Volvo confirms 3 year deal and the new C30

JMeissner · 11 Oct 2007, 09:58 (Ref:2037544)

Today Volvo Motorsport and Polestar Racing confirmed what TouringCarTimes reported about earlier this week: A three year deal has been signed and the new Volvo C30 will be used in the Swedish Touring Car Championship next year. The car will be run on bio-ethanol, the same engine as being used in the current S60.
"That we change to the C30 is no coincidence. The base construction of the model provides a very good base for a racing car," said Murdzevski from Volvo Motorsport.

More here and a picture of the new C30 in racing shape.

PorscheFanNo1 · 11 Oct 2007, 10:26 (Ref:2037570)

Great news! And the car actually looks really really good! Cant wait for 2008!

**touringlegend** · 11 Oct 2007, 10:54 (Ref:2037596)

Great news - are Polestar planning to build extra cars - they could be used in the BTCC..

Ellmau · 11 Oct 2007, 11:00 (Ref:2037605)

That car looks terrible

Although not quite as terrible as I had feared.

PorscheFanNo1 · 11 Oct 2007, 11:05 (Ref:2037611)

Quote:

Originally Posted by touringlegend

Great news - are Polestar planning to build extra cars - they could be used in the BTCC..

I guess if they get a serious proposal from a good team with the right money they would be able to build them over a few months. I wonder where the old S60 cars will end up tho, those are proven seriously fast, together with the Audis and maybe Peugeot and Mercs, theres about 8 seriously fast cars up for sale to next season in Sweden alone!

Valker · 11 Oct 2007, 11:07 (Ref:2037613)

Looks less terrible than original street going C30 (ulgiest Volvo ever! (ok, maybe 300-series is worse))... or maybe those are just good photos.

Rockmunky · 11 Oct 2007, 11:15 (Ref:2037621)

That looks better than i thought! I kinda like it!

Go_For_Pole · 11 Oct 2007, 11:23 (Ref:2037632)

Actually I love it

Chatters · 11 Oct 2007, 11:29 (Ref:2037636)

I guess there was no chance of making a C30 look better...!

Sodemo · 11 Oct 2007, 12:02 (Ref:2037658)

Good news for S2000 in general, though I would like to see some in the WTCC or BTCC.

the interpreter · 11 Oct 2007, 12:45 (Ref:2037687)

I really don't like this move to little cars - the updated S40 is the model that should have been selected. Touring car racing is for medium-sized cars.

I have concerns about the car - given the narrow width of the wing, I can see all sorts of aero problems - just as have been suffered by the SEAT. Also, the Opel Astra has always struggled (except for the last round win).

This is just not the direction we want Super 2000 to go.

Ellmau · 11 Oct 2007, 13:33 (Ref:2037721)

Quote:

Originally Posted by the interpreter

This is just not the direction we want Super 2000 to go.

I couldn't agree more, but obviously the people that make the rules don't agree, because they dispensate the small hatchbacks

werner · 11 Oct 2007, 14:09 (Ref:2037742)

I think the car looks fantastic. Although probably it's a photoshopped picture, maybe a dummiecar.
It's a shame though that it probably won't be eliginble for WTCC, since it has only 3 doors, so strictly it isn't a legal S2000-car. Probably the Swedisch motorsportscounsil has given permission for racing it in the STCC, at due to the deal made between the MSA and the Swedes also for racing it in the BTCC, but that's it.
And the S40 is probably even better in terms of aerodynamics.
But nevertheless, a beautifull car.

Craner Curves · 11 Oct 2007, 14:16 (Ref:2037746)

Quote:

Originally Posted by werner

It's a shame though that it probably won't be eliginble for WTCC, since it has only 3 doors, so strictly it isn't a legal S2000-car. Probably the Swedisch motorsportscounsil has given permission for racing it in the STCC, at due to the deal made between the MSA and the Swedes also for racing it in the BTCC, but that's it.

But then Team Dynamics would say "if you're letting them enter and you didn't let us enter a Civic Type R 3 door, then we're leaving."

Lovely looking car.

JMeissner · 11 Oct 2007, 14:53 (Ref:2037775)

It is not a photoshopped car, it was standing at the press launch today. But probably a prototype.

duke_toaster · 11 Oct 2007, 15:06 (Ref:2037787)

I don't mind seeing smaller cars - besides, most road cars are that sort of size and that is what touring cars are supposed to be.

Re the doors issue - IMO they should remove the four door rule and replace it with the car having to be able to seat four adults in some degree of comfort (not a two plus two legless gnomes) ... sensible idea?

