Subaru pulls out of WRC

[S204STi]

This is probably a combination of the "economy" and the fact that the new chassis didn't come out swinging with major wins. 

Too bad really... but then again maybe my car will become somewhat collectible someday.  If subaru drops WRC the WRX may not be renewed either.

[MaxPower]

Too bad really... but then again maybe my car will become somewhat collectible someday.  If subaru drops WRC the WRX may not be renewed either.

By this point isn't the WRX able to stand on its own anyway?

[r0tor]

I haven't watched WRC for years... ever since all the cars became dumb looking econohatches and the US coverage became shitty


Hell Audi still advertises rally racing to associate it with Quattro.  Mitsu Is still selling the Evo as a rally car.  Subaru can easily not participate in WRC and still sell their cars a s "rally inspired" for at least 15 years

[Sigma Projects]

ditto. Like I said before Mitsu hasn't been in WRC for a while now and I think the average consumer, especially in the US, either doesn't know what WRC is or they still think the Evo is in the rally sport still. It pains me to think though that Peugeot and Citroen do so well in WRC, but never really have a rally version for the consumers like Subaru or Mitsu does.

[SVT666]

ditto. Like I said before Mitsu hasn't been in WRC for a while now and I think the average consumer, especially in the US, either doesn't know what WRC is or they still think the Evo is in the rally sport still. It pains me to think though that Peugeot and Citroen do so well in WRC, but never really have a rally version for the consumers like Subaru or Mitsu does.

That's how I feel about Ford.  They have the WRC version in Europe, but not over here.

[Sigma Projects]

oh yea, that pisses me off too... I mean it's not like it would really steal sales from the Mustang crowd since it's such a different market segment and usually people who would love to buy a souped up Focus are obviously among the import tuner crowd. Lots of wasted advertising they could be doing since they got good drivers in WRC, I mean that's the whole point of racing to show off your brand and make a sense of History and Prestige, what good is it to company if they don't utilize it?

[S204STi]

Yeah maybe you guys are correct... but I wouldn't be surprised to see the STI killed off and its 6spd sans diff installed in the WRX.  They are rumored to be doing that anyway, at which point the STI is pointless unless they can really give it a huge bump in performance.

Too boot, with CAFE standards and stuff I bet they'll be tempted to axe their gas guzzlers.

[Soup DeVille]

ditto. Like I said before Mitsu hasn't been in WRC for a while now and I think the average consumer, especially in the US, either doesn't know what WRC is or they still think the Evo is in the rally sport still. It pains me to think though that Peugeot and Citroen do so well in WRC, but never really have a rally version for the consumers like Subaru or Mitsu does.

The Evo still is in the sport, its just not factory backed anymore.

[Sigma Projects]

In lower leagues like P-WRC or J-WRC, but in the World Rally Championship 2005 was the last year I believe a Lancer was running around and the last win they had I think was in 99 by Tommi M. Like I said, he made the Lancer known in the WRC if it wasn't for him I bet it wouldn't be as iconic as it is today. I believe the only manufacturers that raced in 08 are Subaru, Suzuki, Citroen, and Ford, but from the post looks like it'll only be Citroen and Ford for 09... wow that will be boring... that is if it's true that Suzuki won't be participating next year. That'll be sad for Ford because then they'll be last in the placings and they do well, they've been doing really well in manufacturer points ever since they got the Focus in the WRC.

I bet the real reason why subie is pulling from the WRC is that they don't compete well at that level as they do in the P-WRC. P-WRC is really cool, but it's pretty restrictive which I guess puts more pressure on the manufacturers to build better rally machines. But in WRC that's when the turbo's and widened bodies and such come in and you get the nasty rally monsters. I bet when Loeb retires you'll see all the manufacturers jumping back in the WRC he's just too good... I guess they figure why throw money at a race if you know you have no chance of winning with a guy like that?

Plus P-WRC is MUCH cheaper to run than the WRC and they do the same tracks.

[the Teuton]

Group B cars were killed off in much the same fashion because they were too expensive to build and too fast to be safe.

Maybe the sport just needed to get cheap again.

[S204STi]

There has been an ongoing trend anyway to cheapen the sport, to the extent that next generation cars would basically be like faster Group N cars.

[Sigma Projects]

man i wish they ran Group B just a bit longer. I guess in the long run it's good for the consumer as it makes more pressure on the companies to design better cars for racing rather than make up for it with R&D money that never makes it to the consumer. Like NASCAR. Just won't be the awesome crazy high speed rally racing we know and love

[the Teuton]

Yeah, but if the RS200 program continued or the 959 program, could you imagine what kind of all-road, ultra-fast, neck-snapping cars would have come from it? 

I bet no company could have really supported such a program, given the huge costs of "normal" WRC.

[Sigma Projects]

oh yea, that's what i meant by i wish group b went a little longer, there were so many cars ready to go at it. Back then I'm sure many companies could afford it. There are racing leagues where they spend considerably more like F1.

[Sigma Projects]

Sorry for the necro post, but just letting those who seem interested in WRC both round 1 and round 2 are on my site.

Just finished watching day 1 in Ireland. Didn't know there was a Proton car in the mix, lol.

http://www.truestreets.com/watch/vjcRvyH80i

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Again, only fan boys believe that.

Fanboys, well then i must be one. That "fanboy" is right. WRX is WRC, and i bought a EVO and would buy a EVO again.

This is sad, and without WRC competition these cars will lose what makes them special. These cars were born for WRC and were competing on and off the track. I always chuckle when i hear someone say that so and so automaker should add awd and a turbo to X car and make a WRX competitor. Well it doesn't work that way. The WRX and EVO are what they not because of a similar design(Turbo AWD) but because of the WRC and their participation in it. A mazdaspeed 6 or cobalt SS with AWD would NOT be a wrx competitor. It never will be unless it COMPETES in the WRC along with those cars.

My rambling aside what i'm getting at is subaru and mitsubishi are looking to lose alot of fans and alot of customers if their cars can't hold on to that image that made them a world wide success. Without WRC they are just another performance car.

[S204STi]

I agree.

Also, I find I have zero interest in the WRC anymore.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

damn old threads getting dug up 

[Sigma Projects]

just thought i post up the videos

The Evo hasn't competed in the WRC for a long time. But the P-WRC I would think has more bearing on development of a rally production car since they're closer to stock than any WRC car would ever be.