Definition of a touring car

[mtpanorama]

Hey everyone, i dont usually come into this forum, but i was hpoing that someone with a technical memory maybe able to help me (and a few others) with the defintion of a touring car.
A Touring Car from my understanding is a vehicle with a minimum of 4 seats which complies with a specific set of internal dimensions to accomodate passengers. I would assume the majority of 4 door vehicles would be classified as Touring Cars.
I am looking for the exact formula to work this out or to a link for any info on working this out.
The reason i am looking for it is "touring cars" are allowed in our race series (improvrd production in Australia), but no one knows the exact definition of one. Some people are interested in running cars that are 2 door coupe's and are wondering if they fit the "touring car" formula.

Thanks Shane

[Anuauto]

I think you'll find the International definition on the net in FISA Technical Regs, (Appendix J)(Group N/A). (Look under FIA not FISA). Shame the UK, USA etc full national regs aren't on line too...

[Garp]

Minimum of an xxx amount of productioncars build. Problem with 2 door 4 seater coupe's is ferrari 465 is one too. Car should be 4 door. Or have a possibility to be delivered in 4 door form. Another good defenition is maximum purchase price of the standard roadcar below $xx. And as a last help, any car not in the philosophy of the championship can be banned.

The diference in Fwd and Rwd can be a problem see ETCC.

[Matthew Ronke]

2 Door coupes usual fit under sports car rather than touring car.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by Matthew Ronke
2 Door coupes usual fit under sports car rather than touring car.

Is this a new ruling as the old Group 2 touring car champ. cars were almost all 2-doors.
Just curious.
Bob

[carrera]

From the MSA UK competitor's yearbook (blue book) -

Section P
Nomenclature and definitions.

Touring car

"Vehicles produced in large series production quantities offering at least four seats (two if under 1000cc capacity)."

[GTV27]

Touring cars don't necessarily have four doors.

Alfa ran its GTV's as touring cars from the mid 60's all the way through to group A in the late 80's. (my Alfa is eligible for both historic touring (group n)and historic sports (group s))

Mazda also ran the RX7 in group c touring cars in Australia (and aren't the RX7's already front runners in Improved Production?).

I think it was the internal dimensions that mattered(at least it was for group A).

[mtpanorama]

Originally posted by GTV27
Touring cars don't necessarily have four doors.


Mazda also ran the RX7 in group c touring cars in Australia (and aren't the RX7's already front runners in Improved Production?).

I think it was the internal dimensions that mattered(at least it was for group A).

Only s1,2,3 rx7 are eligable.

it is the exact measurement for the internal dimensions that we are looking for.

[zefarelly]

do picnic tables and hamper brackets come into the equation ?

many saloon cars came with 2 or 4 doors, I thought thay all had to have 4 seats though ? even minis and fiats have 4 seats . . . .albeit pygmy dwarf ones !

[Slowcoach]

Doors don't matter, I think it was internal dimensions in the old days and some sort of rear seats however small. think back to the early eighties when Rovers dominated, proper four door, four seaters and then along came the Jaguar XJS - don't think many people would see that as a saloon.......weren't Porsche 911's able to race in the late 60's as touring cars ? Numbers built was also an important factor but that was a rule that saw regular changes !

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Slowcoach
weren't Porsche 911's able to race in the late 60's as touring cars ?

1967 Group 5 IIRC.

[Morris 1100]

In the early 60's the rule was ...
over 1600cc = 4 doors
under 1600cc = 2 doors (or more)

[petestenning]

Both Porsche 911 and Mazda RX7 have raced in the UK, i believe they had the correct internal area then required to be classed as Touring Cars.
Although most people would call them Sports Cars
as they were realy only two seaters with minimal rear seating.

[Amaroo Park]

I may be wrong (as usual) but wasn't there a rule in Group A that said a car had to have been a vehicle with a least 4 seats in it, it could obviously be 2 or 4 door