Volkswagen WRC
Discussion
Alan_I_W said:
WRC these days is like ASDA car park on a Friday night, a bunch of superminis doing handbrake turns. What happened to the Imprezas and Evos and RS Focus? Obviously Group B was the golden era of rallying but even just 10-12 years ago it still had some right cars.
Which begs the question, when was the last time you spectated on a WRC event ?GravelBen said:
I'm still waiting to see an official confirmation instead of just unconfirmed 'sources say' from a magazine.
Take your pick:
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/wrc/what-next-for-wrc-a...
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-wrc/u...
Redlake27 said:
As someone who used to stand in the mud at Chatsworth or Sutton Park on a cold 1980s November morning to watch the RAC Rally, the VW story prompted me to look when this year's RallyGB was to be held.
I wasn't quite in the bobble hat brigade but I used to follow rallying as slavishly as late 80s/early 90s media would allow and I too completely missed the fact that RallyGB was held last week.Indicative of the whole problem with WRC.
HighwayStar said:
GravelBen said:
I'm still waiting to see an official confirmation instead of just unconfirmed 'sources say' from a magazine.
Take your pick:
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/wrc/what-next-for-wrc-a...
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-wrc/u...
They may be right, but I'll wait and see.
GravelBen said:
HighwayStar said:
GravelBen said:
I'm still waiting to see an official confirmation instead of just unconfirmed 'sources say' from a magazine.
Take your pick:
http://www.eurosport.co.uk/wrc/what-next-for-wrc-a...
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport-wrc/u...
Did you actually bother to read the Updated Autocar piece?
"An official statement confirming the end to Volkswagen’s WRC involvement is set to be made on Wednesday, after affected staff have been told of the decision."
It also quotes:
“The priority is to advise our employees of the plans first,” a senior source revealed. “We will then make the decision to pull out of the WRC public. Until then, there will be nothing official.”
Of course I get what you are saying but why spilt hairs...?
Edited by HighwayStar on Wednesday 2nd November 09:43
And most of those media outlets are just copying each other because they're scared of being the last with the news.
All you're quoting from Autocar is just the same vague references to unnamed sources, though the fact that VW haven't denied it gives a little more credibility.
I'm just not one to hang too much on speculation (or have much faith in the media), so I'll wait a bit longer to see if its actually true before joining the discussions about who is going where and what it means for WRC.
All you're quoting from Autocar is just the same vague references to unnamed sources, though the fact that VW haven't denied it gives a little more credibility.
I'm just not one to hang too much on speculation (or have much faith in the media), so I'll wait a bit longer to see if its actually true before joining the discussions about who is going where and what it means for WRC.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 2nd November 10:00
Gareth1974 said:
Might Audi reappear in rallying with a S1 Quattro (essentially the 2017 Polo)?
Who knows, no rumour of that yet. They've killed of their Le Mans/LMP1 program and got behind Formula E instead.If they need to cut back killing off the Polo WRC, which was going to be called the GTI for the next campaign, moving over to Audi with the A1 would cost even more, the car would have to be completely redeveloped. The Polo/A1, essentially the same car as you pointed out but... neither bare any relation to the Polo WRC. Bring Audi to the WRC would initially cost even more money than stick with the Polo.
The VWG group not only have the fines across the globe (countries, customer groups, investors) etc, the bans on sales 'South Korea' and general meltdown of sales in certain markets, UK an exception. They have to re-engineer the vast majority of their products before the new tighter emission tests come in. Therefore ranges and models are been shrunk, new derivatives are been launched monthly with remapped engines and replacements fast tracked, this all costs billions and anywhere they can save cash they will, hence the Motorsport division seems to be one of the bean counters target.How many people bought a POLO based on seeing a WRC POLO? That ended 30+ years ago when Group 'B' Rally cars appeared and were just silhouettes of road cars.
GravelBen said:
And most of those media outlets are just copying each other because they're scared of being the last with the news.
All you're quoting from Autocar is just the same vague references to unnamed sources, though the fact that VW haven't denied it gives a little more credibility.
