Tuesday 21st January 2014

New V8 touring car series announced

Global Touring Cars promises affordable racing with 500hp RWD tin-tops

---

We can probably all agree that V8 touring cars are A Good Thing. They may be long gone from British championships but are still thriving in Australia and Germany. The popularity of NASCAR remains undiminished too.

Looks proper; noise should be great too

Therefore the launch of Global Touring Cars (GTC) is rather intriguing. 500hp V8s, a spaceframe chassis that fits plenty of OEM panels and a focus on affordable racing sounds like the perfect tin-top recipe. It has been devised by racer Gary Formato with engineers Vic Maharaj and Mark Woolley. The financial backing has been provided by entrepreneur Michael Formato, presumably related to Gary.

The plan for GTC is to sell national franchises with everything included for a national championship to be run. Mark Woolley has suggested that "inclusiveness" is the key, with the GTC package "offering a one-stop shop of cars, championship backing with regulations, format and contractors all in place for franchise owners".

Whoever buys the national franchise has overall control over that country's GTC championship, including the revenue streams and team/manufacturer involvement. The GTC team will take a cut when 'substantial profits are being made through entry fees and commercial opportunities'. This year's inaugural season will start with South Africa; with enough countries involved, an end-of-season world cup is planned.

GTC series will start in South Africa this year

So that's the politics, what about the cars? The only car seen so far is a Focus saloon which looks spot-on for a great touring car; a rather mundane shape made more macho with a huge spoiler, a low ride height and, most importantly, side-exit exhausts.

The spaceframe chassis has been designed by Paul Ceprnich and GTC is promising that the bodyshell is 'entirely up to the teams' as the spaceframe 'has been designed to accept Original Equipment body panels based on versions of most saloon or hatchback-sized vehicles on the market'. So presumably the potential is there for a Focus saloon to be duking it out with almost anything; that four-door may not be too relevant in the UK, but an A3 saloon, Mercedes CLA, the new WRX STI and all manner of hatches surely would be. With 500hp V8s.

With the GTC very much nascent at this stage, we shouldn't get our hopes up too high yet for a British series. But our interest is most certainly piqued. We can't wait to find out more.

[andy97]

Andy Rouse tried this in the UK about a dozen years ago and then, I think, Jonathan Palmer also tried to introduce a similar concept (although maybe with turbo engines). Neither past first base for some reason; we just seem to like our tin top race cars to actually have some of the original DNA involved. BTCC NGTC being about as far as anyone has got so far with an element of common chassis components.

Oh and I think that the original South African series publicity shots showed an Audi A4. Isn't the chassis based on the NZ V8 Super Touring car chassis?

Edited by andy97 on Tuesday 21st January 13:44

[Monaro5.7]

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

Ps like that Focus

[j_s14a]

We want some nice, strict, homologation rules, that specify that many bonkers road car versions must be built!

[Justaredbadge]

The only reason Palmer tried it was to kick the btcc in to shape when they were trying to play him around about costs for the msv circuits.

The mondo turbo car was undriveable. It was business politics, not a genuine championship being offered.


Didn't john cleland try and do something with a jag v8 saloon a few years ago?

[treetops]

Reminds me of radio controlled cars, one chassis and endless plastic bodies to stick on.

Agree with other post they need their DNA.

[thatdude]

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

Ps like that Focus

I agree. The V8 Supercars is known and established, and has a fanbase present in more places than just australia.

I would love to see a grid full of V8 supercars all fighting for position into Paddock Hill Bend...

[FourWheelDrift]

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international

Plus the V8 Superstars International series - http://www.superstarsworld.com/Superstars-Series/e...

That runs these big engined touring cars in a big 40 car grid:
Lexus ISF
Mercedes C63
Jag XSF V8
BMW M3
BMW 550i
Audi RS5
Chevy Lumina CR8
Porsche Panamera
Chevy Camaro
Cadillac CTS-V

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbAV_jUTILY

[Stuart Thompson]

thatdude said:

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

Ps like that Focus

I agree. The V8 Supercars is known and established, and has a fanbase present in more places than just australia.

I would love to see a grid full of V8 supercars all fighting for position into Paddock Hill Bend...

Is this more in reference to V8 Superstars rather than V8 super cars.

[andy97]

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

I have a feeling that the chassis proposed here are very similar to the Aussie V8 COTF/ NZ V8 Super Touring. Paul Ceprnich involved in all these projects. Maybe they are trying to bring V8 Supercars to ROW but with body shells we all recognise????

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V8SuperTourer

Edited by andy97 on Tuesday 21st January 13:58

Edited by andy97 on Tuesday 21st January 13:58

[Stuart Thompson]

FourWheelDrift said:

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international

Plus the V8 Superstars International series - http://www.superstarsworld.com/Superstars-Series/e...

