Archive for February, 2015
Review: 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Elite
Mid sized SUV’s have corralled the Aussie car market of recent years and well in the mix are the two Korean brands, Kia and Hyundai. Hyundai’s Santa Fe started as a small mid sizer and now fits comfortably into the bigger mid sized bracket. I check out the mid range entrant, the Elite.
Powersource.
It’s a huffy and hairy chested 2.2L diesel four cylinder, with a mountainous torque figure of 436 Nm (auto, manual has 421) with a plateau like delivery between
1800 to 2500 revs.It’s a six speed auto with a torque split diff, lockable into full time four wheel drive.
Fuel consumption is quoted by Hyundai as being 7.3L per 100 kilometres on a combined cycle from the 64 litre tank, with urban and highway being 9.6L and 5.9L per 100L respectively. It’s enough for the auto to be able to tow 2000 kilograms.
The Suit.
It’s a solidly engineered look, with an upright nose housing the Hyundai corporate grille, sitting 
comfortably between the eagle eye headlights and LED rimmed driving lights. Crease lines down the side soften a somewhat heavy profile before finishing in a pair of protrusions at the rear. The black urethane plastic now commonly found on most SUVs, is used to frame the front and rear and joining them along the bottom of the doors.
The grille, on the Elite, is Hyundai’s corporate three bar look, chrome coated whilst the door wing mirrors house puddle lamps, which shine downwards brightly.
A power tailgate can be found at the rear and the roof is full glass plus s
unroof. The Elite has 18 inch alloys, in a petal design, wrapped in grippy 235/55 Hankooks.
The overall impression is one of capability and toughness with the styling definitely setting it apart from its competition. With dimensions of 4690 x 1880 x 1690 mm it looks bigger than it is.
On The Inside.
It’s typical Hyundai; it’s ergonomically smart, good looking and practical. It’s a mix of textures on the plastics, with a crosshatch design on the dash and the common crocodile look for the rest. 
There’s not a lot of give in the material though, odd for a luxury oriented vehicle.
The look of the dash, from the driver and passenger seat, is somewhat busy, with lines and angles bordering contrasting shades of black and grey trim; although buttons are logically laid out and clearly legible, it’s visually overdone and a touch fatiguing.
There’s repetition in the design, with a V-shaped spoke for the steering wheel reflected in the centre dash look, starting with the LCD touch screen as a base for an inverted pyramid with the aircon fan speed dial in the apex.
It’s a seven seater, with tilt-a-fold middle row seats and simply operated folding seats in t
he rear, with separate aircon controls plus the system operates independently of the main aircon.
It’s a full glass roof with a curtain that rolls back at the touch of a button, plus sunroof which was great in letting out hot air from the warmer days as are the vents for heating and cooling the front seats.
Safety.
There’s 4 channel ABS, with Electronic Brake Distribution, Stability Control, Traction Control, Hill Start Assist and Downward Brake Assist. High visibility LED driving lights, rear parking camera, parking sensors for Front and Rear Park Assist, Smart Parking Assist in the top of the Range Highlander, curtain airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, thorax and pelvis ‘bags plus pretensioning seatbelts provide almost everything a driver may need.
On The Drive.
The engine is a (torque drive) powerhouse; in normal drive mode there’s a hint of lag before the turbo reaches the right revs, with a lightswitch on moment as the front hooks up and launches the 2000 kilo plus Elite. Overtaking is a doddle, especially on the freeway as the gearing has the engine ticking over just below the max torque delivery starting point.
Handling is clean, predictable and with that mountain of torque, the nose will tuck in nicely when the right pedal is applied coming into a turn and sweeping corner. Ride quality (and noise quality, for that matter) is superb, with the Elite firm and flat on most surfaces, isolating noise nicely and the tyres absorbing enough of any initial jolt before the suspension takes over and disappears the rest.
Even the big speedhumps were relegated to a momentary annoyance, at any speed, whilst the dips and undulations found on the freeway barely unsettled the Elite whilst barking was superb, with just the right amount of pressure, from a light touch to a full on emergency heavy foot, having the Elite slowing or stopping in the right distances from the pressure.
Steering is mostly precise, with Hyundai’s three mode steering assist system still remaining questionable as to its worthiness and validity.
The Wrap.
It’s (the Elite) is priced at $48490 plus options like metallic paint at $595 and on roads. It competes with it’s sister company’s offering, the Sorento and matches nicely against vehicles such as the Outlander and Cherokee Trailhawk, although the latter is a dedicated off roader.
