Subaru Australia to Dump rallying...

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:10 am

A significant chapter in Australian motor sport history has been brought to a close with the announcement that Subaru’s factory rally team, Subaru Rally Team Australia (SRTA), will withdraw from the sport at the end of this year.

Read all about it here - http://www.subaru.com.au/news/?newsid=12369

They probably have a point..... I'd still like to see a single Subaru backed privateer in the ARC, together with their tarmac program (what real tarmac program is there in Australia? GTP gets stuff all tv air-time...)

I also believe that Toyota is pulling out of the Bates team corolla backing too - wonder where that will leave rallying in Australia?

bluesteel · Post by **bluesteel** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:15 am

8O

They cant do that 8O

Esky · Post by **Esky** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:17 pm

This is pretty disappointing, but not really surprising - the team has never been the same without Possum

If you ask me, they should've hired Simon Evans when they had the chance (not that I think Cody would've ever allowed it.)

-Simon

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 8:28 pm

If you'd ever met Nick Senior you'd know what a rally nut he is - I've seen him with his family at the rally on several occasions, and always seems to be enthusiastic to discuss Subaru's WRC and ARC exploits. Seems a strange decision, but then again he has to tow the party line.

On the other hand, I can understand Subaru Australia's viewpoint. I only hope the TV coverage of the ARC continues as the privateers take over and the manifacturers pull out.

Meanwhile, three cheers for Chris Atkinson in WRC, what a champion! Hip Hip . . .

BaronVonChickenPants · Post by **BaronVonChickenPants** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:51 pm

Esky wrote:the team has never been the same without Possum

Amy and I both agree about this, he really was a pivotal member of the rallying scene, not just for subaru but for all rally sport.

I will be dissapointing to see the disappearance of subaru's backing for the rally and up and coming future rally drivers.

Hopefully we will se more coverage of the tarmac races they're talking about contrating on, but they're just not the same as the rallys.

Jordan.

fredsub · Post by **fredsub** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:40 pm

I think I said it before, by the new Subaru models, their focus is off rallying,
off-road (soft?), and fair enough, most of their customers are only interested in driving on tarmac

Even the new Forester models are all about more performance, rather than some improved capability in the (soft)off-road department.

still its unfortunate, since with the fuel prices, the large 4wds have taken a dive, and the range of smaller softer option 4wds is not so impressive, so I guess that means L series will keep going till it falls to bits.......

ToyRX · Post by **ToyRX** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:09 am

Awwww crap, this is a real shame

Buy after a decade of wins what else do they have to prove?
I give it 5-7years before they achieve what they want to on the hard stuff before they come back to the gravel.

wagonist · Post by **wagonist** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:15 am

Toyota aren't pulling out.
They certainly won't after the biggest thing that's stopped them from winning is leaving & they're getting they're act together.

Hopefully someone at Ford wakes up to themselves & builds a proper new rally Focus (ie turbo 4wd) instead of being stuck in the 70s with their NA RWD Focus POS.

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:20 am

I thought the Ford one was a FWD for now?

wagonist · Post by **wagonist** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 11:23 am

No, its RWD. Apparently, the Ford motorsport person involved had something to do with the Escorts from the 70s & wanted to recapture those days.

midnight · Post by **midnight** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 1:32 pm

Ford already have a team setup for rally aus.
They were supposed to be at the rally qld but something wasnt right and they never appeared.
I think they are starting next season.
Ed ordinski got booted out as well.

What will happen to crocker?

Ford have a focus RS team setup already I think.
I could go check the latest cams newsletter but I cant be bothered finding it.

Oh yeah, Im a CAMS official :P

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:57 pm

wagonist wrote:No, its RWD. Apparently, the Ford motorsport person involved had something to do with the Escorts from the 70s & wanted to recapture those days.

What on earth are you talking about? The Focus rally cars are 4wd, or am I missing somethin local here???

On the Rally of NSW footage from Bathurst last week the reporters alluded to this being Toyota's last year too...

Esky · Post by **Esky** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 6:55 pm

What on earth are you talking about? The Focus rally cars are 4wd, or am I missing somethin local here???

Ford Australia are developing a Focus for the Australian Championship, and it's RWD.

Personally, I think it's an awesome idea - RWD is brilliant to watch.

wagonist · Post by **wagonist** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:17 pm

Toyota alludes to that every year. I don't think its an issue (I know someone very high up in their PR department)

What's wrong with RWD?
It might be great to watch to a point, but in real life they're slow point to point & there's nothing else in the same class (except for some S14 Silvia from SA which is a definite waste of a rally car).
Plus its NA. They're allowed to run a 2.3L NA engine instead of a 2.0L turbo. Big deal. It'll still be down on power & torque.

So what's the point of entering a factory car if you're not going to compete against the other factory cars?

Esky · Post by **Esky** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:01 pm

wagonist wrote: So what's the point of entering a factory car if you're not going to compete against the other factory cars?

