WTCC Chinese effort!

[superfox2000]

What has happened to the Chinese WTCC team? Are they now building Rover 75's?

[andy_b]

Brilliance is a different company to SAIC

[Gabrio]

Brilliance are meeting with F.I.A., Eurosport, Menard and K.S.O. next week in China to jump start the program. Hopefully they will develop and race their new car.

[TerryC]

An article from Autosport suggested that the China program is still indeed in the work however the car will not be ready to race until 2006.

[Monkey Head]

i think they have step on foodwork from Skoda

[Gabrio]

Originally Posted by TerryC

An article from Autosport suggested that the China program is still indeed in the work however the car will not be ready to race until 2006.

Correct. If contracts are finally signed, Menard will engeneer, develop the new car and test it. If competitive, it should race in 2006 with a European and a Chinese driver. It remains to be seen which team will run the cars, since Menard will only work on engineering and development, but will not take the cars to the track.

[newoutsider]

I was under the impression that John Batchelor is still managing the overall project on behalf of Brilliance, and that it was JB who brought Menard on board - or am I wrong?

[kmchow]

Originally Posted by TerryC

An article from Autosport suggested that the China program is still indeed in the work however the car will not be ready to race until 2006.

Anyone want to place bets on Brilliance appearing next year? I'm not sure if gambling is allowed on this BB??

10% chance or 10 to 1 odds of it appearing??

[Alfa Fan]

More like 100/1. It won't happen. As I said back in September 04 when it was announced.

[TerryC]

Guess only time will tell if the Brilliance deal materialises or not...but I'm certain that China is getting very keen on promoting its motorsport...

[Martin Haven]

The whole Brilliance deal has every hallmark of a fresh new source of cash being as rigorously hoovered dry as every other naive newcomer...

From the off, they seem to have been in trouble - what with their first choice of development partner...

As for the cars appearing, I think 2006 mught be optimistic...

If RML is struggling to make the Chevy deal work, imagine that, multiplied by the relative lack of knowledge of what is needed on the Chinese side, factor in the distances involved, squared it by the probable un-suitability of the base unit (just what IS it based on?? A Morris Major?? Daimler Conquest?? Citroen Visa??? Who knows????)

And so on and so on....

ZZZZZZZ

Hope that Honda manages to extract some digits and join in properly instead - that Accord Euro R looks quite handy... and it might persuade Nissan to look twice at a suitable Primera

[andy_b]

Doesnt Brilliance now have some sort of connection with BMW? Maybe there is bits of BMW DNA under the skin? Just like the Skoda from a few years ago, I doubt we will ever see it race

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by andy_b

Doesnt Brilliance now have some sort of connection with BMW? Maybe there is bits of BMW DNA under the skin? Just like the Skoda from a few years ago, I doubt we will ever see it race

The current Brilliance car (the car which they planned to enter WTCC) was based on a BMW with a Mitsubishi engine. I think the new car is a totally Chinese design.

[superfox2000]

There was talk of a British young gun having the second drive. Since the Vic Lee saga all has gone quiet! Hopefully John B&Q will prove you all wrong when the car hits the tracks.

[superfox2000]

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

The whole Brilliance deal has every hallmark of a fresh new source of cash being as rigorously hoovered dry as every other naive newcomer...

From the off, they seem to have been in trouble - what with their first choice of development partner...

As for the cars appearing, I think 2006 mught be optimistic...

If RML is struggling to make the Chevy deal work, imagine that, multiplied by the relative lack of knowledge of what is needed on the Chinese side, factor in the distances involved, squared it by the probable un-suitability of the base unit (just what IS it based on?? A Morris Major?? Daimler Conquest?? Citroen Visa??? Who knows????)

And so on and so on....

ZZZZZZZ

Hope that Honda manages to extract some digits and join in properly instead - that Accord Euro R looks quite handy... and it might persuade Nissan to look twice at a suitable Primera

Do you work for Eurosport?

[Hazard]

[Asa]

This month a Chinese auto magazine asked the Zhonghua company's vice president what's happening with the WTCC project and he didn't seem to have much clue either...

But he said he was certain the project will happen eventually.

[+ its a Chevy]

I was under the impression tha RML were on par with the Chevy team in so much as they weren't expecting nor stating that they were going to be near winning or podium finishing. The car is a totally new set up and as such will take at least a season to get anywhere near those BMW,s Seat,s and Alfa's that have a tried and tested formula. I think the test will come next season when they have some development time and data under their belts....

[kmchow]

Originally Posted by Asa

This month a Chinese auto magazine asked the Zhonghua company's vice president what's happening with the WTCC project and he didn't seem to have much clue either...

But he said he was certain the project will happen eventually.

You would think he would be able to say the cars are currently being developed and ready for a '06 race debut.

OTOH, perhaps the chairman doesn't want to make a fool of himself like what MG did in announcing a DTM deal, but having to pull out later.

[Jeffrey-Lee]

I don't think MG 'made' a fool out of themselves. They were 'forced' to step out of it.

[kmchow]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey-Lee

I don't think MG 'made' a fool out of themselves. They were 'forced' to step out of it.

I love the DTM and would like to see more cars/variety, but should a company undergoing financial difficulty be getting involved in such a big undertaking considering the difficult times?