Fit and finish are of Hyundai’s typical high quality but the cushioning of the plastics needs work; it’s a comfortable ride, inside and on road, it’s quiet with the diesel chatter hardly noticeable under load. Economy settled somewhere around 8.0L per 100, reasonable given the bulk and driving the Elite covered.
Backed by Hyundai’s five year and unlimited kilometre warranty and ten years worth of roadside assist, it’s a car for the family with piece of mind built in.
Head here: http://www.hyundai.com.au/vehicles/santa-fe/specification-range for info.
Go here for A Wheel Thing TV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1UW4YcJWUM&feature=em-upload_owner
2015 Hyundai Genesis Ultimate review
In November of 2014, I was part of the dealer network launch team for the newest entry into the luxury sedan market, the Hyundai Genesis. Over three and a half days, the cars were showcased to members of the Hyundai dealerships. However, it wasn’t quite the chance to consciously evaluate the car for a good period of time….until now.
Powersource.
It’s a 397 Nm, 232 kW, 3.8L V6 between the BMW-esque front fenders. It’s a willing, smooth, but thirsty beast, even with eight automatic gears to choose from, with a Hyundai quoted 11.2L 
per 100 kilometres of driving being drained from the 77 litre tank (urban is quoted as 15.7L and highway at 8.6L). Part of the issue, well, two parts, are the weight of the Genesis (1890 kg dry) and the rev figure for maximum torque: a very high 5000 rpm. Peak kilowatts are produced just 1000 rpm up the range. My best was 8.5 with cruise set at 115 kph (indicated) on a Sydney freeway.
The Suit.
She’s a big ‘un, sitting just a centimetre shy of five metres in length, putting the Genesis into 
luxobarge territory and offering heaps of interior space. Width is 1890 mm and height 1480 mm on a 3080 mm wheelbase.
There’s a vast area of grille on the Genesis, with six horizontal bars inside a slightly odd looking hexagonal design. The nose is upright, 
with LED rimmed headlights flowing back into the fenders, whilst the rear has a mix of Japanese and German design influences. At night there’s a neon tube look to the clusters.
Rolling stock is 18 inch alloys with 245/45 rubber, providing a solid footprint on the road. It’s a full length glass roof with sunroof on top and the whole shebang is based on Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy, version 2.0.
Front and rear are joined by two scalloped edges, breaking up the profile whilst providing a hint 
of slimness to the five metres of metal; a touch of luxury is added at night with the Genesis logo beamed downwards from the folding wing mirrors, which help to direct airflow along and around the sides. Underneath is a flat floor, to reduce turbulence and drag. The boot itself is cavernous (493L) and is power operated for the lid itself.
The Office.
It’s here that the Genesis is showing a touch of age; the car has been available overseas for a few years and although the basic design is ergonomic and legible (for the most part), some of the plastics and ideas used need an upgrade. At least all internal lights are LEDs.
An example is the rear of the driver and passenger seats; just about every other car has a soft material, be it cloth or leather but Genesis has a hard sheet of plastic with elastic straps to pull it away from the seat back. 
The steering wheel buttons look as if they’ve been lifted from any other Hyundai and the dash buttons lack a premium feel.
There’s a couple of niceties, with a rear window blind and an analogue clock that automatically resets to suit a GPS provided time.
Surrounding the gear lever is a range of buttons, accessing parking sensors, the 360 degree cameras (which display as a top down graphic on screen, with a range of options), drive mode (Normal, Sports, Eco) with the same, not quite as good as they should be, buttons on the dash.
The sound system is fantastic; comprising 17 speakers spread around the cabin, Lexicon have provided a great mix of punch, clarity and channel separation, with kick drums as equally clear as the shriek of a metallic string on a guitar. A 9.2 inch touchscreen takes pride of place in the centre dash, allowing a selection of audio, navigation and the like whilst the dash itself has a four 
inch or so LCD screen in full colour. The rear seat has access to a set of controls, presumably with the passenger being chauffeured; there’s audio, seat cooling/heating and more.
TechSpec.
