The Germans are coming!!

[Eno the Wonderdog]

bugger - not a quote - a linky..

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-news/g ... -pvdm.html

[Everso Biggyballies]

Awesome news.

The prospect of overseas manufacturers like AMG Merc and BMW will be great.
Not quite convinced how it fits with the cost reduction scheme but a bit of hi-tech machinery, and throw away the solid rear axles is certainly going to bring it up to date and may well inspire other manufacturers to join in.

Look forward to seeing the AMG Merc V8 Supercar Ridecar getting some press at Albert Park so we can see. it.

[Mad Maper Thirteen]

A few years ago i had a dream of the Germans in the v8's and it might come true

[Jari]

Ahh. Mercedes

Don't mention the war.

[Yoda]

I welcome it, the category needs more manufacturers.

It would be interesting to see how technical regulators handle a multi valve v8 against a pushrod v8, a multivalve engine will produce more power than a pushrod engine of equivalent displacement.

Only way around it is to either reduce the rev limit or reduce the displacement of the multivave engine.

[ibd77]

[Bogan]No, The euro trash can stay in Europe, it's Holden and Ford or it's nothing[/Bogan]

[Jari]

No need for the /bogan ibd, I think we take it as read with accordance to your avatar.

[Eno the Wonderdog]

He he - anyone would think football season's coming N1K!

[ibd77]

No need for the /bogan ibd, I think we take it as read with accordance to your avatar.

You thinking about the other Black & White aren't you?

All class here baby.

[Goatlemon]

If this happens I might actually start watching the V8s; letting in other manufacturers is long overdue and has the potential to make the category much less coma inducingly boring to me.

[Mad Maper Thirteen]

http://www.v8supercars.com.au/amg-+-888 ... fault.aspx

AMG + 888 = “a crock”
Triple Eight Racing Engineering’s Roland Dane has described reports that he has had talks with Mercedes-Benz or AMG as a “crock”.
Dane said he laughed out loud when he read a media article linking Triple Eight, which runs the all-conquering TeamVodafone, with Mercedes-Benz to run a V8 Supercar team after the Car of the Future regulations are implemented.
“What astonishes me is nobody’s ever asked me,” he said.
“Not one single person has asked me if we have ever spoken with Mercedes-Benz about coming into V8 Supercars or going racing full stop.
“I’ve never, ever spoken to them (Mercedes-Benz) about it.”
Dane said Triple Eight was keen to continue its relationship with Holden past 2012, when the current contract finishes.
“Of course I’d love to carry on the way we are with the sponsors we’ve got and everybody else but is it possible? Who knows?
“We are very happy to have a deal with Holden,” he continued.
“If we can keep doing what we’re doing, that deal will almost certainly continue beyond then (the end of 2012). So why the hell would I be doing something else (with another manufacturer)? It’s nonsensical.”
Dane said it was not necessarily important to have more manufacturers enter the category.
“To me it’s important to have an open mind to somebody with the right sort of caliber coming in if need be because car manufacturers can come and go,” he explained.
“It’s always good in a business, and V8 Supercars is a business teams own, to always keep your options a bit open.”
Dane noted that Car of the Future was not primarily about attracting more manufacturers to the series.
“Car of the Future is about trying to build a car which is as serviceable as possible within certain cost constraints and to keep ourselves relevant with the current manufacturers, let alone anyone else,” he said.

The only reason people are making the link is Vodafone also sponsors mecmerc (now that Mercedes have their own team how long will McLaren and Mercedes be linked)

[Everso Biggyballies]

The only reason people are making the link is Vodafone also sponsors mecmerc (now that Mercedes have their own team how long will McLaren and Mercedes be linked)

More to the point I have a feeling Vodafone may still sponsor one of more cars in the AMG Mercedes team in the DTM.... they certainly did sponsor them prior to being with McLaren and well before 888.



As for the link between MB and McLaren they (McLaren) have a contracted engine supply deal with Merc for a few years yet but as for the shareholding in McLaren they have said they will be selling that within the forseable future (I think 18 months sort of leadtime). At that point McLaren would 'just' become a Merc Engine Customer.