Probably because it'll be great to watch - usually the old 2WD cars get a lot of crowd support because they sound better, and (depending on the driver) go more sideways.

Just head down to your local drift nationals to see why RWD is so popular.

And at this point, rallying in Australia really needs more crowd involvement to keep sponsors interested, so I reckon a high-revving, RWD car from an "Aussie" manufacturer would be a great step.

wagonist · Post by **wagonist** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:21 pm

The Aussie car class wasn't well patronised this year though....
Mainly coz the 4wd Magnas romped everything in last year I reckon

Esky · Post by **Esky** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 3:18 pm

wagonist wrote:The Aussie car class wasn't well patronised this year though....
Mainly coz the 4wd Magnas romped everything in last year I reckon

That's because aussie V8's are hopeless on dirt... my hat goes off to everybody that's ever competed in the category, because it's really difficult to drive those things.

Poor guys could hardly beat Proton Satrias once it got really slippery

Having said that, they always got a good cheer from the crowd...

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 3:20 pm

Esky wrote:And at this point, rallying in Australia really needs more crowd involvement to keep sponsors interested, so I reckon a high-revving, RWD car from an "Aussie" manufacturer would be a great step.

I don't agree, it is dumb campainging a car that isn' going to be at the front, ch 10 has been widely criticised for not showing any other cars than the P6 class (thats the 4wd turbo's isn't it?) and when the aussie car class was alive and kicking they would show it. I doubt very much whether a rwd focus would get any airtime unless they had mutual sponsors with either the rally or ch10.

If Ford wanted to get its name onto the rally scene in Australia they would be far better off putting a BA (or whatever B for Boring letter they are up to now) V8 or xr6 turbo out in the forest. That will atract all the bogans who have the "I own the base model of that car so I am a race-car driver like him" money to spend at sponsors, would be good to see a commondore out there too.

RWD got dumped 20 years ago in rallying because it was a dumb idea, it would be even dumber to reintroduce it in 2005 as a purpose built rally car. It is the same work to make a focus into a RWD than a 4WD

Where did you get this info? ARN or something? Would be an interesting read to try and see where they are coming from...

Dumb dumb dumb!

Esky · Post by **Esky** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 4:11 pm

MechaWagon wrote: I don't agree, it is dumb campainging a car that isn' going to be at the front, ch 10 has been widely criticised for not showing any other cars than the P6 class (thats the 4wd turbo's isn't it?) and when the aussie car class was alive and kicking they would show it. I doubt very much whether a rwd focus would get any airtime unless they had mutual sponsors with either the rally or ch10.

Ch 10 only shows the N4 class cars, as that's the current premier category, and the manufacturers help pay for the coverage. The Focus is already getting plenty of coverage in the local rally media, and I'll guarantee that you'll see plenty of the car on TV when it debuts next year.

MechaWagon wrote: If Ford wanted to get its name onto the rally scene in Australia they would be far better off putting a BA (or whatever B for Boring letter they are up to now) V8 or xr6 turbo out in the forest.

As I said above, these cars are horrid in rally conditions - they're too heavy to be spectacular - most drivers have to idle them around the corners. The Focus is a much better option.

MechaWagon wrote: RWD got dumped 20 years ago in rallying because it was a dumb idea, it would be even dumber to reintroduce it in 2005 as a purpose built rally car. It is the same work to make a focus into a RWD than a 4WD

Turbo restrictors, active suspension and active diffs are a dumb idea... if you gave me a choice between watching Ari Vatanen in a BDA Escort, or Loeb in a Citroen Xsara, I'd take Vatanen any day of the week.

And, yes, I am yearning for the glory days when drivers battled their cars in long, lurid, opposite-lock slides.

Check out http://www.rally.com.au for some articles on the new Focus.

wagonist · Post by **wagonist** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:53 pm

Yeah, but the news articles don't tell you the behind the scenes info.
To turn the Focus into a 4wd wouldn't be too difficult I believe.
The Escort Cosworths were a north-south engined care while the rest of the Mark V Escorts were east-west.
I think the Focus WRC car is east west (but don't quote me on this, Ford were servicing under cover at Rally Oz) & would've switched when they changed form the Escort to the Focus.

The Cosworth 4wd box has an external front "tailshaft" to the front diff like the Nissan GTR. I'm not sure which side of the box its on. If its on the right side, it could be causing dramas with Ford Oz making the trans tunnel to both clear it & the clutch pedal.
That's an unconfirmed rumour though.

Yes, Channel Ten only show the N4 class as only group N is allowed in the national championship.

I'd take Vatanen in the Subaru over Loeb in the Xsara first of all, but the old NA BDA has an exhaust note like you couldn't believe.
I'm in Perth for the first tiem cos I wanted to see the WRC cars up close, & even the Skoda (when thrown around by a top driver like Colin McRae) is still pretty exciting to watch.

Anyone know when next years WRC calendar is going to be released? I'm planning a trip to Europe & I'd love to see the WRC cars over there.