There’s plenty of driver support in the Genesis Ultimate, which takes the level of technology you may pay more for elsewhere and combines it into one package. Naturally there’s the usual Traction Control, heaps of airbags etc, but you’ll also get Tyre Pressure monitoring, Lane Departure Warning (which beeps and shakes at the driver) Head Up Display, Smart Cruise Control (which reads the distance to the car in front and keeps Genesis at a driver selected 
distance behind, measured in seconds) with Autonomous Emergency Brake (which will bring the car to a halt automatically), the surprisingly simple Blind Spot Detection, which uses sensors at the rear to flash up on the HUD which side a potentially unseen vehicle is on and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, advising the driver of any vehicles they can’t see as they reverse from a tight car park.
On The Drive.
Sure, there’s a peak of nearly 400 Newton metres of torque to play with but at a hefty call of 5000 revs; there’s enough torque below that to move the two tonnes plus passengers off the line but it’s deceptive. The eight speed auto slurs its way through, there’s a sense of manual gear changing and it FEELS seat of the pants quick…until you look down and see the numbers. It FELT quicker than what it was.
A severe prod of the go pedal changes that, so the revs climb so do the other numbers and there’s a hint of anger from the front, a muted snarl that sounds just right, as the 3.8L V6 winds up. The three drive modes do change the subtleties of the Genesis, however the Normal mode is more than able to deliver.
Steering feel is conversational; there’s a faint sense of numbness on centre, but loads up nicely, especially with the meaty rubber strapped onto the alloys. Ride quality is, for the better part, superb, flattening out all but the bigger intrusions whilst isolating a decent amount of noise from the cabin as well.
Punted hard in turns you can feel the chassis tensing up, with a progressive change from throttle controlled understeer to a touch of lift off oversteer, with the 3.0 metre wheelbase providing a stable footprint. Lock to lock is about three and a half turns, giving good control for normal driving.
Driven hard, the Genesis easily sees plus fifteens for consumption, whilst a cruise controlled freeway stint saw a best of 8.4L/100 km.
The Wrap.
It’s a three model range, with the entry level starting in the low $60k bracket and winds up at around $82k plus on roads. The full specification list can be found here: http://www.hyundai.com.au/multimediafiles/cars/genesis/pdf/hyundai_genesis_specification_and_range.pdf and, of course, head across to Hyundai Australia’s website for more.
It’s a good car, a lovely car and aimed at medium wealthy males, luxury car hire and limousine companies. It certainly fits those bills but is already, in the eyes of A Wheel Thing, needing some subtle updates to freshen the interior, to provide more of a luxury office feel with the plastics and seatback map pockets.
The exterior is a different question; the debate about having something that identifies it as a Hyundai will rage for some time but Hyundai Australia needs a hero car. Is this it?
It was parked under the grandstand at Sydney Motorsport Park during the recent V8 Supercar test weekend; comments such as “What is it?” and “Looks nice, a Hyundai? Nahhhh.” were common, as were cameras taking snaps. The styling is inoffensive but, as a result, appears to lack cut through if public feedback is used as a yardstick.
2015 Volvo S60 Polestar: The Review
In late 2014, I had the pleasure of the company of the S60 Polestar; a slightly revamped version was released shortly after and I check out the differences.
Powersource.
Take a three litre capacity straight six and bolt on an uprated twin scroll “hairdryer”, and you’ll have one more killer watt delivered 250 revs lower than before (now 258 kW at 5250 revs with 
redline of 6500). The monstrous torque delivery remains the same at over 500 Nm (3000 to 4750 revs) and puts power down via all four paws through a six speed auto with specific Polestar calibration. It’s moving a slightly less heavier vehicle, at 1766 kg, as opposed to 1770 kg previously but rated overall economy remains at 10.2L/100 km. Polestar gets an extra level of tech, with Launch Control, adjustable suspension thanks to Ohlins, Brembo brakes, power’s put down via the Generation 5 Haldex AWD system and the engine breathes out via stainless steel pipes. Fuel tank size remains unchanged at 67.5L.
The Suit.
The 2015 S60 Polestar is a compact looking, short tailed, long bonneted beauty, with overt and subtle curves, plus the same single sensually curved crease line joining the headlights to the rear lights. It’s not tall at just 1484mm in height, is compact at 4635mm in length and
has front/rear track of 1588mm/1585mm, sits on a wheelbase of 2776mm and has had some minor but noticeable external Polestar additions, including a restyled front bumper with extra chin on Polestar, a larger bootlip spoiler, different looking and bigger alloys, up one inch in diameter to 20 instead of 19. The design of the wheels has changed more to a tuning fork style and looks fantastic. There’s the same gloss look black highlights for the external mirrors, doors and grille, with Polestar badging.
