A documentary about the FIA Group B rally period and cars. Plenty of vintage racing footage. Subtitles in Spanish for some reason.
http://vimeo.com/27311200
Too Fast to Race
Re: Too Fast to Race
Watching this makes me wonder:
Why does GM fail to participate in any of this? These cars are great because compact or at least smaller cars are popular right now. These fit that. Car companies have forever tried o hook younger buyers and hope they graduate to more expensive cars when they "grow up" - This type of car fits that. Mitsubishi survives alone on this type of car (do they even have any other models besides the Lancer and it's badges... EVO etc.?) The WRX is another perfect example. Base all wheel drive model for snoozers and people on a budget, upgraded to the WRX for the speed kids, and the STI for the upgraders as they get better jobs. I know there are WRX haters, but it is pretty good at what it does, and nobody is talking about any other Subaru so this also shows my point.
I mean I get it, Chevrolet has the Corvette, so GM's plan is to have people buy the Cruze and Malibu until they are 65 and can afford a used Corvette? Why GM? Why no "Hot Hatch"? Not that I want the hatch version, I want the coupe or sedan version of the "Hot Hatch" for like 24K in the "WRX" version, and maybe 30K in the STI version.
Let me reiterate the point since it is a little all over the place:
GM, where is your cheap, fun, affordable, sporty, car?
GM used to get it: Cavalier Z-24 (I know you saw that coming...), Beretta, Nova, Alero, Cutlass Supreme - after G Body.
I just think that with smaller cars gaining sales, and this being a great opportunity for GM to sell a lot of the base models, and to get the younger people excited about cars again.
Why does GM fail to participate in any of this? These cars are great because compact or at least smaller cars are popular right now. These fit that. Car companies have forever tried o hook younger buyers and hope they graduate to more expensive cars when they "grow up" - This type of car fits that. Mitsubishi survives alone on this type of car (do they even have any other models besides the Lancer and it's badges... EVO etc.?) The WRX is another perfect example. Base all wheel drive model for snoozers and people on a budget, upgraded to the WRX for the speed kids, and the STI for the upgraders as they get better jobs. I know there are WRX haters, but it is pretty good at what it does, and nobody is talking about any other Subaru so this also shows my point.
I mean I get it, Chevrolet has the Corvette, so GM's plan is to have people buy the Cruze and Malibu until they are 65 and can afford a used Corvette? Why GM? Why no "Hot Hatch"? Not that I want the hatch version, I want the coupe or sedan version of the "Hot Hatch" for like 24K in the "WRX" version, and maybe 30K in the STI version.
Let me reiterate the point since it is a little all over the place:
GM, where is your cheap, fun, affordable, sporty, car?
GM used to get it: Cavalier Z-24 (I know you saw that coming...), Beretta, Nova, Alero, Cutlass Supreme - after G Body.
I just think that with smaller cars gaining sales, and this being a great opportunity for GM to sell a lot of the base models, and to get the younger people excited about cars again.
Re: Too Fast to Race
They should compete in every conceivable category. However, I personally don't care for that class of car so it doesn't really matter to me.
Re: Too Fast to Race
GM already competes in everything. Everything that Americans care about, that is. Unfortunately outside of WRX/EVO fanboys, there isn't a lot of interest in WRC (or Formula 1, but that's anther rant for another time) in the US. GM has their home market pretty well covered with NASCAR, Indy Car, NHRA, and other sports car racing (which is probably their most global effort with the Corvette and the CTS-V race cars).
Could they compete with other players with a Cruze WRC car? Maybe. Or they could use some Vauxhall or Opal chassis as a base. Globally, they do have some performance AWD experience with whatever that Opel was that should have been our Buick GS but wasn't. They know how to turbo charge sub-2.0L engines for efficiency and performance (Cruze, ATS). They know how to field a factory race team.
As far as US manufacturers being involved, Ford fields Fiestas in WRC's top class. WRC already comes to North America for the Mexico race. There have been rumors of them doing a US race for the past couple of years, but still nothing on the schedule for 2015. Amusingly, manufacturers long associated with WRC do not compete in the RC1 class any more (this is the current class where manufacturers field teams). The only factory competitors are Ford, Citroen, Volkswagon and Mini (although no teams competed with Minis in 2014). If you want to find a Subaru or Mitsubishi, you need to look at the less interesting RC2 series which is subject to more restrictions and is more production car than race car. They haven't been in the top class since 2008.
Some things GM would need to compete:
- A 1.6 L production engine. As this is the displacement limit, the Cruze 1.4 L might not cut it. RC1 cars are limited to 300 BHP (via a restrictor plate), so the 1.4 would be at a substantial torque disadvantage.
- A small hatchback chassis. Not sure if this is required for RC1, but all the other cars are using this body style.
- A small AWD system.
- There are homologation requirements for the competing cars so GM would need to make something for the street like the Fiesta ST.
Maybe if WRC comes to a US race and there is enough interest, GM would be more inclined to build something. Maybe their small cars already sell enough that they don't feel they need motorsports to help sell them (unlikely). Maybe they find their small card uninteresting and want to focus their efforts on other more interesting cars and other racing types. Maybe we need to buy more of their small cars and compete in Rally America classes with them to show them what's up.
