Volvo & Plato in BTCC for 2009?

[FourWheelDrift]

With no official word on what the large nosed one is doing yet it's likely to be Volvo now.

http://www.touringcarnews.net/news.php?id=2928

TouringCarTimes said:

According to our information Volvo could be on their way back to the British Touring Car Championship with none less than Jason Plato. Our information suggests that the BTCC-organisation could be involved in the plans two get two Volvo C30 bio-ethanol-cars with a, so far unconfirmed, team for the two coming BTCC-seasons.

Rumors have surfaced earlier that a pair of Volvo C30 S2000-cars, build by the Swedish Touring Car Championship Volvo-team Polestar Racing, could make their way to the BTCC.

But if the eventual BTCC-program will be supported by Volvo UK remains to be seen. The current financial situation has hit hard on car manufacturers and especially Volvo. The Ford-owned, previously Swedish, manufacturer has been forced to cut down on a lot of areas due to decreasing sales.

Although, the money does not necessarily have to come from Volvo. According to our sources the BTCC-organisation and a, yet unknown, large sponsor could put in the necessary money for the car(s) and Plato.

Plato was left without a drive when SEAT announced their retirement after the BTCC 2008 season.

"I’m of course sad that SEAT has stepped down, mostly because I thought I had another two years on my contract and I’ve got a bloody big mortgage to pay!" said Plato to BTCC.net.

[Gillet]

That would be sweet, although shame they're not going back to racing Estates, used to love seeing them on the track when i was a kid.

[Ponk]

Good news, then I read they're using C30s. I dream of the days of actual touring cars. Still another manufacturer can only be good news!

[10 Pence Short]

Plato?

I hope they're going to have very big bumpers.

[FourWheelDrift]

It is a Volvo, they're still built to be strong.

[dpbird90]

Gillet said:

That would be sweet, although shame they're not going back to racing Estates, used to love seeing them on the track when i was a kid.

+1. I love the 850 race car

[tomTVR]

Has Plato bought Buckingham Palace of something? 10 years of touring cars and all his presenting jobs cant pay his mortgage?

Be good to have the C30's racing though, as said they are built strong so at least it Neil is up to his usual tricks he will come off wore than Plato (who i hate less)

[FourWheelDrift]

tomTVR said:

Has Plato bought Buckingham Palace of something? 10 years of touring cars and all his presenting jobs cant pay his mortgage?

He was living in a shed last time I saw it....sorry "Barn conversion" in Oxfordshire so maybe he's been spending his winnings on other things.

[RichB]

Ponk said:

Good news, then I read they're using C30s.

That's a shame, I'd have hoped for V70s

[Dr KT]

Plato is a very good driver, and has driven development cars for the past three to four seasons.

Would be nice to see him in a developed car.

I expect Honda to come in with the Accord Thomo uses in the WTCC?

[rubystone]

Gow was talking to Volvo but I didn't think they had signed. I'm not sure whether it'll be a factory effort or through one of the privateer teams on a semi-works basis.

[MrKipling43]

FourWheelDrift said:

tomTVR said:

Has Plato bought Buckingham Palace of something? 10 years of touring cars and all his presenting jobs cant pay his mortgage?

He was living in a shed last time I saw it....sorry "Barn conversion" in Oxfordshire so maybe he's been spending his winnings on other things.

An expensive thing that is bought in very precise amounts. Ahem.

Used to love the 850 Estates too, it was always amusing when they got hit or crashed - it sounded like a bomb going off there was so much empty space in the back!

[10 Pence Short]

Dr KT said:

I expect Honda to come in with the Accord Thomo uses in the WTCC?

Unlikely, seeming that model Accord has now been replaced by a newer model.

[npope]

Wow predictions come true, predicted that at close of season when Seat pulled out :-)

Big Plato fan so very pleased

[VladD]

MrKipling43 said:

FourWheelDrift said:

tomTVR said:

Has Plato bought Buckingham Palace of something? 10 years of touring cars and all his presenting jobs cant pay his mortgage?

He was living in a shed last time I saw it....sorry "Barn conversion" in Oxfordshire so maybe he's been spending his winnings on other things.

An expensive thing that is bought in very precise amounts. Ahem.

I'd have thought he spent a fair bit on plastic surgery to correct his Caparo facelift.

[patmahe]

Any excuse for one of these

[cj_eds]

Does Rydell have a job yet for next season?

Got to say I prefer the super tourers though. Even now, the bigger cars like the Vectra's to me seem more at home than a bunch of (very) hot hatches.

[FourWheelDrift]

cj_eds said:

Got to say I prefer the super tourers though. Even now, the bigger cars like the Vectra's to me seem more at home than a bunch of (very) hot hatches.

Have you ever seen the Italian Superstars series, they to me are proper saloons, they use old style M5's new style 540s, Jaguar S-Types, Audi R6s, Cadillac CTS-V, Chrysler 300c and Mercedes too. Proper cars

http://www.eurosuperstars.com/

[dpbird90]

It would be much better though if Alfa Romeo brought a 159 TC out.

[cj_eds]

FourWheelDrift said:

cj_eds said:

Got to say I prefer the super tourers though. Even now, the bigger cars like the Vectra's to me seem more at home than a bunch of (very) hot hatches.

Have you ever seen the Italian Superstars series, they to me are proper saloons, they use old style M5's new style 540s, Jaguar S-Types, Audi R6s, Cadillac CTS-V, Chrysler 300c and Mercedes too. Proper cars

http://www.eurosuperstars.com/

On a Sky channel I bet I don't have!