I am afraid after following Subaru in the WRC since 1995 they have had their day. Makinnen retires on stage 8 due to a broken drive shaft. Complacency is a terrible thing and so is resting on the old laurels. Even the road cars ain't what they used to be (according to what I read on here). Subaru are having a shocking year in the WRC and it saddens me........Blutes

 

I'd hold off from writing the orbitury for the Scoob just yet. Recent WRC winners and all that....

Both Evo and Scoob are suffering because they are too big and not as nimble as the French cars.

I have read that both companies are producing smaller ralleye cars
and they should get the edge back. A 280 bhp Colt with 4wd would be fun methinks.

 

Blutes, away into your garage and think of something to build - an invention, device, whatever - Send it to me and give me a week with it and I'll find away to improve it. It's called progress and happens all the time.

When the Impreza hit the big time every competitor in the world would have one sitting in a lab stripped down to its component parts. If you want a new ground-breaking impreza you need to fire everyone that designed the first cars from the guys that penned it to the guys that enginered it and tested it. The new people you employ will have new ideas and angles. Not many companies could afford to fire an entire development team though

 

I've lost my flame suit, hell, I am on fire...HEEEEEELP

 

Burn baby, burn

 

LOL at Saxo Boy!!!!!

 

Know what you mean about competitors, Saxo Boy. I remember the Escort WRC in the '80s---the new Fiats were just rebadged Escorts! Cars and Car Conversions even had a cartoon about it.
LOL:
Alcazar

 

lolololol

That's you told Blutes

 

Subaru are gonna be back on track, they are the most successful rally team and so the one year or so of not winning can't be too bad. Sure they will think of something. The drivers that drive for the subaru team are pretty cr@p also.

The 206 rally car was the most expensive to build, correct me if i was wrong.

as for road cars, found no problem with mine!

 

Of course, this has prob been mentioned b4, but how do teams like F*rd and P**g**t get away year on year rallying a car that's just a prototype? No-one can buy either car for the road. I thought the idea was that they were modded ROAD cars?

 

300bhp Justy - that'll be a winner

 

At least Subaru and Mitsubishi have the decency to produce a roadgoing car that has 4WD and a turbo, ie. a car that at least has something in common with the WRC car. Who exactly is going to be happy with a poxy little 206 or Xsara when they're after performance like a rally car?

A.

 

I wondered, like alcazar, how ford and peugeot get round the homologation rules. Seems a bit odd to me, but then I don't know a lot about the rules.

Certainly, it's no fun for the Ford and Peugeot customers

 

The rules that forced the manfacturers to built a road going version of the rally cars were phased out a few years ago

Bring them back I say!

 

Unfortunately the homologation rules no longer apply so you can get away with having a 4x4 car and not producing it for the public (but i bet that peugeot would be on a winner )
Hey if they want to loose out on a winner then let them its marketing for you and probably costs too much (ie like the focus cosworth).

Tony

 

The french will be gone from WRC in a couple of seasons. They're not in it for road car develoment, just marketing.

The 206 does not resemble anything like the production car and i imagine very little technology is moved from WRC to production models, unlike the evo or STi.

The WRX is going through many iterative changes and i imagine Prodrive are working very hard to put the car back on track as No. 1. I wouldn't write them off just yet!

 

Whith the new wrc rules the F I A allow mnufacturers to add another drive axle and a turbo to what was originally a road car base so not having the expence of a full manufaturing run of 4wd cars. Thats why the new evo has adifferent spec to the old cars different geometry engine position and other mods. Subaru will go the same way thats why the new wrx canged so much from the old one .. There will be more development of the original wrc car but you are right the FIA banned kit cars then changed the rules maby under the tabel deals some were .. Then allowed them to build kit cars again under the wrc banner but with 4wd and a turbo .... but you can correct me if im wrong and i own a wrx new shape and would not change it for the world best of every thing .......

 

As for the wheight thing they all have a minimum and all the manufactures get as close as poss ..... subaru will be back winning

 

Wasn't the 206 gt made so peugeot were allowd to race in WRC

 

I'm a bit amazed reading this statement. Petter just won SS13 in San Remo, and is in 4th place overall 1 second after Burns...
I actually think Petter is future world champion material, and Subaru should *not* let him go.

Agreed that Tommi does seem to have lost his hunger (or that he is totally unlucky this year), but saying he is cr@p is a bit of a stretch for me.

 

Mr Evolution:
Yes. It's something along the lines of all rally cars having to be a certain length, or above. The Gti had extended bumpers put on it to get round that rule. Laughable innit? They should have done what Ford did, said they'd not compete ever again unless the rules were changed................ How sad?

[Edited by alcazar - 9/21/2002 4:08:34 PM]

[Edited by alcazar - 9/21/2002 4:09:05 PM]

 

It really pisses me off cos since I've owned my impreza, the rally team have gone **** up big time, is it my fault?
Colin

 

Anyone seen the new Skoda Fabia WRC concept?

Skoda haven't said it will switch to the Fabia from the Octavia yet but it seems an obvious way to go, they need approval from VAG and this seems to be the sticking point as VAG wants Seat to be the sporty brand.

The Octavia has always been to big on the tight stages of todays WRC events, would be nice to see Skoda challenging for WRC wins after their years of class wins on the rally scene.


Lee

 

Colin,

Yeh we'll all blame you.

A number of drivers have made comment through the years that prodrive tend to loose focus when Dave Richards isn't in direct charge, he isn't at the moment due to his TV and BAR F1 commitments.

It was also reported that Colin McRae was having talks with Subaru and Citreon this week, might be something to do with Ford asking him to take a pay cut. Can't see him moving to Subaru if Citreon offer him a drive though.

Lee

[Edited by logiclee - 9/21/2002 4:43:39 PM]

 

Cheers lee, I'll take it on the chin, No but on a serious note I do hope Mcrae, does come back.
Cheers
Colin

 

little miss show me a piccy of this 300bhp justy ill have one .. put my name down ..lol