The Interior.
Passengers are spoiled by being given comfortable and supportive Polestar highlighted leather 
seats, which are both electrically motivated in Polestar and heated for front and back. Being black leather, it would be nice to have a cooling option for Australia’s hotter conditions. There’s the floating centre console (a semi carbon fibre look) and the gorgeous fully digital dash display. Polestar gets “Engineered By Polestar” in the door sills. 
It’s a comfortable workspace, a good looking one however the compact design did make it cozy for three in the back, with 1401mm shoulder room and 1359mm hip room on offer, plus just 852mm leg room. The overall size of the car also contributes to the comparatively small boot space, at just 380L, but there is a ski port through to the main cabin.
The information screens that Volvo allows you to choose, including the “Themes” look great, as 
does the satnav, however I still query the way the info is set up to be accessed, with the various jog dials and buttons only working for what is on the screen. The former start system, that required a key fob to be inserted and press a button, has now changed to being keyless in the sense the slot handily provided for the fob now doesn’t need the fob to be put there. There’s plenty of tech on board, including CitySafe, a radar system that’ll apply the brakes automatically if it senses a vehicle (or anything big enough) in its path, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot 
Information System and more. Naturally, there’s plenty of unseen driver aids like ABS, traction control and more safety with airbags aplenty.
The headlight switch is down to the right, above the driver’s knee, as are switches for boot and petrol lid; they work however, ergonomically, they’re out of line of sight. The tiller has a couple of flat spots left and right, just enough to place the palms and get a secure grip plus there’s a velour on the inside to help with that grip.
The sound system is from Harmon Kardon, a high end manufacturer and, via 12 speakers, sounds clear with depth, punch and separation. The interface to find or store a different station is still unforgivably fiddly.
Being physically unchanged in regards to dimensions, it’s still a comfortable situation for four but three abreast would be a squeeze in the back seat.
On The Road.
The Polestar does have a “woofle” to the exhaust on startup and idle whilst getting a touch metallic and a mite drony under way…When given the command, the six draws a deep breath and spits out torque. Acceleration? The six speed in the Polestar is reactive enough, rarely found wanting for the right ratio and is quick to move via Sports mode. There’s proprietary software on board, allowing the ‘box to be put in Sports mode, play with the traction control or DTSC as it’s known, however I can’t help but feel that if a seven or eight speed box was fitted the economy of the car would improve…but that torque….wow, it winds up quickly from idle, getting into rapid motivation territory very quickly.
It’s taut, the suspension in the Polestar, and there’s enough suppleness to provide a measure of comfort, a measure of compliance with just enough give initially to not break the teeth. Tipping the Polestar into turns also produced surefooted handling, with minimal push on understeer backed up by a settling of the chassis when the go pedal was pressed, the rear squatting onto its haunches.
Polestar is a hard edged vehicle, to the point that it’s sometimes uncomfortable on anything other than a reasonably flat surface, with cat’s eyes roadside more than noticeable, making smaller speedhumps (car parks) and bigger (roads) bad enough to jolt a person momentarily 
from their seat. It does feel as if more initial compliance has been dialled into the suspension (MacPherson strut front, multi link rear, Ohlins two stage adjustable shocks) as the smaller bumps and lumps that niggled before didn’t seem as noticeable as before, surely a good thing.
Although the car comes with adjustable suspension, front and rear, it’s only done manually, via the bottom of the front right strut and from inside the boot atop the left rear. This would infer that it’s only to be done via experienced people, rather than offering an electronically adjustable setup from within the cabin.
The Wrap.
It’s a technofest under the skin, it’s a pretty looking car, it’s comfortable seating wise and seated four well enough. I handed it over, swapping to a V40 diesel, still uncertain as to how I felt about it overall, as I did with the previous version. It was that uncertainty that continued to both irritate and baffle me. The changes were minor, both inside and out, with a somewhat more purposeful look to the Polestar with the chin and rear wing additions. It goes hard, needs a more involving exhaust note and economy will, naturally suffer when the slipper is sunk. That’s teh price you pay for fun. But, on an emotional level, it had me excited but not willing to commit 100%, almost an automotive one night stand that you kind of want to have a gain with the same person…
To make up your own mind, go to www.volvo.com.au and follow the links to check out the S60 range and book yourself a test drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh92J2om2lw&feature=em-upload_owner
The Car: Volvo S60 Polestar.
