Tuesday 11th September 2012

Regulation changes to V8 Supercars

Australian V8 saloons to become safer, lighter and cheaper for 2013

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Even the highest levels of motorsport are starting to feel the pinch from the global economic downturn; F1 will move from V8 engines to V6 turbos in 2014 and the Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) regulations in the BTCC will be mandatory from next year.

Now it seems even the Australians are having to revise the rules for their premier touring car series in an effort to get more teams involved at a lower cost.

Don't worry, V8 Supercars will still be very much about big V8s in big Australian saloons. But the Car of the Future (COTF) changes to the regulations are intended to make the series more affordable to enter, the cars safer to race and the inevitable damage cheaper to repair.

The biggest change will be the introduction of a control chassis, with the intention being to encourage manufacturers other than Ford and Holden to compete. And, here's the really revolutionary part, the COTF V8 Supercars will now have independent rear suspension (!). That's right, these V8 behemoths had been using live rear axles until this year. Don't you just love Australians? Elsewhere, the engine has been moved back into the chassis for the benefit of weight distribution and to reduce the cost of crash repairs.

Also, the fuel tank of a COTF V8 Supercar will be moved into the car and away from the boot in an attempt to prevent the sort of horrendous crash that Karl Reindler was involved in during the 2011 season as you'll see by watching this amazing video clip.

Finally, the cars will now run on 18-inch wheels and a new Dunlop tyre. This is up from 17-inches and not only allows bigger brakes to be run but keeps the cars more relevant to their road-going counterparts, most of which will run the bigger wheels on the road.

This is the biggest change to the rules of V8 Supercars since 1993, and it's certainly nice to see the series join the 21st century (better late than never, eh?). Mark Skaife, former racer and now Chairman of the V8 Supercars Commission, says the new regulations "increase the market relevance of the cars in the motoring world". He also believes the costs need to come down as the cost of winning a Championship has roughly doubled in the past 15 years.

[DanDC5]

Nissan are also joining the series now the COTF specs are in place, the first 2 cars are due to be driven by the Kelly brothers I believe.

[AndySA]

This new control chassis is also going to be used in South Africa from next year, but using "looks like" bodies relevant to our market. The new chassis will be replacing the current homegrown chassis currently used in our V8 series. Interisting to note that the demonstration car being used to drum up support for the series uses a "look alike" Ford Focus sedan body!

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/motorsport/v8-tourin...

Edited by AndySA on Tuesday 11th September 10:33

[Kong]

Got to love the Aussies ideas for cost saving which include upgrading to IRS, bigger wheels and bigger brakes!

[dapearson]

"Don't use just love Australians"

?

[FWDRacer]

Jaguar XF silhouette body. Yes please!

[DrRazzle]

dapearson said:

"Don't use just love Australians"

?

The correct term is "youse".

[anonymous-user]

I just wish they'd sort out their calender. Bloody awful schedule with 4-6 week gaps between 5 or 6 rounds. It just doesn't flow and very easy to lose interest with such big gaps.

[The Danimal]

Is the under-chassis lighting mandatory from 2013 too?

[PascalBuyens]

Lighter.. so faster as well... Cool )))

I've always wanted to have a go in those... Maybe one day

[richb77]

I simply love the Aussie V8 supercars. Best form of motorsport IMO.

A mate (Australian) emailed me a video of him driving one on an experience day. It was (not the past tense) a 3 year old ford Falcon(BA).

I used the past tense as the video was of him hitting some standing water (not a lot) on semi slicks and stuffing it arse end first into a bank at high speed!

I was/am dead envious of the bugger.

[F1GTRUeno]

I thought they were merging rules with DTM and Super GT?

[DanDC5]

F1GTRUeno said:

I thought they were merging rules with DTM and Super GT?

It was one of the initial suggestions being thought about but realistically was never going to come to anything. The rumour came about after BMW said they'd consider entering V8SC is the new cars were going to be similar to the DTM stuff. By the point they'd stated this the COTF was already well into the design stages.

[RenesisEvo]

Article said:

Even the highest levels of motorsport are starting to feel the pinch from the global economic downturn; F1 will move from V8 engines to V6 turbos in 2014

The move to turbo V6s is political, not economic - the powertrains for 2014 are likely to be far more expensive to manufacture than the current V8 + KERS. It's all about being seen to be 'green', and all that nonsense.

I'm glad the V8 Supercars will still be around (and looking as brutal as ever), hopefully the new car will be just as entertaining to watch as the leviathans of old (remember that Brock video?). I think F1 could learn a lot from the camera usage in V8 Supercars, there's some fantastic footage out there. Long live V8 Supercars.

[Simes110]

richb77 said:

I simply love the Aussie V8 supercars. Best form of motorsport IMO.

Completely agree. Got into it when I was working over there a few years ago.

Shame it's not shown over here. Or is it?

[DanDC5]

Simes110 said:

Completely agree. Got into it when I was working over there a few years ago.

Shame it's not shown over here. Or is it?

Motors TV show highlights the week after the race usually. And the Bathurst 1000 live.

[kaliber]

DanDC5 said:

Motors TV show highlights the week after the race usually. And the Bathurst 1000 live.

also the V8 Supercars youtube channel have started uploading full races! Motors tv isnt the greatest of coverages to be honest.

Races never seem like they are played in the right order. I series linked it and most of time was same race repeated 2 or 3 times and the new races take about a month to come up. Bathurst coverage is spot on tho!

Need mr Murdoch to take an interest and get it on in HD. lol

[Kawasicki]

Always love to read negative comments on live rear axle, wonder why the same experts aren't so damning of front wheel drive?

[Kawasicki]

doogz said:

Kawasicki said:

Always love to read negative comments on live rear axle, wonder why the same experts aren't so damning of front wheel drive?

Where?

I don't see anyone saying that.

PH "And, here's the really revolutionary part, the COTF V8 Supercars will now have independent rear suspension (!). That's right, these V8 behemoths had been using live rear axles until this year. Don't you just love Australians?"

[kaliber]

Kawasicki said:

doogz said:

Kawasicki said:

Always love to read negative comments on live rear axle, wonder why the same experts aren't so damning of front wheel drive?

Where?

I don't see anyone saying that.

PH "And, here's the really revolutionary part, the COTF V8 Supercars will now have independent rear suspension (!). That's right, these V8 behemoths had been using live rear axles until this year. Don't you just love Australians?"

I think the point Ph was making was that the technology is quite old and that IRS is the modern replacement. If anything they were complimenting the brother from Oz on using such an exciting but antiquated piece of kit for so long after everyone else had moved on.

[Kawasicki]

kaliber said:

Kawasicki said:

doogz said:

Kawasicki said:

Always love to read negative comments on live rear axle, wonder why the same experts aren't so damning of front wheel drive?

Where?

I don't see anyone saying that.

PH "And, here's the really revolutionary part, the COTF V8 Supercars will now have independent rear suspension (!). That's right, these V8 behemoths had been using live rear axles until this year. Don't you just love Australians?"

I think the point Ph was making was that the technology is quite old and that IRS is the modern replacement. If anything they were complimenting the brother from Oz on using such an exciting but antiquated piece of kit for so long after everyone else had moved on.

I don't see it, or your comment for that matter, as a compliment.

Did you know that both Ford and Holden use pushrod engines. Pushrods, how antiquated!...gotta love those Aussies!