Subaru dropping out of WRC?

[93forestpearl]

My roomate told me about he 2010 rule changes last night, and this came today. Looks like Subaru might be Efffed for WRC.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/15/rumo ... -tomorrow/

[evolutionmovement]

I haven't followed WRCitroen in years. Got boring. Even without the lame rule changes, I don't think Subaru needs to be involved for marketing reasons at this point, so they might as well save the money.

[AWD_addict]

I hope that's not true, then the rear suspension might never improve.

[93forestpearl]

It's official.

http://www.swrt.com/news/latest_news.html?id=1590

Subaru to withdraw from World Rally Championship
16 December 2008



Subaru has announced its decision to withdraw from the 2009 World Rally Championship.

This sudden decision was in response to the widespread economic downturn that is affecting the entire automotive industry, and follows Suzuki’s withdrawal announced yesterday.

After 20 years in the sport, during which time the Prodrive-run Subaru World Rally Team has won six World Rally Championship titles, this is not only sad news for Subaru and the team, but also for millions of rallying fans around the world. Thanks to its highly successful World Rally Championship programme, Subaru has developed into one of the world’s most widely recognised and evocative automotive brands.

Prodrive chairman, David Richards, said: “Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship is a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons. The Subaru World Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over. Although this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive’s history, our focus now turns to the future.”

For many, Prodrive and Subaru are synonymous, given the long-standing and close association between the two companies. However, while the Subaru World Rally Team historically represented a significant part of Prodrive’s business, today it accounts for no more than 20 per cent of the company’s turnover.

Prodrive will look to redeploy as many of the rally team as possible in other areas of its business operations, which have grown to span advanced engineering and manufacturing for the automotive, defence, marine and aerospace industries, in addition to other motorsport programmes.

Despite the current economic downturn, Prodrive’s automotive engineering business remains buoyant as it works with vehicle manufacturers to accelerate the development of next generation fuel-efficient vehicles and alternative fuel technologies.

Together with Subaru, Prodrive’s commitment to its customer rally teams will also continue unabated for 2009 and beyond. Over the past 15 years, Prodrive has sold close to 500 rally cars to more than 400 private competitors and independent rally teams in 47 countries. During this time, Prodrive’s customers have won five consecutive Production World Rally Championships and countless international rallies. In 2008, Prodrive-supported customer teams have claimed eight rally championship titles around the world.

Looking ahead, 2010 will see the introduction of new World Rally Championship technical regulations, which provide Prodrive with an opportunity to prepare for re-entering the championship with a new team and build on its 24 years of World Rally Championship experience and success.

[kimokalihi]

So that's it? Will they be doing any other sort of racing? I don't even know hardly anything about racing or rally for that matter. But isn't that how they develop better performing parts for their production cars? Are we going to suffer a lot in the future because of this?

Is it just going to end up being european cars racing in the WRC?

[kimokalihi]

This is from ABC News site:

Subaru pull out of WRC, joining Suzuki
Posted 5 hours 24 minutes ago

Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subaru cars, says it will pull out of the World Rally Championship (WRC) citing the global economic crisis.

Subaru joins fellow Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp, which announced its exit a day earlier, and leaves no other Japanese auto-maker left in the race.

Car-makers all over the world are under severe pressure to reduce spending as they bleed cash due to a sudden downturn in global car demand.

Honda Motor Co, Japan's number two automaker, this month quit Formula One racing for similar reasons.

How sad. Do you think they'll ever get back into it when (if) the economy gets better?

[evolutionmovement]

They haven't even won a race in years. Why waste the money? What's the point anyway? The ricers and the people who buy their SUVs don't care.

[93forestpearl]

So that's it? Will they be doing any other sort of racing? I don't even know hardly anything about racing or rally for that matter. But isn't that how they develop better performing parts for their production cars? Are we going to suffer a lot in the future because of this?

Is it just going to end up being european cars racing in the WRC?

Well, with the rile changes for 2010, Subaru is pretty much classed out of it anyways. Subaru does not have a car that can be used as a S2000 platform, nor are they going to develope one just for that. It calls for a spec inline four in a transverse layout.

[kimokalihi]

"Our business environment has changed dramatically due to the rapid deterioration of the global economy," the boss of Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru’s parent company) Ikuo Mori told a news conference in Tokyo today. "In order to optimise the management resources and to strengthen the Subaru brand further, Fuji Heavy decided to withdraw from WRC activities at the earliest time."

[skid542]

I'm a bit ignorant of the rule changes, but are you saying the rules now dictate an inline 4cyl?

Why? What's the point? Were they trying to get Subaru out of the picture?

Economics and money loss.... yeah yeah yeah... but I have a very hard time believing that's the only reason they're getting out. Sounds like they go screwed by the sanctioning body.

[kimokalihi]

Yeah I don't understand the point in changing the rules, especially to something as ridiculous as that.

[evolutionmovement]

Is it a retarded standard drivetrain deal, like they want to do to F1? If I want to watch a NASCAR-style series, I'll gain 50 lbs. and lobotomize myself with a hammer. If they want to take the car out of the equation and save money, they should just take up running.

[Legacy777]

Yeah I haven't heard the rules either......sounds like a similar thing that happened with CART & IRL....however I don't think we'll see anyone splitting away from WRC to keep the old series going.

It's a shame....

[impreza_GC8]

Sad day. The new "spec" type rules pretty much pushed Subaru out. That coupled with the fact that the economy blows and cars aren't selling. Plus we haven't really won a whole lot in recent years.

[Imprezive]

they are being smart. can't blame them for doing whats best for the business

[DLC]

Subaru is still going to support Prodrive and the hundreds of teams across the world who run Production-class cars, so it's not a total withdrawl.

Super 2000 rules are a bit more restrictive, and there's been talk for years about this.

