Vauxhall and 2004

[mark]

I read in a magazine the other day that 2003 will be the last year of the BTCC Astra Coupe. :(

It also quoted that Ian Harrison said that they were already looking at next years car. Hopefully then, from this, it looks as though Vaux will continue next year, contrary to rumours at the beginning of the season, but obviously with a different Vauxhall!

:)

[kevin ritson]

There's supposedly a new Astra for next year but whether it makes the deadline remains to be seen.

Another point is that manufacturers can get bored of a race series, whether it's because they aren't winning or they keep winning and the marketing value decreases (ie: people only start to notice the brand when it doesn't win - such as Goodyear in F1 when it had a monopoly). Hopefully this scenario won't play out as the series needs stability to help it grow

[Amanda]

We went to Motordrive a couple of weeks ago. We asked about the new Astra on the Vauxhall stand and were told it would be launched in 2004. Maybe Vauxhall will use that?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

And you all had ago at me when I brought this up earlier this year :rolleyes:;)

Well its definatly a grey area. Possibly a years break? Surely the car would need lots of time to be developed. If the car was released mid season then Vauxhall and 888 have a major problem if they want to race.

Vauxhall would not want the old Astra racing for PR reasons I assume and 888 would not be able to build new cars from scratch and get them on track at little notice.

Unfortunatly we will have to wait and see what happens.

[Ed- the MG fan]

Might do what MG did and enter during the end of the season as the car hadn't been offically launched in time for the start of the 2001 season

[MGmad]

Good to be back firstly. I have been busy brushing up on the BTCC and I feel I know quite a bit more than before.

Secondly, quite why VX want to have a 1 year or even a 100 year sabatical is anyones guess!! I have made a spreadsheet of the season and Muller is way ahead of anyone else in terms of not just success but simple consitency. With 3 1st's, 3 2nd's spots and no third places he proves that by having more consistency than probably last season VX are now in all likelyhood oficially the completed result and no further testing needs to be done.

This is my logic. They first had to develop Plato's car. But just when he got into a good level of consistency, what may have been down to 'age' meant he left, so they probably, as a result of a new team-mate for Yvan and therefore new individual needs, had to start again.
But in Thommo they have a driver who is young enough to stay and so could think about developing for the long term. Now Thommo has a good car VX must now develop Yvan's. Wich they have done well in.

But I still think Honda will nick them to the title!!

[Carl Breeze fan]

How about the Signum? It's about the right size and shape, and is released this year, so there won't be any trouble in racing one

[Alan]

I think the reason why they might be talking of a year out is to do with marketing.

They will not want to be seen running the old Astra Coupe if the new one is due out next year I would think. However I believe the new model is not coming out until late next year, so perhaps that would not be a problem.

They may even be in it this year only because it is their 100th anniversary!!!

[cav1995]

I am hopeful they will run the astra coupe in 2004. It would be the cars 4th year in the series and as the cav and the vectra were run for 4 years, I see know reason why they should with withdraw the most successful BTCC car ever. I know a new Astra is on the Horizon but it's not a coupe.