Honda Civic Tourer BTCC

[Cobrafan427]

Sorry if the title tricked you into thinking that i was adding another car to the hideout but i've got a question about this car that maybe one of the British or European members can answer for me. Why the Tourer and not the regular hatchback in BTCC? To me it seems that the Tourer adds extra weight and the longer wheelbase would hinder handling. Any thoughts or definite answers?

[RacingManiac]

For sh*ts and giggles?

TBH with NGTC reg you can run a variety of cars and they can all be reasonably competitive...I think its much more for publicity than anything else....

[Ferrer]

Marketing indeed, much like the 850 Estate Volvo campaigned in the BTCC in the early/mid-90's.

Although maybe it is a little bit better against the air since the other option was a hatchback.

[pimento]

The arguement about the 850 wagon is that apparently a wagon has less drag. There is another issue now though where you can't have a wing that's higher than the roofline of the car, which I seem to recall being the reason that someone else wasn't doing a wagon in BTCC.

Or something.

[Ferrer]

Actually, a three box car (like a traditional saloon car) is more slippery than a hatchback/estate, isn't it?

Unless the extreme-square styling of the Swedish brick meant it worked on the Kamm-tail principle.

[RacingManiac]

Wagon/hatch will be generally worse for drag....Though BTCC back in the 850 days also are not as aero centric yet.

[RacingManiac]

Here is an recent Autosport bit on the Volvo program...

[Ferrer]

Thank you for sharing the Volvo story, it certainly is interesting.

[Cobrafan427]

That was a great write up. So the estate has been proven ineffective and surely Honda knows this. Now they're just tinkering around and having some fun since they've already won a few championships

[RacingManiac]

Donington BTCC: Gordon Shedden gives Honda Civic Tourer first win - BTCC news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113584)

So this happened...