RE: The best BTCC car ever: PH Blog
Discussion
Zad said:
I'm guessing that most of those people who aren't voting for the Sierra RS500 weren't born then?
Certainly a brilliant, iconic car but it was pretty much in a class by itself during a relative lull in the history of the BTCC.The Supertouring era that followed it was probably the most competitive touring car racing has been anywhere ever (9 works teams and 6 ex F1 drivers in 1994) so for me, anything that stands out in that era is more impressive.
Edit: Forget Tiffany Dell had 1 F1 start
Edited by 99dndd on Wednesday 9th August 18:23
The BTCC holds no interest for me nowadays, as it's too much like banger racing in cars which only have the slightest of links to their showroom counterparts, but this thread has evoked fond memories of the days when the fans could - and did - readily identify with the drivers and their cars.
High points? The Volvo estate has already rightly had several mentions, and I was always a fan of Jan Lammers and Kelvin Burt. But the extraordinary BMW M3's of alleged team mates James Weaver and Frank Sytner grabbed the attention of the viewers, usually because they were swapping paint in most races. The fearsome Sierra Cosworths were spectacular, but inevitably made the racing too expensive at the front, and were victims of their own success.
At the other end of the scale, I always enjoyed the racing in the "minnow" class, with the likes of Richard Longman, John Morris and Richard Lloyd (briefly teamed with Stirling Moss in Audis). Vic Lee also made a name for himself in the BTCC, firstly as a driver and then team owner, his cars always competitive and immaculately presented, though that ended badly.
Oddball cars which were derived from unpromising beginnings, such as the Nissan Primera already referenced, and the Toyota Carina which Andy Rouse somehow turned into a race-winner gave an added dimension to the championship, and there were even more peculiar one-offs such as Patrick Watts' Mazda Xedos 6 which, if the stars aligned, was capable of the occasional surprising result.
For me, the days of the Listerene BMW's against the works Cavaliers were probably the zenith of the BTCC, before TOCA started interfering too much with the rules and we ended up with the rather anodyne cars of today.
High points? The Volvo estate has already rightly had several mentions, and I was always a fan of Jan Lammers and Kelvin Burt. But the extraordinary BMW M3's of alleged team mates James Weaver and Frank Sytner grabbed the attention of the viewers, usually because they were swapping paint in most races. The fearsome Sierra Cosworths were spectacular, but inevitably made the racing too expensive at the front, and were victims of their own success.
At the other end of the scale, I always enjoyed the racing in the "minnow" class, with the likes of Richard Longman, John Morris and Richard Lloyd (briefly teamed with Stirling Moss in Audis). Vic Lee also made a name for himself in the BTCC, firstly as a driver and then team owner, his cars always competitive and immaculately presented, though that ended badly.
Oddball cars which were derived from unpromising beginnings, such as the Nissan Primera already referenced, and the Toyota Carina which Andy Rouse somehow turned into a race-winner gave an added dimension to the championship, and there were even more peculiar one-offs such as Patrick Watts' Mazda Xedos 6 which, if the stars aligned, was capable of the occasional surprising result.
For me, the days of the Listerene BMW's against the works Cavaliers were probably the zenith of the BTCC, before TOCA started interfering too much with the rules and we ended up with the rather anodyne cars of today.
La Liga said:
My Dad took me to see the Toca Shootout when I was very young to see Mansell when he held both his F1 and Indy championships (I think). A really cold day. I was opposite when Tiff smashed him into the wall.
I was on the otherside of the bridge when tiff knocked him off.silentbrown said:
Jack Sears' Ford Galaxie.
A bit before my time, but I just love the concept of racing something as big and unruly as these.
My wallet, credit card, pension pot and deeds to the house have been locked out of my reach by Mrs SB because it's now for sale!
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/24141/[url]
Aye, that was going to be my pick as wellA bit before my time, but I just love the concept of racing something as big and unruly as these.
