Is the idea of "Race on Sunday, sell on Monday" still alive?
Discussion
My inclination is that "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" was probably at its peak in the 1980s/1990s and that there are few cars nowadays that were designed to compete in motorsport or directly inspired by motorsport (apart from the GR Yaris maybe)? This is a shame, as with a few notable exceptions, I'm not really that into supercars and the majority of the cars that would be in my "dream garage" are probably homologation specials that were designed to compete.
I'm thinking, Audi quattro, E30 M3, Delta Integrale, Sierra/Escort Cosworth, Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo etc. An American car podcast (Carmudgeon) recently discussed this and came to the conclusion that these cars didn't really sell in high numbers, so success in racing didn't really translate to sales in new car showrooms but they were coming from it from a uniquely American perspective where the consumer wouldn't necessarily see the appeal of a highly tuned/boosted 4 cylinder engine in an E30 M3 or Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 for example over the less powerful but cheaper 6 cylinder alternative but I think they largely missed the point. Were there homologation specials before this? I'm not sure, do the Lotus Cortinas/Sunbeams, mk1/2 Escort RS, Mini Cooper qualify?
The E30 M3/Sierra/Escort Cosworth were expensive cars in their day that didn't sell in massive numbers but how many 316is, Sierra 1.6Ls, mk5 Escorts did they sell off the back of the halo effect of those cars? Less so the Lancia Delta, Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer, as I don't think that they ever sold in huge numbers (in the UK at least) but the Integrale/Impreza Turbo/WRX/Evo have legendary status amongst enthusiasts and carried a cult following right into the 2000s in the case of the Subarus/Mitsubishis, especially in the UK. This "halo" effect even filtered down to the lower levels of rallying in more accessible vehicles like the 205/309 GTi and Nova/Astra GTE, which competed successfully in Group N/national championships.
I'm not even sure if a "special" homologation car was really necessary, look at the Supertouring era in the 1990s BTCC when you had a 10+ strong field of cars that resembled your dad's family car/repmobile. With the possible exception of the Volvo 850 T5, I don't think that any of those cars were specifically designed to race but there must have been some correlation between which team/driver you supported at the weekend and the car parked on your drive. In my case, it was the mk3 Cavalier that I had a bit of a thing for, even though a 1.6 Envoy beared little relation to John Cleland's touring car!
So rallying and BTCC had mass popularity in the 1980s/1990s compared to today, which must have had an impact on new car sales in the showroom but those sports are much less mainstream/in the public eye today, so perhaps manufacturers don't see the value in pursuing the connection. There has never been a Fiesta RS or a Polo R based on the rally car for example.
Formula 1 has remained the most popular/mainstream form of motorsport but I'm not actually that sure if a manufacturer's involvement in the sport has ever really made much of an impact in new car showrooms. Ferrari of course was a racing team first and a road car manufacturer second in the early days, which may have helped them sell road cars in the early days but I don't really think that their presence in F1 has much of an impact on new car sales today. The only manufacturers that have possibly benefitted from their link with F1 IMHO are Renault and Honda, specifically with their success with Williams and McLaren respectively in the 1980s/1990s, which leant their road cars an air of sporting credibility.
As for sports car racing/Le Mans, I'm not really sure if anyone really cares, I don't know if Jaguar's/Audi's successes over the years have really helped them sell more cars. Ford perhaps off the back of the giant-killing GT40, Porsche has an evergreen motorsport credibility with the 911 and it is nice to see Aston Martin racing again in recent years.
Arguably the quattro probably had a bigger impact on Audi's future than the highly successful diesel Le Mans cars ever did though, turning it from a "posh" Volkswagen with a lack of identity to a "premium" brand with sporting credibility and a USP (AWD) in its own right.
So in 2026, do you think that the notion of "Race on Sunday, sell on Monday" is still alive and if not, why not and what in that case would be the incentive for the manufacturer in competing in motorsport?
I'm thinking, Audi quattro, E30 M3, Delta Integrale, Sierra/Escort Cosworth, Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo etc. An American car podcast (Carmudgeon) recently discussed this and came to the conclusion that these cars didn't really sell in high numbers, so success in racing didn't really translate to sales in new car showrooms but they were coming from it from a uniquely American perspective where the consumer wouldn't necessarily see the appeal of a highly tuned/boosted 4 cylinder engine in an E30 M3 or Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 for example over the less powerful but cheaper 6 cylinder alternative but I think they largely missed the point. Were there homologation specials before this? I'm not sure, do the Lotus Cortinas/Sunbeams, mk1/2 Escort RS, Mini Cooper qualify?
The E30 M3/Sierra/Escort Cosworth were expensive cars in their day that didn't sell in massive numbers but how many 316is, Sierra 1.6Ls, mk5 Escorts did they sell off the back of the halo effect of those cars? Less so the Lancia Delta, Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer, as I don't think that they ever sold in huge numbers (in the UK at least) but the Integrale/Impreza Turbo/WRX/Evo have legendary status amongst enthusiasts and carried a cult following right into the 2000s in the case of the Subarus/Mitsubishis, especially in the UK. This "halo" effect even filtered down to the lower levels of rallying in more accessible vehicles like the 205/309 GTi and Nova/Astra GTE, which competed successfully in Group N/national championships.
I'm not even sure if a "special" homologation car was really necessary, look at the Supertouring era in the 1990s BTCC when you had a 10+ strong field of cars that resembled your dad's family car/repmobile. With the possible exception of the Volvo 850 T5, I don't think that any of those cars were specifically designed to race but there must have been some correlation between which team/driver you supported at the weekend and the car parked on your drive. In my case, it was the mk3 Cavalier that I had a bit of a thing for, even though a 1.6 Envoy beared little relation to John Cleland's touring car!
