2025 Touring Car Thread - BTCC, TCR, and more.Touring Cars 

I wonder if Alliance have second thoughts about replacing the Focus. It’s still the fastest car on the BTCC grid.
 
Fezzik
I wonder if Alliance have second thoughts about replacing the Focus. It’s still the fastest car on the BTCC grid.
Click to expand...

Its an especially odd thing to be doing as there's a substantial evolution to the current regs coming in 2027.
 
Last edited:
The Focus is also still homologated until 2029 if I remember rightly. Wouldn't make sense do anything until 2027 at the very earliest.
 
MagpieRacer
The Focus is also still homologated until 2029 if I remember rightly. Wouldn't make sense do anything until 2027 at the very earliest.
Click to expand...
They're a manufacturer team, so if it's coming from Ford Europe wanting to promote the...Puma? I think. Whatever it is, the Focus isn't sold any more so it makes sense from a Ford level. The team are good enough nowadays that I wouldn't doubt they could build a new car well.
 
Part of the reasoning was to switch to a more aerodynamic model to counter their speed disadvantage vs the likes of the Hyundai, and yet the stubby little hatchback did alright on the fastest track on the calendar :lol:

Happy that Rowbo is doing well this year, and that Tingram finally got back on the top step.
 
I thought Alliance had stated that it was a new/returning manufacturer they were working with?

It doesn't make much sense to run a car that's no longer made (same could also be said of the old-model Astra that Power-Maxed run) but does Ford even have any involvement with Alliance? I know they only inherited the Focus from Motorbase when they bought the team out.
 
TheCracker
I thought Alliance had stated that it was a new/returning manufacturer they were working with?

It doesn't make much sense to run a car that's no longer made (same could also be said of the old-model Astra that Power-Maxed run) but does Ford even have any involvement with Alliance? I know they only inherited the Focus from Motorbase when they bought the team out.
Click to expand...

As far as I know Ford have zero involvement with the project. They aren't even listed as a partner on Alliance Racings BTCC page.

But you're right, they have stated it's a new/returning to BTCC manufacturer. Doesn't leave many options to think about. Dacia? Skoda? Renault returning maybe?
 
MagpieRacer
But you're right, they have stated it's a new/returning to BTCC manufacturer. Doesn't leave many options to think about. Dacia? Skoda? Renault returning maybe?
Click to expand...
Could even be Mercedes. It felt like it was only a season or two since they were last in but it's been five now! The A-Class hatch is perhaps a bit stubby to be effective, but the new CLA is much sleaker.
 
TheCracker
Could even be Mercedes. It felt like it was only a season or two since they were last in but it's been five now! The A-Class hatch is perhaps a bit stubby to be effective, but the new CLA is much sleaker.
Click to expand...
Alliance also said the manufacturer was interested in them working on a GT3 entry for Le Mans in the future, if the BTCC partnership works well (probably where the future lies for Sutton, he's started racing a GT4 recently). That doesn't really make sense for Mercedes, there's enough established GT3 teams using their cars.

If the deal does get done there's a few outfits on the grid and beyond who'd be happy to buy those Focuses and run them for a few more years.
 
Would MINI return? I saw the new Countryman and that thing is huge. Should be the size of a Hyundai. Making it look like the MINI VGT wouldn't be far off.
 
As mentioned above, remember reading a year back on another forum that it was eluded to by Alliance that the manufacturer they're switching too will be new to BTCC (whether that means "new" outright or returning "new") who have/will have a GT3 program which they'll be looking to make use of.

Only "new" to current era BTCC-manufacturers I could think off with viable cars are Volvo and Peugeot. Neither of which have any GT3 programs in the pipeline. Which leaves, Audi, mercedes and Lexus realistically. Whilst it may seem odd with a big rule change coming in 2027, switching to a new manufacturer early could be to allow Motorbase/Alliance to developing and familiarise themselves with a new chassis before the change in 2027.

Speaking of homologation, the PMR Astra's only have 1 year left before there's run out.
 
Michelin Man
As mentioned above, remember reading a year back on another forum that it was eluded to by Alliance that the manufacturer they're switching too will be new to BTCC (whether that means "new" outright or returning "new") who have/will have a GT3 program which they'll be looking to make use of.

Only "new" to current era BTCC-manufacturers I could think off with viable cars are Volvo and Peugeot. Neither of which have any GT3 programs in the pipeline. Which leaves, Audi, mercedes and Lexus realistically. Whilst it may seem odd with a big rule change coming in 2027, switching to a new manufacturer early could be to allow Motorbase/Alliance to developing and familiarise themselves with a new chassis before the change in 2027.

Speaking of homologation, the PMR Astra's only have 1 year left before there's run out.
Click to expand...

All of which are possible but none of which would technically be new to BTCC. Could throw Renault into the mix as well with a possible Alpine GT3 program.