I'm just not one to hang too much on speculation (or have much faith in the media), so I'll wait a bit longer to see if its actually true before joining the discussions about who is going where and what it means for WRC.
Just landed in my inbox:All you're quoting from Autocar is just the same vague references to unnamed sources, though the fact that VW haven't denied it gives a little more credibility.
I'm just not one to hang too much on speculation (or have much faith in the media), so I'll wait a bit longer to see if its actually true before joining the discussions about who is going where and what it means for WRC.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 2nd November 10:00
If they want to focus on customer sport what would be the issue in flogging the 2017 cars to Prodrive or whoever and allowing them to run the cars instead. I can't imagine that many parts are made in house for the Polo WRC car bar the engine and some body panels. Suspension/brakes etc will all be bought in so can't see how that wouldn't change under customer ownership. And don't prodrive already build/run a customer Golf that's in the Asia Pacific series?
DanielSan said:
If they want to focus on customer sport what would be the issue in flogging the 2017 cars to Prodrive or whoever and allowing them to run the cars instead. I can't imagine that many parts are made in house for the Polo WRC car bar the engine and some body panels. Suspension/brakes etc will all be bought in so can't see how that wouldn't change under customer ownership. And don't prodrive already build/run a customer Golf that's in the Asia Pacific series?
That's the bit I couldn't comprehend either, unless, as has been pointed out, it stays dormant for twelve months then reemerges as a Fabia...And yeah, FAW-VW approached Prodrive to build a Golf for the SCRC, as another VW partnership in China has the rights to the Polo. Won the SCRC last year too it did.
Skoda could just stick a new body on the Polo 
Wonder if the drivers had any clue this was about to happen or not.
If the staff were being told perhaps the drivers too were in the dark.
Ogier has very close ties to Malcolm Wilson who tried to sign him before Volkswagen deal was struck.
At least the off season will be interesting.
Blow to the WRC. Yes two new teams but Volkswagen did a lot for the sport besides competing.
Wonder if the drivers had any clue this was about to happen or not.
If the staff were being told perhaps the drivers too were in the dark.
Ogier has very close ties to Malcolm Wilson who tried to sign him before Volkswagen deal was struck.
At least the off season will be interesting.
Blow to the WRC. Yes two new teams but Volkswagen did a lot for the sport besides competing.
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Skoda could just stick a new body on the Polo
Wonder if the drivers had any clue this was about to happen or not.
If the staff were being told perhaps the drivers too were in the dark.
Ogier has very close ties to Malcolm Wilson who tried to sign him before Volkswagen deal was struck.
At least the off season will be interesting.
Blow to the WRC. Yes two new teams but Volkswagen did a lot for the sport besides competing.
Ahhhh, how you jest Wonder if the drivers had any clue this was about to happen or not.
If the staff were being told perhaps the drivers too were in the dark.
Ogier has very close ties to Malcolm Wilson who tried to sign him before Volkswagen deal was struck.
At least the off season will be interesting.
Blow to the WRC. Yes two new teams but Volkswagen did a lot for the sport besides competing.
Ogier doesn't really have close to ties to Malcolm Wilson at all. He has far stronger ties with Peugeot/Citroen, he was there with Loeb for 3 seasons. Would Citroen make room for him? It wouldn't be much fun for Meeke. The new C3 is bound to be competitive from the off. Meeke has beaten Ogier in rallies this season, should they end up in the same team and he beat Ogier to the championship it would be all the more sweeter. Who knows.
Even better if VW hadn't pulled out and we could've seen the drivers battle it out in the new Pole and C3.
t hit the fan, and leave?lestiq said:
Does this mean we have another brand in the thrilling world of Formula e! ( I do have some faith that the series will get better, but for now it does remind me a bit too much of a lifesize scalextric)
I'm very openminded and can get interested in a of car stuff but I've seen a bit of Formula E and I just can't get into it. There is no sense of drama and it doesn't give me that eh, thing, the thing that makes you want to get behind a team or driver, follow them. It just leaves me cold.Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff