SAAB in the WRC?

It looks like SAAB may get into the WRC:

More Big Names to follow MINI?

"Another manufacturer with a strong history in the sport is Saab: not surprisingly for a quintessentially Scandinavian car company. Now it is owned by the Dutch Spyker outfit, which has fielded Le Mans cars in the past.

Just like MINI, Saab is trying to reconnect with its heritage, and the new-look World Rally Championship is the perfect way to do that. Details are still sketchy, but it is believed that Saab’s interest is absolutely serious, particularly with the company’s plans to build a MINI-rivalling 9-2 hatchback."

Cool. Maybe major manufacturers can convince Speed to pick up the coverage again!

That would be quite awesome!

Platinum90 wrote: Cool. Maybe major manufacturers can convince Speed to pick up the coverage again!

But if they did that I might miss the 2006 season highlights of the Monster Jam tour!

wonder if Volvo might jump into the WRC with an uprated C30, or maybe the XC70? although the XC70 isn't exactly a 1.6l turbo AWD hatchback, not by any stretch of the imagination.

now what would be REALLY interesting is if Audi jumped into the game with either the TT Quattro or the A3 Quattro. or, a Mazda2 rally car, based on the Fiesta rally cars? I almost know that no rally cars are going to come out of Detroit (not counting the European-designed-and-bred Focus WRC, and of course the Fiesta rally/hillclimb cars), but a Dodge Caliber rally car wouldn't look too out of place I don't think, although if Mopar is promoting vehicles off-road, the Jeep version of the Caliber might be an easier sell. GM, well, Government Motors wouldn't get into the WRC because what interest would the greenpeace car buying american public have in watching loud, obnoxious, inefficient, destructive rally cars wreak havoc on poor defenseless dirt roads in another country?

It would be a great way for Dodge to increase market exposure in Europe. They could probably even double their sales, going from two to four cars per year!

Slyp_Dawg wrote: GM, well, Government Motors wouldn't get into the WRC because what interest would the greenpeace car buying american public have in watching loud, obnoxious, inefficient, destructive rally cars wreak havoc on poor defenseless dirt roads in another country?

GM has been working on a competition-based image in Europe for several years:

http://www.chevroletwtcc.com/

I wouldn't bet against a Euro-rally presence just yet.

I have thought that Jeep should do WRC since the Patriot/Compass came out.

The more manufacturers/competition the better.

No care if SPEED picks it up, I cancelled cable months ago, I <3 torrents.

Although HD Theater doesn't have the best coverage of WRC it's still millions times better than Speed, plus HD Theater's HD quality is 100x better than Speeds HD quality.

^ + 1000

Relative to American car sales in Europe, I just got back from 4 weeks in Scotland, and the only American cars I saw were Jeeps (mostly Cherokees and Liberties) and PT Cruisers. So Chrysler do sell some cars over there.

Jim Pettengill wrote: the only American cars I saw were Jeeps (mostly Cherokees and Liberties) and PT Cruisers. So Chrysler do sell some cars over there.

No wonder Europeans think American cars are crap

EDIT: Oh, and +1 for Saab in WRC.

Sounds exciting. I'd actually start watching rally if enough manufacturers got back in it. Sorry but seeing 30 different STI's and Evo's gets boring after awhile.

Looks like VW is giving some serious thought towards its' own WRC entry:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/86288

Decision to be made public later this year.

Drewsifer wrote: Sounds exciting. I'd actually start watching rally if enough manufacturers got back in it. Sorry but seeing 30 different STI's and Evo's gets boring after awhile.

When's the last time you saw an Evo in WRC? :confused:

I want more "kit cars" in the WRC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sx_q-W0vWk&feature=related

ReverendDexter wrote:

Drewsifer wrote: Sounds exciting. I'd actually start watching rally if enough manufacturers got back in it. Sorry but seeing 30 different STI's and Evo's gets boring after awhile.

When's the last time you saw an Evo in WRC? :confused:

Privateers. And it might not have been the WRC. I don't follow rally at all, so it might have been another series.

Subaru wasn't in it this past year either.

Only ford and citroen had factory support this year.

Rally America events tend to have a majority of the open cars being Subie's and Evo's of various generations.

It would be fantastic to get SAAB back. OK maybe it's just me, but whenever a manufacturer floats the idea of getting back into rally I start searching CL and Autotrader for their cars.