Could they compete with other players with a Cruze WRC car? Maybe. Or they could use some Vauxhall or Opal chassis as a base. Globally, they do have some performance AWD experience with whatever that Opel was that should have been our Buick GS but wasn't. They know how to turbo charge sub-2.0L engines for efficiency and performance (Cruze, ATS). They know how to field a factory race team.
As far as US manufacturers being involved, Ford fields Fiestas in WRC's top class. WRC already comes to North America for the Mexico race. There have been rumors of them doing a US race for the past couple of years, but still nothing on the schedule for 2015. Amusingly, manufacturers long associated with WRC do not compete in the RC1 class any more (this is the current class where manufacturers field teams). The only factory competitors are Ford, Citroen, Volkswagon and Mini (although no teams competed with Minis in 2014). If you want to find a Subaru or Mitsubishi, you need to look at the less interesting RC2 series which is subject to more restrictions and is more production car than race car. They haven't been in the top class since 2008.
Some things GM would need to compete:
- A 1.6 L production engine. As this is the displacement limit, the Cruze 1.4 L might not cut it. RC1 cars are limited to 300 BHP (via a restrictor plate), so the 1.4 would be at a substantial torque disadvantage.
- A small hatchback chassis. Not sure if this is required for RC1, but all the other cars are using this body style.
- A small AWD system.
- There are homologation requirements for the competing cars so GM would need to make something for the street like the Fiesta ST.
Maybe if WRC comes to a US race and there is enough interest, GM would be more inclined to build something. Maybe their small cars already sell enough that they don't feel they need motorsports to help sell them (unlikely). Maybe they find their small card uninteresting and want to focus their efforts on other more interesting cars and other racing types. Maybe we need to buy more of their small cars and compete in Rally America classes with them to show them what's up.
Re: Too Fast to Race
I hate the restrictions on racing. Or I should say, many of the ways restrictions are implemented. It just annoys me because it significantly closes the potential equipment gap. Racing is part driver but part equipment. Like with NASCAR, if everyone basically uses the same engine, having the differentiating factor be the connecting rod bolt is incredibly uninteresting to me.
And not just equipment reliability. GM does interesting things, for example, with their SBC, but needs more displacement for a given power output than most DOHC designs. They are arbitrarily penalized for that, when the restriction should be on, say, engine size/weight/cost. Build the best engine (meaning power + reliability) that you can for a fixed materials bill. THAT is a proper restriction, imo.
And not just equipment reliability. GM does interesting things, for example, with their SBC, but needs more displacement for a given power output than most DOHC designs. They are arbitrarily penalized for that, when the restriction should be on, say, engine size/weight/cost. Build the best engine (meaning power + reliability) that you can for a fixed materials bill. THAT is a proper restriction, imo.
Re: Too Fast to Race
I agree with the market stuff in the US for today anyway.
The other side of my argument about GM is not making fun cheap cars for entry level enthusiasts. I mean really, what early twenty something is going to be pumped to drive a Cruze RS? I know it is a solid car, but it is also like 25K in that option and still, nobody is bragging about that car as an enthusiast. They have the Camaro, and unless you want to pay 35K you are getting a six cylinder. Not a bad car, but the point is for a GM product, that is your only option.
Maybe it is a "if they build it they will come" scenario. Maybe if American car companies got into rally, Americans would get into it. And if not, I don't really care, I would just like to see more options under 30K from GM that I wouldn't mind buying, because realistically I think that is most people's price range.
The other side of my argument about GM is not making fun cheap cars for entry level enthusiasts. I mean really, what early twenty something is going to be pumped to drive a Cruze RS? I know it is a solid car, but it is also like 25K in that option and still, nobody is bragging about that car as an enthusiast. They have the Camaro, and unless you want to pay 35K you are getting a six cylinder. Not a bad car, but the point is for a GM product, that is your only option.
Maybe it is a "if they build it they will come" scenario. Maybe if American car companies got into rally, Americans would get into it. And if not, I don't really care, I would just like to see more options under 30K from GM that I wouldn't mind buying, because realistically I think that is most people's price range.
Re: Too Fast to Race
http://www.edmunds.com/pontiac/solstice ... -test.html
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/200 ... -road-test
I had no idea they paired the LNF engine with an automatic.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/200 ... -road-test
I had no idea they paired the LNF engine with an automatic.
Re: Too Fast to Race
The only reason GM uses more displacement for similar power to OHC engines is just a matter of tuning. They could make their OHV engine rev to 7500 RPM too, but you would loose some drivability/low end torque.
In a racing scenario that doesn't matter. I don't think OHV vs OHC is any sort of disadvantage. Look at the success of the C5R/C6R/CTS-V(R?). Those cars won a lot with pushrod engines in displacement limited classes.
In a racing scenario that doesn't matter. I don't think OHV vs OHC is any sort of disadvantage. Look at the success of the C5R/C6R/CTS-V(R?). Those cars won a lot with pushrod engines in displacement limited classes.
Re: Too Fast to Race
Yeah but I think (could be wrong) they were granted exceptions, or with OHV they were allowed a little more displacement. I think there's a thing for that. The success of the SBC should make everyone take notice that internal displacement is a meaningless thing on which to base characteristics of an engine that matter. To be clear, HP/L doesn't matter, and is not useful. We already knew that of course. The LS7 has 505hp, revs to 7000 and fits in a Miata. If you didn't know it was a 427, you'd think it was something of smaller displacement for sure.