Engine: 3.0L petrol, turbo, straight six.
Power/Torque: 258kW @ 5250 rpm, 500+ Nm @ 3000 to 4750 rpm.
Fuel: 98 RON.
Tank: 67.5L.
Weight: 1766kg.
Economy: 6.4L/100 km (combined). 8.7L/100km (city)/5.1L/100km (highway). 10.2L/100km (combined), 14.5L/100 km (city), 7.3L/100km (highway).
Transmission: Six speed automatic via all wheels.
Emissions: EURO6.
Dimensions (LxWxH in mm): 4635 x 1825 x 1484.
Wheelbase/Track: 2776mm, 1588/1585mm (front and rear).
Wheels: 8 x 20 inch, 245 x 35 Michelins.
Cargo/Luggage: 380L.
Price: $99950 + ORCs.
As tested: $102640 (included optional sunroof at $2650.00)
BTCC Memorable Drives: How to React to Progress (Or Not)
Image Credit: Touringcartimes.com/ PSP Images
Throughout the vibrant history of the British championship, there has always come a time when the organisers and race officials are faced with a dilemma. In any other walk of life, such a conundrum would be nothing but an occasion for celebration. However, when it comes to the delicate world of motorsport regulations, such happenings can never be so simple. For this latest edition of BTCC Memorable Drives, we shall delve into the world of how teams have pushed the boundaries of regulations. For those wizards of BTCC history, you will know I am talking about Alfa Romeo in 1994 and Audi in 1996 specifically.
It is not very often that you will find me discussing rules and regulations at any great length; there comes a point when I believe the very essence of a sport can be ruined when politics take hold. The modern Formula One championship springs to mind, but that is for another time. On very rare occasions however, when rules and regulations are applied more creatively by teams, they become the catalyst for change in championships. The British Touring Car Championship is no exception to such happenings. The first of these was the 1994 season and the infamous Alfa Romeo ‘wing debacle’ as I shall name it henceforth.
When the Super Touring regulations were first introduced, the specifications were as follows:
- minimum of 4.20 metres (13.8 ft) in length
- 4 doors
- No more than 2 litres engine capacity, or six cylinders were permitted, and the engine was required to be normally aspirated
- For homologation, initially at least 2500 units of the model used must have been produced
The introduction of these rules were meant to simply the previous multi-class racing that were in place up until the end of the 1990 season. For the first 3 years of their life, these regulations worked stupendously well, creating fast intense and action-packed racing that became globally famous. However, as 1994 loomed something was about to change. 1994 was the year of THAT Alfa Romeo.
The Alfa Romeo 155 Silverstone from 1994. Image Credit: Simon Lewis
After the Alfa Romeo (driven by Tarquini and Simoni) dominated the first 5 rounds of the season, Ford and Vauxhall made an official complaint to the FIA regarding the legality of the Alfa Romeo 155 Silverstone in the championship. The BTCC car had a move-able front spoiler, acting as a splitter, and an extendable rear spoiler, giving the car more downforce. Usually, such a combination would be disallowed. But this is where the genius of the Alfa Romeo team shone through. Alfa Romeo had also homologated 2500 155 Silverstone models to be sold in the UK, so that their 1.8 litre car with a higher rev limit could enter. Furthermore, this model was sold with the extendable spoiler brackets as extras one would have to attach themselves.
So technically speaking, Alfa had found a perfect sized loop hole in the regulations to make their car completely legal. However, the complaints made suggested that although the car could enter, it went against the spirit of the championship. As such, the FIA eventually banned the extra wings on the cars and decreed that the cars could only re-enter the championship if they ran with the spoilers in the retracted position. Eventually, Tarquini did still win the 1994 championship, but things would never be the same. In 1995, the regulations were changed so that all teams were allowed to use aerodynamic aids on their cars to iron out the performance disparity between the cars. On top of that, the number of production units increased from 2500 to 25,000 to reduce manufacturers producing homologation specials.
The officials must have been happy with that episode sorted out.. “Our problems our solved!”, they rejoiced. Or so they thought…
The all-conquering 4WD Audi of Frank Biela in ’96. Image Credit: Autocar
After the 1994 shenanigans, it was Audi’s turn in 1996 to do their best on taking the media spotlight. After entering its 4WD Audi A4, it came as no surprise to anyone that they utterly dominated the championship, with Biela taking overall honours. Unlike the case of the Alfa Romeo however, Audi were not twisting any of the regulations. Nowhere did it specify that Super Touring cars could only be powered by no more than 2-wheels. In a similar fashion to the RWD BMWs of previous years, for 1997 Audi were imposed with weight penalties in an attempt to even out the added performance of 4WD with the FWD and RWD cars.
