The ‘win on Sunday, sell on Sunday’ mantra was once a vital ingredient in the success of Australian touring cars. But, with the link between Supercars and what you see on the showroom floor growing ever more tenuous, things have changed.
When the Supercars field rolls out on practice day for the Gold Coast 600 on Friday, October 20, none of the three cars represented in Australia’s premier motorsport category will be on sale in showrooms.
Holden closes its manufacturing plant that day, bringing an end to the VF Commodore. The Ford FG X Falcon finished production last October with the end of Ford’s own local production. And Nissan no longer imports the Altima into Australia.
“We have always prided ourselves on being relevant,” Supercars CEO James Warburton told V8X Supercar Magazine in issue #99. “I don’t think any one in the category thinks that (having FG X and Altima on the grid) would be a good idea beyond next year.”
Supercars’ popularity in Australia was based on the close link between the cars that raced and those sold in the marketplace, especially the locally-produced Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore. The V8-era technical regulations were created to fit the Falcon and Commodore.
Denne historien er fra August - September 2017-utgaven av V8X Supercar Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra August - September 2017-utgaven av V8X Supercar Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The F1 Legends At The Mountain
The recently departed Sir Stirling Moss is recognised as the best Formula 1 driver never to win the drivers’ world championship, but his illustrious career extended to many other categories, including an often forgotten appearance in the Bathurst 1000 alongside another legend of the sport.
Right On Track: Sprinting Back Into Action
The Virgin Australia Supercars Championship returns with shorter sprint races on the reworked calendar in 2020.
Beyond The Wheel: Racing Virtually
Racing online in the BP Supercars All Stars Eseries was a new experience for me. While there were some carryover traits from racing in real life, there were also some significant differences.
Top 10 Seasons
Top 10 Seasons
The Inside Story: The New Normal
As we prepare for the return of racing, the whole Supercars pitlane is wondering how things will look. And work.
Top 10 (Multi-Car) Crashes
10 mount panorama circuit 2014
TOP 10 MAKES
TOP 10 MAKES
VIRTUAL MOVES
The BP Supercars All Stars Eseries provided some racing during the suspension of the season, paving the way for more regular virtual contests.
VIRTUAL REALITY
The BP Supercars All Stars Eseries has paved the way for Supercars to further embrace virtual racing, opening up an important avenue to attract and engage with new audiences for the category
1960 – 2020 TOP 60 DRIVERS
Who are the greatest drivers in the 60-year history of the Australian Touring Car Championship/Supercars? We rank the top 60 with an emphasis on best championship finishes, race-winning percentage and competitive longevity. Only drivers with top 10 championship finishes were considered, to emphasise championship performances over part-time or endurance campaigns. Also, results from the Bathurst 1000 and other endurance events were only factored in when they were part of the championship.