So rallying and BTCC had mass popularity in the 1980s/1990s compared to today, which must have had an impact on new car sales in the showroom but those sports are much less mainstream/in the public eye today, so perhaps manufacturers don't see the value in pursuing the connection. There has never been a Fiesta RS or a Polo R based on the rally car for example.
Formula 1 has remained the most popular/mainstream form of motorsport but I'm not actually that sure if a manufacturer's involvement in the sport has ever really made much of an impact in new car showrooms. Ferrari of course was a racing team first and a road car manufacturer second in the early days, which may have helped them sell road cars in the early days but I don't really think that their presence in F1 has much of an impact on new car sales today. The only manufacturers that have possibly benefitted from their link with F1 IMHO are Renault and Honda, specifically with their success with Williams and McLaren respectively in the 1980s/1990s, which leant their road cars an air of sporting credibility.
As for sports car racing/Le Mans, I'm not really sure if anyone really cares, I don't know if Jaguar's/Audi's successes over the years have really helped them sell more cars. Ford perhaps off the back of the giant-killing GT40, Porsche has an evergreen motorsport credibility with the 911 and it is nice to see Aston Martin racing again in recent years.
Arguably the quattro probably had a bigger impact on Audi's future than the highly successful diesel Le Mans cars ever did though, turning it from a "posh" Volkswagen with a lack of identity to a "premium" brand with sporting credibility and a USP (AWD) in its own right.
So in 2026, do you think that the notion of "Race on Sunday, sell on Monday" is still alive and if not, why not and what in that case would be the incentive for the manufacturer in competing in motorsport?
Edited by white_goodman on Wednesday 17th June 15:20
Edited by white_goodman on Wednesday 17th June 15:22
Edited by white_goodman on Wednesday 17th June 15:23
Edited by white_goodman on Wednesday 17th June 15:24
It was definitely a thing for the Subaru/Evo type cars around the turn of the century.
Jason Plato was successful in BTCC in the early Chinese MG saloons but they sold barely any of them.
I'm not sure a single mention of last weekend's Le Mans victory has occurred in any Toyota showroom this week.
I suspect the modern version of the idiom would be based around seeing online influencers and being tempted into a dealership.
Jason Plato was successful in BTCC in the early Chinese MG saloons but they sold barely any of them.
I'm not sure a single mention of last weekend's Le Mans victory has occurred in any Toyota showroom this week.
I suspect the modern version of the idiom would be based around seeing online influencers and being tempted into a dealership.
I’m sure Aston as part of their need to appeal to some new types of younger customer used the F1 connection not that long ago.
As far as I know this has made virtually no impact on sales.
Not that winning on a Sunday seems particularly likely when even finishing on a Sunday seems quite hard work.
As far as I know this has made virtually no impact on sales.
Not that winning on a Sunday seems particularly likely when even finishing on a Sunday seems quite hard work.
No, influencers are more prominent and as motorsport leaves the main TV channels (and viewers leave TV) motorsports get less and less attention.
I don't think it was ever to sell the homologation specials but the sense of buying into the aura of success by buying the same badge, even if it was a bottom of the range hatchback.
I don't think it was ever to sell the homologation specials but the sense of buying into the aura of success by buying the same badge, even if it was a bottom of the range hatchback.
Ducati rule MotoGP and World Superbikes and their sales have fell globally (slightly).
Their biggest sellers isn't their on road race bikes, it's the adventure-touring one (SUV of the bike world)
"While the Borgo Panigale brand has built an unprecedented reputation for track superiority, their commercial success is driven more by premium pricing, high-profit collector models"
Their biggest sellers isn't their on road race bikes, it's the adventure-touring one (SUV of the bike world)
"While the Borgo Panigale brand has built an unprecedented reputation for track superiority, their commercial success is driven more by premium pricing, high-profit collector models"
It seems the phrase is accredited to Ford Dealer Bob Tasca:
https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/tasca-ford/
It seems Bob Tasca III is now involved with competing in high performance Mustangs.
Regarding the link above. There's a Ford many PHers may recognise, and a reference to a certain racing driver who's now involved in F1 again. One of my treasured possessions is a Motorcraft with the blurred GT40 image on it keyring a maternal aunt gave me when I was a child.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/tasca-ford/
It seems Bob Tasca III is now involved with competing in high performance Mustangs.
Regarding the link above. There's a Ford many PHers may recognise, and a reference to a certain racing driver who's now involved in F1 again. One of my treasured possessions is a Motorcraft with the blurred GT40 image on it keyring a maternal aunt gave me when I was a child.
As Truckosaurus said, Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Lancer was probably the last example, although special mention maybe to Mcrae tearing it up in a Focus around the same time.
Go back to the 80s/90s and sporadic examples of Escort & Sierra Cossies, Audi Quattro, maybe even an MG Metro on the back of a 6R4.
In the 70s it was very much a thing. Escort Mexico springs to mind.
Go back to the 80s/90s and sporadic examples of Escort & Sierra Cossies, Audi Quattro, maybe even an MG Metro on the back of a 6R4.
In the 70s it was very much a thing. Escort Mexico springs to mind.
Edited by worsy on Wednesday 17th June 17:17
I don't think it is relevant at all nowadays.
Cars are almost all more than fast enough for most people. Driving fast is frowned upon and few people are interested anyway.
Cars are almost all more than fast enough for most people. Driving fast is frowned upon and few people are interested anyway.
worsy said:
I once (10-15 years ago) spotted Gwyndaf Evans eating an ice cream in a Ford Mondeo estate at a services near Telford. He has the Ford dealer in Dolgellau, apparently.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff