2 litre cars

[V8crazy]

Here in Australia, we have been brought up on Holden V Ford V8 power. So a 2 litre motor is either a starter motor for a V8, or something we get our milk in.
So if 2 litres were so great, why is the V8 or Shell Championship, 2nd to the F1 in the most popular motorsport category in the world.

[Airhead]

Arh Yes the essential question of life...

If I have 8 cylinders have I gone too far?

Look in the mirror and the truth will be revealed.

Just don't tell the Europeans.

[DNQ]

I am an aussie, and I quite like 2.0 litre cars!

[gomick]

hey i like 2 litre cars to, 3 or 4 years ago when the btcc was really rocking , now its dying , not only in australia where it has had a long painful death, hopefully the future tourers and whatever other cars toca allow for next year can produce good races.....

v8 supercars are just getting strongerand stronger, there will be huge crowds at all events this year , bring it on

[Sparky]

Originally posted by V8crazy
...So if 2 litres were so great, why is the V8 or Shell Championship, 2nd to the F1 in the most popular motorsport category in the world.

I have to ask where you got this information. I would have said that NASCAR was the second most popular motorsport in the world after Formula 1.

Are you sure you didn't mean 'in Australia'?

I think the 2-litre format was adopted in Europe because of the price of fuel. The vast majority of family cars sold here are of the 2-litre, front-wheel-drive type. V8's are reserved for luxury cars; Mercedes, BMW, etc, or Sports cars; TVR, Lotus etc.
V8 saloon car racing, however popular it may be, doesn't represent the majority of cars sold in Europe. 2-litres are popular 'cos that's what we're fed...

Having said that, here come the ASCAR and VSR championships!

[elephino]

It's nice to think V8Supercars are so popular but they are really way way down on a world scale. How can they be more? We are but a small country of 19 million, and even if you include NZ it is but merely a blip. Mind you a blip of a V8

I liked, and still do really, the Super Tourers. They produced some great racing and were wonders of technology. They also went much better than the V8s do across the top of Mt Panorama.

Apart from that, Australian's have not been brought up on Holden vs Ford V8 power. The V8s did not start it all, don't forget all those 6 cylinder Fords and Holdens, the 4 cylinder cars, the Minis, the Valiants, the Volvos, the BMWs, the Alfas...I could go on.

[redshoes]

Originally posted by Sparky
I think the 2-litre format was adopted in Europe because of the price of fuel.

True, and also geography plays a big part. It's not like we have to drive 500 miles just to buy a pint of milk.

[Crash Test]

Originally posted by redshoes

True, and also geography plays a big part. It's not like we have to drive 500 miles just to buy a pint of milk.

That's true here in Australia too, we don't have to drive 500 miles. We simply haul the cow into the kitchen and give it a squeeze.

[gomick]

i thought nascar was the most popular form of motorsport in the world.....just watched the gatorade 125's - great racing!

[pit rat]

no, no, no, you've all got it wrong. 2 litres was adopted due to an embarasing surplus of used Hertz rental cars.

[DAVID PATERSON]

I believe that when the ST rules were drafted, the four doors requirement was to amke it a true ouring car series and leave out the soprtscars and the 4.2m minimum length requiremnt was to keep out all the little hatches and make it a contest of family cars and repmobiles. Typically in the UK most family cars are 1.4 or 1.6, but the high end models are 2-litres.

Here's something that many people may not consider, the V8 Supercar rules are probably just as appropriate for Australia as the ST rules are for Europe. Here in Australia, the typical family car or repmobile is a Falcon or Commodore (they represent 30% of the market). They usually are 3.8 or 4-litres, but until recently the high end models wwere 5-litre V8s.