Towards the latter part of the 1997 championship following an appeal the weight penalty was reduced, which gave Biela an end of season charge, but not enough to stop the eternally determined Menu from taking the title. The 1998 championship saw a new addition to the regulations which stated that all cars that entered the championship must be powered and driven by only 2 of their 4 wheels. As a result, the Audi A4 of 1998 was the FWD version instead of the previous 4WD machine.
Was it the forward thinking of Alfa and Audi that forged the Super Touring Era into the stuff of legend?
These two examples do raise an interesting area of debate; how should governing bodies react to instances such as this? As I touched upon in the introduction to this piece, in any other walk of life innovation is celebrated as progress ‘toward a brighter future’. However, when this is is a sporting occurence, the reaction is of course different. For the FIA, the rules are there to be adhered to. Or are they?
The classic saying ‘rules are made to be broken’ is more than applicable to this argument. If we were to approach this argument scientifically, then the actions of Audi and Alfa Romeo are almost completely justified. An old theory suggests that hypotheses are created with the aim of being disproved; it is only through critiquing the flaws that a concept can be improved for the future. In many ways, it was Alfa Romeo in 1994 that paved the way for the great racing of the late 90s. Furthermore, pushing the boundaries of the rules will inspire the other teams to work hard to catch up and come up with their own innovations. Similarly, the monstrous 4WD system in the Audi team forced the other teams to develop their own cars to match the pace of the Audis. Added power, performance and handling as a reaction to these people? Sounds like a good end result for me. After all, if rules were never broken, we could never move forward to more exciting opportunities.
On the other hand, the case made against Alfa Romeo by Ford and Vauxhall in 1994 does raise an interesting issue. Although everything Alfa did that year was within the scope of the rules, many felt that they did not adhere to the ‘spirit’ of the championship. I have always found this a fascinating phrase; they may not be written down but their power can often overthrow the legality of governance in the right circumstance. The BTCC has always been so special since its evolution from gentleman racers giving their cars a good run on a Sunday afternoon. That family feel has always been above the racing rivalries; a group of equally matched racers fighting for their deserved place on the podium. When Alfa came along in 1994 with their huge budgets and clever corner cutting, it almost took the fun away. It was utterly ridiculous how much of an advantage the Alfa team had in those first few races, and the races where Alfa had withdrawn the racing returned to how it always used to be.
And yes, it was the work of Alfa and Audi that paved the way for the late 90s BTCC memories. However, let us not also forget how else Alfa Romeo changed the BTCC. It became a global championship of big budgets, big names and a loss of that original BTCC magic of the 1950s. Independent drivers were forced out the championship simply through the budget needed to be competitive. The championship became much more corporate, driven by sponsorship and paid drivers. If it was not for Alfa Romeo in 1994, coming in with their ex-F1 driver and field destroying red rockets, then the championship may have retained its Super Touring status for longer into the 21st century.
1993, the year before everything changed. Image Credit: Pistonheads.com
I have been wrestling with this debate for quite some time now, and I will admit that I am still unsure of my viewpoint. I feel that the argument ‘everything happens for a reason’ is far too philosophical and too much of an easy excuse for me to get away with. On the one hand, I love watching people pushing the limits of what is possible, but on the other seeing a national institution transform into a corporate exercise as a result is not so nice. At the end of the day, I always love seeing BTCC teams take a brave step forward. The actions of the governing bodies are justified to ban teams or force them to change, as long as then they take that as a point of consideration for adapting the rules. However, as with the case of late 90s team budgets, care should be taken to make sure that it doesn’t then bring too many negative changes. For example, the added aerodynamic upgrades was a great leveler and made for some sensational racing, but the big money ex-F1 drivers replacing homegrown talent and driving the costs skywards did eventually spell doom for the Super Tourers.
…and then I remember that if it was not for the Super Touring era ending, the new look touring cars would never have arisen which of course led to the simple yet perfect NGTC regulations of today. There is a chance I may be over thinking this.
What would you do when faced with such a dilemma? Would you adapt the rules to suit the new forward thinking or retain the current rules and force these teams back into line?
Let me know your thoughts!
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