My wallet, credit card, pension pot and deeds to the house have been locked out of my reach by Mrs SB because it's now for sale!
https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/24141/[url]
I was born in 72 so by 77 or 78 cars had got hold of me and its so difficult to pick a car from all those years.....my dad had a picture of a GAA capri on his wall at work and that is the best looking racing car ever made but btcc cars, the broadspeed mk1 escorts i remember being extra special in purple and silver with bubble arches at the front byt not the rear and they had 1.3 fuel injection" which came from outer space fir me" but could match all the bigger engined cars of the time but the rs500 had to be king for outright speed and legend status but over all best car had to be the M3....it was just awesome to look at and handled so well and screamed like the ford escorts of old.....
Skater12 said:
These three.....
The Escort, simply because look at it, it's bloody gorgeous! Plus it screamed!
The obvious Volvo, because everyone though it was ridiculous, then it started winning.
And finally the Mondeo, because my dad had one of the 2nd gen cars like this, plus Mansell drove one.
The estate in fact never won a race.The Escort, simply because look at it, it's bloody gorgeous! Plus it screamed!
The obvious Volvo, because everyone though it was ridiculous, then it started winning.
And finally the Mondeo, because my dad had one of the 2nd gen cars like this, plus Mansell drove one.
Uncle John said:
Alfa 155 with Tarquini behind the wheel.
[/img]
It has to be the Alfa, in 94 they literally came from nowhere with what was essentially a Abarth tweaked Fiat Tipo with noisy brakes, fire spitting exhaust and some aerodynamic tweaks which upset all the other teams and took over the whole season. The 155 went on to be a very succesful racing car in numerous touring car series and I think I read somewhere the DTM 155 was one of the most sophisticated racing cars of the time.[/img]
That image is from the last race of the 94 season at Donnington I think, it had just overtaken the BMW to take 4th place from starting at the back of the grid.
steve-5snwi said:
La Liga said:
My Dad took me to see the Toca Shootout when I was very young to see Mansell when he held both his F1 and Indy championships (I think). A really cold day. I was opposite when Tiff smashed him into the wall.
I was on the otherside of the bridge when tiff knocked him off.
Probably not going to get Best Ever prize!
Zad said:
I'm guessing that most of those people who aren't voting for the Sierra RS500 weren't born then?
Probably not. I was born in the late 80's and I was too young to remember it racing but I hold it up as a heroic car. It destroyed all that came to challenge it and took part in some tremendous races. Rouse and Soper had some top battles. It is my favourite BTCC car. The fast Fords of that era are very dear to me because they were everywhere when I was young. Outside of the Sierra Cosworth, the A4 remains a firm favourite. I think the racing was actually better after the Sierra Cosworth retired as the competition could once again, compete!
sinbaddio said:
Has to be the TWR Bastos SD1 for me:
If memory serves me correctly, my Uncle worked on these back in the early 80s, he also knew and speaks fondly of Tony Pond, so I have a soft spot for them.My era was the Andy Rouse RS500s though, so fast that they were outlawed! I remember a tale of them running in a support race for Formula 1 somewhere, apparently, at one point on the circuit, they were hitting higher speeds than the F1 cars!
Another favourite has to be
LanceRS said:
If memory serves me correctly, my Uncle worked on these back in the early 80s, he also knew and speaks fondly of Tony Pond, so I have a soft spot for them.
My era was the Andy Rouse RS500s though, so fast that they were outlawed! I remember a tale of them running in a support race for Formula 1 somewhere, apparently, at one point on the circuit, they were hitting higher speeds than the F1 cars!
Another favourite has to be
One tale of olde ,was that an RS500 hit higher speeds on Hanger straight than a F3000 car,not sure about F1.My era was the Andy Rouse RS500s though, so fast that they were outlawed! I remember a tale of them running in a support race for Formula 1 somewhere, apparently, at one point on the circuit, they were hitting higher speeds than the F1 cars!
Another favourite has to be
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