That runs these big engined touring cars in a big 40 car grid:
Lexus ISF
Mercedes C63
Jag XSF V8
BMW M3
BMW 550i
Audi RS5
Chevy Lumina CR8
Porsche Panamera
Chevy Camaro
Cadillac CTS-V

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbAV_jUTILY

Although there were only about 12 at Donington.

[FourWheelDrift]

I just rough counted the registered vehicles, not all turn up for the same events I guess. But if it was better publicised and run they could at some tracks where they could fit.

[Monaro5.7]

Stuart Thompson said:

thatdude said:

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

Ps like that Focus

I agree. The V8 Supercars is known and established, and has a fanbase present in more places than just australia.

I would love to see a grid full of V8 supercars all fighting for position into Paddock Hill Bend...

Is this more in reference to V8 Superstars rather than V8 super cars.

Auzzie V8 Supercars

[Mavican]

andy97 said:

Andy Rouse tried this in the UK about a dozen years ago and then, I think, Jonathan Palmer also tried to introduce a similar concept (although maybe with turbo engines). Neither past first base for some reason; we just seem to like our tin top race cars to actually have some of the original DNA involved. BTCC NGTC being about as far as anyone has got so far with an element of common chassis components.

Oh and I think that the original South African series publicity shots showed an Audi A4. Isn't the chassis based on the NZ V8 Super Touring car chassis?

Edited by andy97 on Tuesday 21st January 13:44

Scv8 was Andy Rouse's brain child, just over 10 years ago. I remember reading about it in Autosport. Sounded a good idea but don't think it got manufacturer support

[Agent Orange]

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

Maybe V8 Supercars don't want to hence this proposal? I used to love watching the V8 Supercars on MotorsTV.

But it's not international though is it? It's mostly Aussie Fords and Holdens racing on Aussie tracks. It has an international fan base but it's Aussie motorsport though and through.

Outside Australia Holden isn't a well recognised brand. Perhaps the balancing act for V8 Supercars is how to introduce new globally recognised car brands without diminishing the motorsport credibility of Holden in their home market?

This proposal is a truly international championship with feeder national championships. Under this proposal something like Aussie V8's would be a feeder to the this if I read it right.

[Turbobanana]

FourWheelDrift said:

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international

Plus the V8 Superstars International series - http://www.superstarsworld.com/Superstars-Series/e...

That runs these big engined touring cars in a big 40 car grid:
Lexus ISF
Mercedes C63
Jag XSF V8
BMW M3
BMW 550i
Audi RS5
Chevy Lumina CR8
Porsche Panamera
Chevy Camaro
Cadillac CTS-V

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbAV_jUTILY

Is the Maserati Quattroporte still going, too?

[Monaro5.7]

Agent Orange said:

Monaro5.7 said:

We already have the V8 Supercars which has 5 manufacturer`s this year and is international so why do we need another series to rival it why no spend the money on the V8 Supercars and bring it to more countries and bring in more manufacturer`s?

Maybe V8 Supercars don't want to hence this proposal? I used to love watching the V8 Supercars on MotorsTV.

But it's not international though is it? It's mostly Aussie Fords and Holdens racing on Aussie tracks. It has an international fan base but it's Aussie motorsport though and through.

Outside Australia Holden isn't a well recognised brand. Perhaps the balancing act for V8 Supercars is how to introduce new globally recognised car brands without diminishing the motorsport credibility of Holden in their home market?

This proposal is a truly international championship with feeder national championships. Under this proposal something like Aussie V8's would be a feeder to the this if I read it right.

You do know that last year there was Nissan & Mercedes in the mix and that Volvo have joined the ranks of the Auzzie V8 Supercars as for international they were racing in Texas & the Far East.

[Frimley111R]

I would love to see a serious GTC series with these beasts. I don't give a fk if they are nothing like what I can (but probably won't) buy in the showroom. I want big engines, stupid horsepower, awesome looking, fk-off machines that make the hair stand up on the back of my neck at the sound.

[designndrive62]

I give it a year of grid sizes less than 8 and no international takeup before this disappears into the oblivion of failed race series, if it even gets off the ground to start with

[budgie smuggler]

Sounds good to me, I'd watch it.

[Chris Eyre]

j_s14a said:

We want some nice, strict, homologation rules, that specify that many bonkers road car versions must be built!

treetops said:

Reminds me of radio controlled cars, one chassis and endless plastic bodies to stick on.

Agree with other post they need their DNA.

This ^^. And LOL at the radio controlled cars, spot on!

We don' need yet another Eurocars / Eurocars V8 / Pickups etc etc. NGTC is already taking the p*** and what DNA is left is very little. When new cars are bang on the pace, you don't need to be a genius to work out it's all spec stuff underneath.