Why aren't other car companies in the WRC?

[MazKid]

In the WRC, we have Ford, Mitsubishi, Hyundia, Citroen, Peugot, Skoda.

Why not other cars?

Like Mazda can have the Protege, Nissan could have the Sentra or Primera, Honda could have the new Civic 3 door, VW could have the Beetle or Gulf....post what you want to see in the WRC.

 

[vat_man]

Well, the reasons would be that it doesn't suit their marketing (eg. Honda) , a partner company is already participating (Mazda with Ford), or they don't have any money.

That aside, I would love to see the Audi A3 in there - that thing looks tailor made for WRC.

 

[made in holland]

The Audi A3 would be a very cool wrc car.
Or a VW Golf

 

[MazKid]

yea I see your point...but there is a protege in the amature Rally races they have on Speed channel....it did pretty well.

 

[Joey D]

ya the Dodge Neon would be nice or the Chevy Caviler. lets see some american guys get out there and kick some european ass.

 

[-Fred-]

a Cavalier kick some ass in the WRC? Impossible.

WRC rules mandate a 2.0l Inline 4 which neither the Neon or the Cavalier come standard with.

besides, american carmakers see a lot more money with NASCAR than with the WRC...

besides, Honda is more into open wheel racing (CART and F1) and the other manufacturers you mentionned are pretty much nonexistent in professionnal motorsports nowadays.

Nissan used the Pulsar GTi-R in the early 90s, but it was a failure. too fragile, not fast enough to keep with the Lancias and Audis...

 

[Jordan]

Considering most of the manufacturers are in there for marketing purposes, I don't think the other companies (especially American companies) could justify the cost of running a team who would mostly be watched by Europeans. But, that's no excuse for companies like Mercedes-Benz (with their C-class compact), BMW (with their M Coupe, Z3, and many other models), or Audi (with their A3, as mentioned above) to sit by the sidelines.

 

[vat_man]

Sadly, Mercedes has been occupied with touring cars and F1 since its return to motorsport (and after the incidents at Le Mans a couple of years ago I doubt they'll be back to endurance racing for a while), and BMW has been the same way.

Given Skoda and Audi's common ownership VW won't be running both of them in the WRC - seems the prestige brands either go touring car, endurance or F1...

 

[troy]

 

[vat_man]

Originally posted by troy

Put it away son - you'll catch flies...

 

[MazKid]

Well Mazda's involved with the Valvoline Run-offs, and Formula Mazda stuff...joining the WRC would get them into mainstream racing.....

 

[-Fred-]

but the Runoffs and Formula Mazda are not considered International, like F1 or the WRC...

 

[MazKid]

Punk, that's what I'm saying. If Mazda joined the WRC, then they would be part of a world wide sport, and I think that that would help them.

 

[made in holland]

Originally posted by vat_man


Put it away son - you'll catch flies...

 

[Puffy]

i'd like to see a bimmer, like a z-3 with a little lift and rally tires, that would look hilarious

 

[Joey D]

yes that would be funny

 

[Puffy]

a Nissan Sentra would do good, have you guys got SCC for the month of June

 

[kyle]

I'd like to see a new A3, Stratos, and a Toyota. I don't think Toyota will go back to WRC though.

 

[TAFJonathan]

Money.

 

[Duke]

Originally posted by PunkRock WRC rules mandate a 2.0l Inline 4 which neither the Neon or the Cavalier come standard with.

Ummm, the 2.0l I4 is the only engine the Neon comes standard with. Nothing else is available until next spring, when you can buy one of these:

This car has a turbo 2.4l engine and is doing pretty well in American SCCA ProRally competition.

 

[TALONclaw]

I heard on the Speed Channel Rally show that a car company has to sell a certain amount of cars to meet the requirements for rally. Something of that sort.

 

[alex_gt]

Well you'd have to sell loads of cars to actually get the money to enter rally :2cents:..... And the car would have to be very competitive for a manufacturer to even bother investing in a Rally Team.....:gcar:....

Then of course there is the manufacturers target market..... Do :mercedes:, :bmw:, :audi: executive customers watch rally?