Mazda 323 2.0 V6 lapping and noticed how little frontal area the glasshouse had compared to the some of the other cars. It seems like quite a slippery car plus having the potential for more power from the V6. I reckon that if the Mazda had more development in period, it could have been quite the weapon!
- I think Japan's JTCC started off with the 2L regulations in '93 or '94 but after a couple of years "bastardised" the regulations somewhat to allow the Toyota Chaser to compete, even though it was far too big to meet the rules in Britain? From late '95 (IIRC) the Accords and Chasers in Japan had much taller rear wings than those allowed in the BTCC.
I believe the suspension had to mimic the production car so yes the honda having double wishbone could potentially gain advantage with unequal length arms etc. However as with all things in motorsport what you gain in one area is often sacrificed in another. Shame the Mazda never met its full potential, i believe it could have been a race winner if developed in period, great sound too 😁