Vauxhall Insignia in 2010

[simon1220]

Vauxhall specialists Thorney Motorsport are looking to enter a Insignia into the later rounds of the BTCC next season. They are developing the car for the NGTC rules and will race it in Britcar next season beforing aiming to take part in a few rounds of BTCC towards the end of the year.

These guys are a top team, great success over the years and to take on the task of creating the insignia is big work, but best of luck to them.

[mbailey06]

Great news if it happens, may I ask your source or is that not possible?

[simon1220]

Great news if it happens, may I ask your source or is that not possible?

Motorsport News

[Eunos]

I'll take this News with a Pinch off Salt for the Time Being.

Would be great to see an Inisginia on the Grid for '10.. In away i wish the NGTC Rules were coming into play this coming Season.

But i understand these things take time etc, So i'll just enjoy the S2000 rules for now :D

[redshoes]

From the horse's mouth, as posted by John Thorne on another forum

Our Insignia plans will be for NGTC spec but are still early stages as a lot is still relatively uncertain in the regs. Needless to say we are being quite deliberate about it so I doubt it will see the light of day until April and not expecting it to even enter a race until very late in the season (assuming we will be allowed and theres no guarantee of that). The plan is for a full assault for 2011 season and 2010 as a full season of testing in a variety of racing. It will run the NGTC engine from the outset.

[bigred]

could be a clever master stroke if vauxhall were to re consider btcc in future, a private team with all the bits and bobs already done would be well favoured to get the cash to run as a works outfit

[Mondeo2]

could be a clever master stroke if vauxhall were to re consider btcc in future, a private team with all the bits and bobs already done would be well favoured to get the cash to run as a works outfit

With GM still in turmoil with the departure of their latest CEO, I wouldn't hold my breath.

[fabricator]

I wonder if that is the shell that I de-bracketed just before being made redundant at 888. If it is then they have a huge job on as it was very very soft in its tortion tests and would need a very intricate rollcage to put back the stiffness required to make a competitive car. I wish them well in their endeavours.

[stupot1981]

The Mondeo is better anyway :p

[Thorney]

It will take some considerable time for this project, which is very much an independant operation, its not currently a manufacturer supported project at all as a result (seeing as its our money we're spending) we will be pretty deliberate over its inception. We anticipate a first roll out of the car no earlier than April/May next year with at least 3/4 months of chassis testing thereafter. Seeing as its being designed and built to NGTC regulations (and these are far from clear at the moment) we will endeavour to involve BTCC at the earliest opportunity and then on going thereafter but no point jumping the gun with our plans until we're ready to move forward.

Do I think the car will race in the 2010 season? Possibly, but the current rules effectively ban it from the series (understandably so) so its first BTCC race may well be in 2011 but only after an extensive 2010 season of testing and hopefully racing in other series. There is an argument for one of the cars to run the Silverstone 24hr race which we have experience of as part of a development plan but that requires a seperate budget that we've not yet addressed.

We've got some design mock ups of the shell that look pretty good but as these show off a new livery that we're not allowed to announce until January we have to keep these secret for now.:D

[kezbabybabe]

Hey Thorney,

Thanks for the update! Maybe you'll pop in often to let us know how things are progressing?

Good luck to the team.
:)

[RobS]

Hey Thorney,

Thanks for the update! Maybe you'll pop in often to let us know how things are progressing?

Good luck to the team.
:)

Iecho those thoughts, it would be great ot hear from a prospective team keeping us up to date with news and maybe some photos of the build as it gathers pace.

[09chapmang]

i hope so then the might get o neill or fiona leggate racing. but it comes down to money

[cxx666]

i hope so then the might get o neill or fiona leggate racing. but it comes down to money

I hope they'd get O'Neill because he's 1 of the best "non professionals" (no disrepect to him) out there and really deserves a seat in a good car. I would have thought it unlikely Leggate would return, did I not read somewhere she's got a kid now?

[kezbabybabe]

Yes Fiona does have a little one now, but that wouldn't necessarily stop her from racing of course. :cool:

[cxx666]

I didnt say it would stop her, I just said I would have thought it unlikey she would return to racing.

I'm not saying it always has to be this way, but we all know that women often do the full time mum thing for a bit. The reason I would have thought it unlikey is the amount of time spent helping to develop a racing car would mean less time with the kid, thats all.

[kezbabybabe]

It's alright CXX666 I wasn't arguing with you. :)

[cxx666]

Oh right, fair enough. All good!

[projectzip]

BIG CAR!

:eek:

Super Saloon circa 2011 sounds awesome to me!!

[Freddie]

I hope they'd get O'Neill because he's 1 of the best "non professionals" (no disrepect to him) out there and really deserves a seat in a good car. I would have thought it unlikely Leggate would return, did I not read somewhere she's got a kid now?


I think you may cause much disrespect to him as he is very much a "professional" driver. OK he has to raise the sponsership to allow him to compete but I know of no other job he does. He is even MN's test driver.

[S_Thomas1972]

have Seen alot on this project but not seen it race yet is it still being worked on or has it breen dropped.

As it close to 2 years since it was first talked about.

[wildcard106]

Try searching the forums. The car(s) is due for Silverstone.

[Claw]

Well we heard nothing about the Proton and it turned up when they said it would. Then there's Team 48 and Clyde Valley and they were alll talk. The quieter the better I think.

[cxx666]

I think you may cause much disrespect to him as he is very much a "professional" driver. OK he has to raise the sponsership to allow him to compete but I know of no other job he does. He is even MN's test driver.

I didn't realise till now this had been posted, but for the benefit of those who are reading it now (as the thread has resurrected) I'll clarify. When I said non professional what I'm sure I probably meant was that he wasn't a paid driver, ie needs sponsorship to allow him to compete. However it was said a long time ago and anyone who has taken in things I've said about various drivers will see that far from thinking O'Neill isn't a professional at what he does, I actually rate him highly and admire his love of the sport and his respect he has for other drivers.