PorscheFanNo1 · 11 Oct 2007, 15:34 (Ref:2037805)

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Re the doors issue - IMO they should remove the four door rule and replace it with the car having to be able to seat four adults in some degree of comfort (not a two plus two legless gnomes) ... sensible idea?

And how do you translate that into rear rules? With the numbers of doors its easy, with an interpriation of how big the comfort for an adult is... thats never going to work.

werner:
FIA homoligation and National homoligation. Volvo C30, Audi A4, Dynamics Civic, Vauxhall, Mercedes C-class and so on, they are all real S2000 cars, with National homoligation. If those arent real S2000 cars then neaither is the SEAT with flat underbody, and neither is the Chevy with bigger valves. Its as easy as that.
Its the National homoligation that ruins it in, they wont be able to race for points in WTCC, if they dont get a FIA Homoligation, which I belive wont be any harder then getting one for STCC. As said, SEAT and Chevy has already got dispensions and Volvo would have no problems at all getting a 3-door dispension for the WTCC (like Civic in ETCC 2002), FIA would welcome it with open arms if it means one more manufactuer involved.

**FIRE** · 11 Oct 2007, 18:58 (Ref:2037940)

Great looking car but I had prefered a saloon (S60 or S40).

Subaru_WRX_STi · 11 Oct 2007, 20:33 (Ref:2038037)

not really good looking car ! but most of S2000 cars are "hatchback", so sounds logical to choose the C30 !

I wonder if we can see it in some WTCC events, Anderstorp !

werner · 12 Oct 2007, 09:21 (Ref:2038336)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

FIA homoligation and National homoligation. Volvo C30, Audi A4, Dynamics Civic, Vauxhall, Mercedes C-class and so on, they are all real S2000 cars, with National homoligation. If those arent real S2000 cars then neaither is the SEAT with flat underbody, and neither is the Chevy with bigger valves. Its as easy as that.
Its the National homoligation that ruins it in, they wont be able to race for points in WTCC, if they dont get a FIA Homoligation, which I belive wont be any harder then getting one for STCC. As said, SEAT and Chevy has already got dispensions and Volvo would have no problems at all getting a 3-door dispension for the WTCC (like Civic in ETCC 2002), FIA would welcome it with open arms if it means one more manufactuer involved.

I'm sure the FIA would close an eye about the 3 doors, when Volvo applies for a FIA-homologation, if they want to enter as a factory-team in the WTCC. But when Polestar wants to do only a few rounds, and Volvo is not willing to go trough another homologationprocedure again, then it may be a different story

IIRC there isn't a problem if a car is nationally homologated exactly to the letter of the S2000 technical regulations, but when it has some, even minor, alterations, then it is a problem. Even if the National homologators have approved it being still 'in the spirit' of S2000. Cases are in Britain the Civics of team Halfords, wich have a type-r base engine,wich isn't for sale in a 5-door car, and now in Sweden this 3-door Volvo.
Source: Someware in the back of my head, so not 100% reliable.
The Astra of Rustad is a 3-door car as well, i heard it was a changed former BTCC-car?

Jimmy Magnusson · 12 Oct 2007, 11:35 (Ref:2038436)

No. OTS ran the ex-BTCC Astra Coupe between 2003 and 2005, but built their own new Astra GTC for 2006. This car is still being used. In any case national S2000 cars are pretty much always not S2000 to the letter, as they have usually have some sort of dispensations. This is because the powers at be often recognizes the fact that it is very difficult for small national teams to build cars that can compete with Schnitzer or N.Technology. Sometimes this dispensation is removed, as happened with Audi (I believe) who originally ran lighter because of their national status. However, with the cars being designed and built by the pros down at Audi Sport in Germany this became a bit strange at they had some extra weight put in.

cmk · 12 Oct 2007, 17:19 (Ref:2038677)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ellmau

That car looks terrible

Although not quite as terrible as I had feared.

This neatly sums up my feelings on the car in question.

At least the previous car was a looker, if not as gorgeous as the original racing S40s or anything...

Koulle · 12 Oct 2007, 23:38 (Ref:2038916)

It may not be the best looking car but am I the only one that thinks the livery is stunning?!!?

Ellmau · 13 Oct 2007, 07:57 (Ref:2039046)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koulle

It may not be the best looking car but am I the only one that thinks the livery is stunning?!!?

I've seen test cars with stunning livery before, but when they started to race they ended up with horrible liveries (remember BAR in 1999?)

Koulle · 13 Oct 2007, 13:55 (Ref:2039234)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ellmau

I've seen test cars with stunning livery before, but when they started to race they ended up with horrible liveries (remember BAR in 1999?)

Good point. I hope they keep this one.

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