However, I think I'd struggle to think of an all new never seen before manufacturer to BTCC who have a possible GT3 project. Rules out Dacia, Kia, Skoda as well.
 
Only car I can think of is the Mazda3(not sure how long the current car’s lifespan is before a new design). Mazda was in BTCC with the RX-7, 323 and the Xedeos, but I don’t think the Mazda3 ever raced in BTCC. Only ties to GT3, I can see, would be by way of their partner Toyota. The Toyota GT3 was initially rumoured to have been joined developed using Mazdas’s RX-Vision as a possible chassis, but that wasn’t true. Then, Mazda and Toyota were to be sharing the same RWD chassis that was to be a future straight-six sedan.
The defunct Mazda USA Mazda3 TCR wound up resurfacing as an in-house touring car by Mazda Spirit Racing in the Super Taikyu series. Maybe one could be built to BTCC specs.
 
Probably should've linked the recent Autosport article at the start of this discussion.


The manufacturer with which Alliance is in dialogue is still the same one. Previously, Osborne described it as one new to the BTCC; when asked whether it has never competed in the series before or been a multi-year absentee, he said: “I can’t be telling you – that would be letting the cat out of the bag, but I’m super-excited. But I’ve got to be patient, and I’ve got to let the guys make their commercial decision.


“As much as we want to get sorted and push them to make a decision, we’ve got to understand that this is a commercial decision as well because it’s not just about racing touring cars, it’s about selling vehicles.


“The old synergy of ‘race on Sunday, sell on Monday’ is still in the back of people’s minds, so it’s making sure you don’t get a model that’s out of date.
Click to expand...
Looking through the various lineups currently for the UK market there are more FWD saloons that I thought, but that talk of the GT3 program really does mess things up.
 
Fezzik
Probably should've linked the recent Autosport article at the start of this discussion.



Looking through the various lineups currently for the UK market there are more FWD saloons that I thought, but that talk of the GT3 program really does mess things up.
Click to expand...

It does, I can honestly only think of Alpine, but most of their range is electric so it's unlikely they would sign off on a combustion version of anything for BTCC. I could see a combo of Alpine A110R GT3 and Alpine A390 BTCC.

Lexus is a possibility but there were Lexus IS200 in BTCC as late as 2006.

Also depends how we interpret new one to BTCC, new as in completely unseen before or new as in never been officially a manufacturer in the BTCC (i.e. not manufacturer backed).
 
“The dilemma and reason why we haven’t agreed terms already is because they’re looking at what models they can bring into the UK. The tariffs in the States have created a lot of nervousness and a lot of uncertainty.
Click to expand...

That sounds to me like its a car that isn't currently sold here. The talk of tariffs makes it appear to be a US or maybe a Chinese manufacturer? I can't see that tariffs would effect a European manufacturer, unless he's refering to general global market uncertainty.

The article doesn't mention any thing about a parallel GT3 program. I'm not sure where that info comes from.
 
TheCracker
That sounds to me like its a car that isn't currently sold here. The talk of tariffs makes it appear to be a US or maybe a Chinese manufacturer? I can't see that tariffs would effect a European manufacturer, unless he's refering to general global market uncertainty.

The article doesn't mention any thing about a parallel GT3 program. I'm not sure where that info comes from.
Click to expand...
Osborne’s public aim of eventually expanding into GT3 competition with a target of competing in the Le Mans 24 Hours could be a knock-on from the new programme.

“The manufacturer that we’re talking to would like us to do a GT3 car and take it to Le Mans,” he said.

“If we can prove to them that we can do it with a touring car, then the door could be open to that project as well.”

 
That had me think of the Genesis G70 as well. I remember they were contemplating building a GT3 at some point. It’d be weird hinging all that on BTCC performance though.
 
05XR8
That had me think of the Genesis G70 as well. I remember they were contemplating building a GT3 at some point. It’d be weird hinging all that on BTCC performance though.
Click to expand...
Isn't Genesis just a posh Hyundai though? ExcelR8 seem to be doing well with the i30, why would they let their main competitor use the same brand?
 
Jimlaad43
Isn't Genesis just a posh Hyundai though? ExcelR8 seem to be doing well with the i30, why would they let their main competitor use the same brand?
Click to expand...
The G70 is the RWD sedan. Not a direct competitor. It’d be more a direct competitor to the 3-series.
In TCR, Hyundai teams still run the i30 and Elantra.

I guess Genesis would be new to the series, but maybe too big. I can remember that old VW CC looked pretty big mixing it up with hot hatches. :lol: Wait, wasn’t there a Golf running at the same time?

Edit: had to look it up. Yep. 👍
AMD ran the Golf and Kraftwerk ran the CC.
 

Latest Posts

Back