BTCC goes back to turbocharged engines

[group c n b man]

From 2011 the BTCC will change over to NGTCs (Next Generation Touring Cars). These will consist of 300bhp turbocharged 2.0L engines with front wheel drive only. These will make the new cars faster and even more closely matched! since many common components will be used in the championship. The new engines will be hugely cheaper and far more reliable than the current s2000 spec engines. It is easy to get 300bhp from a turbo 2 litre at low cost, but not so easy to get 300bhp with no turbo. Current BTCC cars cost around £250,000 each, the new ones should cost many factors less.
However these new engines are only going to be "very moderately stressed" which means they will probably sound rather like ordinary road Evo's or any other 2.0L turbo engined car. Todays BTCC cars sound utterly wonderful thanks to those highly tuned normally aspirated engines. There are no 2.0L normally aspirated 4 cyl engines fitted in road cars that have 150bhp per litre without revving higher than 8500rpm which is what makes them so special.
The BTCC is run by Alan Gow who has made good decisions up till now, unlike the ultimate motorsport ruiner that is the FIA! Let's hope his decision is right this time again.

[LeonOfTheDead]

don't worry about the sound, it's all about the exhaust.

[Ferrer]

What do you mean, front wheel drive only? What if BMW wants to enter...?

[NicFromLA]

What do you mean, front wheel drive only? What if BMW wants to enter...?

My question as well.

[twinspark]

What do you mean, front wheel drive only? What if BMW wants to enter...?

I guess they won't, the NGTC rules do indeed allow front wheel drive only.

The reality is that the BTCC has not had a rear-wheel-drive manufacturer team for some 14 years so it just doesn’t make sense to compromise a set of new, very clear technical regulations (and bring in other major issues of parity) just for the very remote possibility of perhaps including one manufacturer. Similar reasoning applies as to why diesel engines also won’t be eligible; these regulations are designed to achieve a fair and ‘level playing field’, so therefore won’t be subjected to endless technical and sporting arguments as to the equality of some cars.

The vast majority of manufacturers produce front-wheel-drive cars that fit these regulations, so all the teams will have a huge variety of differing makes/models to choose from. Besides, the S2000 BMWs currently in the series will continue – and on an entirely equal footing with the NGTC cars – for another three seasons.

[henk4]

What do you mean, front wheel drive only? What if BMW wants to enter...?

they'll enter a Mini....

[Wouter Melissen]

The 2010 Dates:

Round Date Circuit, County

1 Sunday 4 April Thruxton, Hampshire

2 Sunday 25 April Rockingham, Northamptonshire

3 Sunday 2 May Brands Hatch (Grand Prix), Kent

4 Sunday 6 June Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire

5 Sunday 20 June Croft, North Yorkshire

6 Sunday 8 August Snetterton, Norfolk

7 Sunday 22 August Silverstone (National), Northamptonshire

8 Sunday 5 September Knockhill, Fife

9 Sunday 19 September Donington Park, Leicestershire

10 Sunday 10 October Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent

[W.R.]

Why not keep some of the n/a cars and introduce the good old 1.4 equivalency factor, give us the best of both worlds.

[Wouter Melissen]

Why not keep some of the n/a cars and introduce the good old 1.4 equivalency factor, give us the best of both worlds.

Because the good old 1.4 equivalency figure is nowhere near a reflection of the difference between N/A and Turbo engines.

[W.R.]

Maybe so, but there's nothing really wrong with throwing the old rule in.

Also, surely if they allowed a bend in the regulations for 4WD, then there would be quite a few more competitors lining up with their evos and imprezas. They always seem to want to race.

[LeonOfTheDead]

the equivalence may have been good, still modern turbos changed a bit.

[TheScrutineer]

Its such a shame that the NGTC class is going to be FWD only. I know that the BMWs are running as S2000 class until S2000 is outlawed in 2013. But S2000 will become 'division 2' in its final years.

BMW is the name behind performance saloon racing. Its unbelievable they don't race in DTM and now are pulling out of F1. Don't want an all FWD field. I loved the fact we have FWD cars battling it out with RWD ones.

[group c n b man]

don't worry about the sound, it's all about the exhaust.

The exhaust plays some factor but I'm sure it's not the full story. For example 2009 cars all sounded different. The Vauxhall Vectras were the loudest and most racy sounding while the BMWs were more subdued. The Chevy Lacettis were somewhere in between however the Lacetti always seemed to produce plenty of eye catching exhaust flame-outs. The 2.0L turbo cars might well be very interesting since the engine chracteristics will be very different in relation to NA engines. They will probably accelerate harder due to more torque but will not sound as inspiring. Can't wait til 2011 when they'll race head to head.

[henk4]

BMW is the name behind performance saloon racing. Its unbelievable they don't race in DTM and now are pulling out of F1. Don't want an all FWD field. I loved the fact we have FWD cars battling it out with RWD ones.

I think what BTCC is doing is a sensible thing. By limiting entries to FWD only (and mind you, 90% of the cars sold in Europe are FWD...and saloon racing is about "racing on sunday, selling on monday) they make the regulations much easier and there will be no bickering about advantages/disadvantages for FWD or RWD cars and type of tyres suited better for this or that.
The measure will only affect BMW (for the C-Class there are no intentions to race it). I can't think of any other RWD car that would b banned, oh wait, there is this other 4-door little saloon that has been in production since 1965 and is still available....pity it can not participate in BTCC
That BMW has been a prominent participant in saloon racing, ever since the introduction of the 1800 TI in 1965, cannot be denied, but to call "THE" name behind performance saloon racing is over the top.

[Ferrer]

I think what BTCC is doing is a sensible thing. By limiting entries to FWD only (and mind you, 90% of the cars sold in Europe are FWD...and saloon racing is about "racing on sunday, selling on monday) they make the regulations much easier and there will be no bickering about advantages/disadvantages for FWD or RWD cars and type of tyres suited better for this or that.

More like produced. If we counted the number of cars sold I'm sure more than 10% would be rear wheel drive.

The measure will only affect BMW (for the C-Class there are no intentions to race it). I can't think of any other RWD car that would b banned, oh wait, there is this other 4-door little saloon that has been in production since 1965 and is still available....pity it can not participate in BTCC
That BMW has been a prominent participant in saloon racing, ever since the introduction of the 1800 TI in 1965, cannot be denied, but to call "THE" name behind performance saloon racing is over the top.

Still it's quite undeniable that BMW (and possibly Alfa, altough they seem to have forgotten how to make them since the 75) is the quintessential sports saloon manufacturer.