There are no longer any manufacturing links for roadcars between the two, with McLaren doing their own range of road cars (due next year), and Mercedes now 100% responsible for the in house production of the SLR McLaren Merc (no longer in production AFAIK) replacement just released, the Gull Wing SL.

[Cammos]

No need for the /bogan ibd, I think we take it as read with accordance to your avatar.

You thinking about the other Black & White aren't you?

All class here baby.

You mean this Black and White? Shame your coach was a gun Collingwood player in his past life hehe; and before you get in, 1 premiership in 50yrs, yes I know :p.

Anyways, back on topic.

I'm trying to get into the V8's more and more, seeing I'm finding F1 dull and boring as of late; hence no ticket to this years race.

I think a single chassis class with bolt on panels isn't a bad idea, but I don't want the look of the cars to change too much from their road counterpart. Though I don't think a return to the requirement of 400 or 401 sales of the road version as a mandatory requirement before you can race is a bad idea.

The Germans, I think is a good idea to a degree. I think the V8's is one of the best touring car series in the world and having the Germans in it, I think, could give some well deserved world exposure to the sport. The V8's I'm sure would be cheaper to run than a DTM car and seeing Australia is one of AMG's biggest markets (believe it or not) it makes sense for them to get involved with us!

Could also see Toyota finally come in as they wanted to do years ago. But lack of FWD Supercar hampered their 'dream'. they have the V8 in the IS F, so I don't see why you can't rebadge it to a a Toyota. ES300 / Camry anybody?

Though, I would like to see the pushrod engines gone across the board. I'm all for the twin overhead camshafts and multivalve engines! TECHNOLOGY!

This isn't a bad page for those learning about engines. Gives a great explanation with images of pushrod and SOHC engines. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/camshaft1.htm

[Everso Biggyballies]

It would certainly justify the move to Internattional races that seems to be the thought process for the future. Clearly they would have to drop the Australian aspect in the VESA title and make it VISI or VISCI for International. We all know Cockbreath is after World Domination, rather than providing an Australian product.

[Mad Maper Thirteen]

http://www.v8supercars.com.au/blue-v-re ... fault.aspx

Blue v Red ain’t dead
V8 Supercars Chairman, Tony Cochrane, said he cannot see the rivalry between Ford and Holden dying even if another manufacturer enters the category.

“To be perfectly honest I think that the Ford and Holden rivalry will go on, the only difference will be that there will be two or three other manufacturers running around them,” he said.

“I think it will just build the audience. I think we will gain a new audience.

“From Ford’s and Holden’s point of view they will gain even more relevance in the market place, especially with our expanding international television coverage.”

Cochrane said both Holden and Ford are supportive of the move because they understand they cannot fund the entire 29-car grid.

Holden Motorsport Manager, Simon McNamara, is not that keen to have another marque enter V8 Supercars because he does not want to see any other company “riding on the coattails” of Holden’s involvement.

“But having said that it’s not our sport and if someone was to come in we’d want them to be an equitable entry into the sport and we’d want it to be a mainstream player, not a niche car company,” he said.

McNamara commented on recent speculation that Mercedes-Benz, or its subsidiary AMG, and BMW could enter the sport once Car of the Future regulations are introduced.

“Can you honestly see somebody spending $350,000 on a C63 driving to Winton to watch his cars racing against a Commodore and Falcon, with no disrespect to our cars, and then most likely get beaten and cop it from a guy in the car park with his SS (Commodore)?

“I don’t think it’s going to happen somehow. Both of those manufacturers said they weren’t interested so I don’t know why we’re event talking about it.”

But Cochrane said that research shows fans attitudes towards other manufacturers entering has been changing over the past 10 years.

He cited research which showed 68 per cent of fans say yes, 20 per cent say no and the rest are unsure.

“Our fan base has expanded enormously over the past 10 years, where it was very much a blue-collar sport and it was very much Ford versus Holden,” Cochrane said.

The Car of the Future plan will be released after the Australian Grand Prix takes place later this month.