The flamboyance of the 80s, and the technical excess of the 90s/00s are just too expensive, whether it's WRC, F1 or any other series.

2008 was the last year of its kind for automobile racing. We won't see anything like this ever again.

[93forestpearl]

^ Yeah, car companies and sponsors probably don't have the cash to throw at racing like they used to. An F1 campaign costs what, $350-400 million a year? BAR-Honda spent $350 million in '06.

[douglas vincent]

Super 2000 rules do not allow supercharged engines.... So if you want to be technical, then all turbocharged engines would be banned as well, as they are just a form of "supercharged".

[Imprezive]

On a similar note I heard Mclaren-Mercedes threatened to withdraw from F1 in a year or so.

[PhyrraM]

Super 2000 rules do not allow supercharged engines.... So if you want to be technical, then all turbocharged engines would be banned as well, as they are just a form of "supercharged".

The WRC Super2000 spec will allow a sort of 'kit' to be added to the base Super2000 car for WRC use. This kit will allow turbocharging and paddle shifters, but not the full electronic gearboxes of the current WRC cars.

The part that I'm having a hard time getting ifo on is that it appears that the Super2000 spec includes a standardized gearbox. It also appears that this gearbox is a traditional transverse layout. If this is true, obviously Subau will need to focus racing efforts elsewhere. Group N, Touring cars, .....? Subaru of America has not pulled out of Rally America (yet?).

[evolutionmovement]

McLaren should quit—their involvement really upsets the FIA-sponsored Ferrari parade. You'd think they'd get the hint with the all the arbitrary penalties designed to make them lose, but they're a little thick. Kind of like the heels the Nazi babes stick in Mosley's ass during the orgies. I'm going to get Ferrari-brand underwear because it makes me cool and saves precious hundredths of a second off my time to walk from the couch to the kitchen to make tea. I want the prancing horse printed on the crack. So I can leave skid marks on it.

[Legacy777]

Steve, tell us how you really feel about Ferrari

[evolutionmovement]

And to think that I used to love Ferrari. They've made some of the most beautiful cars in history, cars that transcended automotive design to become pure sculpture. Now they're just douche-city. Has anyone seen the released photo of the new Legacy show car? Hideous. The last decent looking car they made. I think the only car company left that I really like is Lotus.

The good thing about the cost cutting with F1 is that Prodrive might come back and even if the Subaru team is done, I'm still a fan of Dave Richards. I like how he took over BAR and made them a contender then Honda dumped him and they became back-markers with one of the largest budgets on the grid.

[AWD_addict]

Here's a reason to dislike Lotus, a pointless special edition:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/12/lotu ... et-europa/

[93forestpearl]

Show will go on: McGarrity

By Sammy Hamill
Thursday, 18 December 2008





Will we see the Subarus of Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson on Rally Ireland after all?

Derek McGarrity for one is confident they will be here at the end of January for the opening round of the 2009 World championship.

And John Naylor, event director of Rally Ireland, says he is optimistic the works Subarus will still take part, although perhaps under a different guise.

No one works closer with Prodrive, the British company responsible for Subaru's World championship programme, than former Irish Tarmac champion and triple Circuit of Ireland winner McGarrity.

For much of the past decade he has seen more Subarus pass through his hands than anyone outside Prodrive's Banbury headquarters. Not only does he drive them but he trades them all around the world.

And McGarrity says he expects the Prodrive Subarus of former World champion Solberg and Aussie team-mate Atkinson to be on the start line for Rally Ireland in little over a month's time despite the shock decision of the

parent company in Japan, Fuji Heavy Industries, to withdraw on Tuesday.

"I fully expect Prodrive to go ahead and run the cars even without the official backing of Subaru," he said. "This decision came out of blue and the management at Prodrive had very little time to prepare for it or react to it.

"But I know they are now looking at all the options and that includes going ahead with their World championship programme as a non-manufacturer team. Their entry fees for the year are already paid and the accommodation for the team for Rally Ireland is booked.

"They have already been testing for next season and developing the latest Impreza, the S15.

"From what I've heard I'm fairly confident they will go ahead."

And McGarrity pointed out: "One of the problems Prodrive

have had is that Subaru Technica International in Japan have refused to allow the cars to run with sponsorship. Ever since the famous 555 sponsorship ended, they have insisted on the cars appearing just in their own blue and gold colours.

"Prodrive will now be free to look for outside financial support just as Ford and Citroen have done."

And like Ford and Citroen, there were plans for a second Subaru - or Manufacturer Two - team next season led by young Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg. "I understand that plan is going ahead, possibly with another Norwegian, Henning Solberg, as the second driver," said McGarrity.

He also says the Subaru decision will not affect the Irish scene where Subarus have enjoyed unprecedented success over the past 10 years.

"It will have no direct effect here although the economic situation will. We have already seen a significant reduction in entry numbers for rallies and I can't see that changing for a while. I'm sure Rally Ireland is going to be hit.

"I know I won't be doing it because I can't justify the costs. We were also looking at running cars for two other drivers but they have decided against it. It is just such an expensive rally.

“On the other hand the Galway International which starts the Irish Tarmac championship is looking quite healthy and I intend to be there.”

Kenny McKinstry, who runs a successful Subaru team out of his Banbridge base, agrees with McGarrity there is every chance the Prodrive cars will be here next month.

“Subaru may be gone as a manufacturer team but I think there is every chance Prodrive will carry on,” he said. “I know there is a lot of detail to be sorted out over contracts and finance but from what I’ve been told there is still a strong possibility they will be here for Rally Ireland.”

Meanwhile, event boss Naylor has spoken to Prodrive chief David Richards who assured him the team would be in attendance, at least to support their privateer cars although he had nothing so say on the appearance of Solberg or Atkinson.