HRT/HSV Implications??

[dynamik gal]

Just a little note that came across my inbox, not sure what the "significant implications for HRT" will be... open to any ideas from people!!

Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), which is closely associated with the Holden Racing Team, is believed to be close to announcing a new updated look. The Holden division is also expected to announce a significant upgrade to at least one commercial partnership which should have significant implications for HSV's Holden Racing Team V8 Supercar team's (HRT) interests. (Source: Sport & Sponsorship News)

[SRabbit]

the new HSVDT livery has been shown around the place sans sponsors names - maybe a new major name coming on board?

[hrt_rulz01]

from what is said there, it can only be a good thing!

[Razor]

New look for HSV? Can't wait to see what it is

[GTRMagic]

Lets take this to its logical conclusion...

HSV & HMS are supposedly the same thing, from a branding perspective anyway. Last season, all the teams with HMS-supplied componentry aboard enjoyed branding on their cars from HSV. So Tasman, Kmart, HRT & PWR enjoyed a sticker or two on them from Holden Special Vehicles.

Given the new Holden Motor Sport plans recently alluded to in Motorsport News a few weeks ago, this will all change for 2006 and beyond, which is more than likely to have ramifications to all the Holden teams in the series.

The plans as detailed show the current 4 cars supported with HMS componentry, staff and engines to remain as the Holden/HSV Factory teams. This means the teams known as HRT and HSVDT right now shall become the works squads.

Even though these seem to be run under different ownerships in terms of franchise, and team personnel (employed thru HMS rather than HSVDT or HRT directly) these 2 teams are said to be absorbing the Lion's share of the GMH motorsport budget in the future.

The only other team currently taking HMS componentry is PWR, where chassis have been supplied from the HMS fleet for use by that squad. The move of that operation to Dandenong, and the plans to build a fully self sufficient racing car manufacturer would likely mean that at the end of the 2005 season, PWR shall be forced to find itself a new source of chassis, as the HMS fleet return to Clayton.



So what of the rest of the Holden hoards?

Mr Perkins was in the press not so long ago, concerned that his level of support from Holden would likely be reduced in future seasons. Long gone are the days that Perkins actually produced many chassis each season, for private entrants and indeed development series cars... so it is looking as though the level of support from GMH is likely to be lower than in previous seasons, as of next year.... especially if they are only running one or two cars in the main series instead of 4 this year.

GRM, and their team principal, have often made claims of strong support from Holden, and point to the Monaro program as part of that... indeed at Sandown, they had the HMS transporter in their 'area' behind pitlane to almost flaunt their relationship. But noise around the traps suggests that the red side are reviewing their support of this operation, and that there may be a reassessment at season's end. I always found it funny that for a squad that proclaims such a strong Holden link, that the grunts need to walk thru the Nissan dealership every day to get to work

Dynamik does not seem to enjoy a level of factory support to the same degree as the other teams. The Holden branding has gone from the cars, and indeed the recent HMS media guide put out before Sandown did not recognise that this team was actually running Holden product... somehow I doubt that there will be an upweighting of support here....

PMM/TKR enjoy a level of Holden support at the moment, not necessarily diretcly related to the motorsport program. The HPDC is part of the Morris group, and has a naming rights, and technical support arrangement with Holden, which is part of the assistance program. Given that this would likely be a deal strong enough to stand up in its own right, I doubt there will be a change there.... TKR enjoys some assistance from the red lion, who seem to have finally woken up to their competitiveness (with PMM's significant assistance!)

Tasman seem to be operating largely alone, with Holden stickers aboard, but without a lot of the frills afforded the 'factory' cars. For example, drivers have free cars from benevolent Holden dealers rather than the factory... Meantime, the technical resources of the team are now independent of the HMS operation, in engines (with Mr Burns) and everything else from Mr Harrop.

But what happens next? Presumably Holden takes their chequebooks, and goes home... setting any squad outside the 4 factory cars a task of performance based bonuses, with a low baseline financial input.

Over on the blue side, it is said that some teams are being supported by the manufacturer to the tune of $1m-$1.5m per car... if this is the same on the red side, then there is probably $6m at least that shall move from other teams into the HRT/HSVDT operation....

Imagine a factory superteam with another $6m in their budget.... it sounds scary, and it arguably is.... more people, more fast development, more chassis, more drivers....

... if any of this actually happened...

[Grimace]

With sales of Falcon down and Commodore down (with one shift of Commodore now totally cut so less cars sold) and petrol through the roof making it not as bright for sales in the future of the traditional big two, means less income generated!!!!!!(more going to Toyota and othersmall car manufactuers) how can increased spending be possible.

You have to make money to spend money! i know outside sponsors provide the bulk but Holden and Ford also pay heaps!

[GTRMagic]

What it also means is that the teams whose owners are not chasing external dollars to make their teams better will suffer in the wake of the loss of factory support.

The comment about not wanting small stickers on a car in AA's interview with GRM was telling... if its too much hassle, it doesnt seem to get done. In some teams anyway.....

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Grimace

With sales of Falcon down and Commodore down (with one shift of Commodore now totally cut so less cars sold) and petrol through the roof making it not as bright for sales in the future of the traditional big two, means less income generated!!!!!!(more going to Toyota and othersmall car manufactuers) how can increased spending be possible.

You have to make money to spend money! i know outside sponsors provide the bulk but Holden and Ford also pay heaps!

sales of falcons are down, are they? i think you will find Ford are very happy with their levels of sales

[hrt_rulz01]

the commodore isnt selling bad either. it is down on previous sales but it isnt bad.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Grimace

You have to make money to spend money! i know outside sponsors provide the bulk but Holden and Ford also pay heaps!

Cant agree outside sponsors put in more than Holden/Ford combined.

[pete55]

Car Dealers are now saying that sales of V8 Commodores and Falcons are practically nil and six cylinder cars to private buyers have also dropped considerably. If this trend continues how long will V8 Supercars be relevant, especially in the highly modified state they are now. At the same time as six and V8 sales are dropping, sales of 4 cylinder cars are up by supposedly 10%.

[Razor]

The main reason why the 8 and 6 cylinder engined cars are not being sold like hot cakes is because of the cost of fuel and insurance

[peckstar]

and yet there i was thinking the number one and two selling car for the month of august was a 6/8 cylinder car, damn i didnt realize ford and holden had done a switch to a 4 cyl

[stmorri]

It looks as though thet might have to start racing horses at Mt Panorama!......I can't see them lasting 1000k's though.

[pete55]

Originally Posted by peckstar

and yet there i was thinking the number one and two selling car for the month of august was a 6/8 cylinder car, damn i didnt realize ford and holden had done a switch to a 4 cyl

If it was my post you were referring to peckstar perhaps you should read it again.

[RayF]

Peckstar
You are wrong about the sales of Commodores and Falcons.
Their sales are declining terribly recently, much more than usual seasonal shift, and have been declining for years. Corolla was the second best selling car in July or August. Falcon sales are now into the 3000's, (remember when Falcon was no.1 with 6 to 7K sales?) and Commodores are into the 5,000's (also down from the 7k's). Holden have cut one complete shift at Elizabeth, chopped the Monaro, and even export sales are not doing well.
Both Tom Gorman and Denny Mooney are on record as saying they are not happy. At least Ford has the Territory to offset Falcon component production to some extent.
I don't have the exact numbers with me, but I will post them tomorrow.

[Rombles1]

Even though sales of the big V6/V8 road cars is down, why does that make V8 Supercars any less relevant or significant? The cars on the track are different enough from the road cars as to be barely related, and face it, who wants to watch 4-cylinder cars on the track? (OK, they can be interesting as a support category, but all previous efforts at making them the main game have died.)

V8 Commodores (and I guess Falcons for some people) are still an aspirational vehicle for an awful lot of people, even if financial constraints are leading them to buy more economical vehicles.....

[KE30MAN]

Originally Posted by Rombles1

Even though sales of the big V6/V8 road cars is down, why does that make V8 Supercars any less relevant or significant? The cars on the track are different enough from the road cars as to be barely related, and face it, who wants to watch 4-cylinder cars on the track? (OK, they can be interesting as a support category, but all previous efforts at making them the main game have died.)

V8 Commodores (and I guess Falcons for some people) are still an aspirational vehicle for an awful lot of people, even if financial constraints are leading them to buy more economical vehicles.....

I agree Rombles, but as the pysche shifts, the position will be less sustainable. People want to see 'their' cars race.

[lcfp2297]

Gee, according to VFacts, Commodore and Falcon sales alipped slightly in the last few months, but are well ahead of 2-3 years ago...

So where is everybody getting THEIR facts from?

RayF, Toyota sales have INCREASED to take them to the lead...lets not get proportions and raw numbers confused...

[mixxer]

People want to see 'their' cars race

Here we have another person telling those that attend what they want to watch.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by KE30MAN

People want to see 'their' cars race.

The 380 is coming... be afraid, be very afriad

www.380.com.au

[mmciau]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

The 380 is coming... be afraid, be very afriad

www.380.com.au

GTRMagic,

You're dribbling again!!!!!!!

Mike

[GTRMagic]

At 1.35 per litre of fuel, its time for smaller cars to come to the fore again...

[stmorri]

With projections of further increases in petrol prices in the years to come I guess that anyone buying a new car today is actually buying outdated technology. Manufacturers and governments always seem to wait until the 5hit hits the fan before they act. I know that I intend to keep my old bomb until there is something more effecient. The only upside to this whole sorry saga is that there probably will be less vehicles on the road so that when you do have to drive somewhere it will be easier to get there and your fuel economy will improve somewhat.

[GTRMagic]

My Magna, which is now on the wrong side of 100,000km, is heading towards the 'bomb' category too, is losing its fuel efficiency as it ages....