Volvo and Audi race against a conservative image<\/p>\n
By Alexander Corne<\/p>\n
A Volvo race car may seem at odds with the marque's
\ntraditional conservative image, but the Swedish company is
\nshedding its skin and strapping on fat tires to compete more
\neffectively with BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.<\/p>\n
Evidence of this can be seen on the Indomobil stand at the
\nJakarta Auto Expo where the British 2.0 liter racing 850 of the
\nTom Walkinshaw Racing team is proudly displayed.<\/p>\n
To carve out its new niche, Volvo has focused on the fast and
\nfurious world of door-to-door saloon racing. A white-hot frenzy
\nof clashing armor, short tempers and on-the-limit car control.<\/p>\n
Super Tourer racing offers ultracompetitive, big budget, high-
\noctane racing. It is spectator and television-friendly and the
\nseries is spreading across the world like wildfire. Volvo hopes
\nto benefit from this high profile series, and the best way to
\nattract attention is by winning.<\/p>\n
However, for its debut season in 1992, Volvo took the
\ncourageous step of entering an 850 station wagon instead of the
\nmore obvious 850 sedan. The move was a success, for although the
\ncar didn't win too often, it created a sensation. Everybody, from
\nmotorsport fans to those with no interest in racing, heard about
\nthe racing wagon, and it began to change the way people perceived
\nthe Volvo brand.<\/p>\n
Super Touring car racing is centered around mass production
\ncars sold in vast numbers around the world. The racing version,
\nwhile sharing the external appearance of the road going cars, is
\na purebred racer under the skin.<\/p>\n
The first giveaway are the huge 18 inch wheels and licorice
\nthin tires shoe-horned into the wheel arches. Then look inside.
\nThere is only a driver's seat and a complex web of tubing filling
\nthe interior. This high-technology roll cage protects the driver
\nagainst the effects of the all-too frequent high speed departures
\nfrom the track. The roll cage helps to stiffen the overall
\nstructure of the car, making it handle better and able to go
\naround corners at speeds the standard road car could not even
\napproach.<\/p>\n
Under the hood is a highly developed 2.0-liter engine. This
\ncan be developed from any mass production engine sold by the car
\nmarque for road use. In many cases the engine is a blue printed
\nrace engine, with special racing pistons, camshafts and valve
\nsetup.<\/p>\n
The gearbox is often a sequential, motorcycle style racing
\nsystem, which can be operated not via the usual floor mounted
\nlever, but by paddles fitted to the minute racing steering wheel.
\nThis means the driver does not have to take his hand off the
\nwheel while changing gear.<\/p>\n
The suspension is also completely reworked to racing
\nspecification and there are fire extinguishers plumbed into the
\ncabin and under the hood.<\/p>\n
So who is racing and how fast are they going?<\/p>\n
The first series raced under the present rules started in
\nEngland in 1991. BMW, Ford, General Motors, Peugeot and Nissan
\nwere among the first to become actively involved at manufacturer
\nlevel, but now about a dozen manufacturers compete including Alfa
\nRomeo, Toyota, Honda, Volvo, Audi, Mazda and Renault.<\/p>\n
The cars cost hundreds of thousands to build and run for a
\nseason. In 1994, Alfa Romeo had a budget of US$7 million for its
\ntwo-car team to race in the British championships.<\/p>\n
The series was such a success initially, especially when
\npackaged for television with lots of dramatic in-car footage.
\nClever management too, ensured the drivers were accessible to
\nrace fans in the pits, unlike the Formula 1 where drivers and
\nfans are kept far apart.<\/p>\n
The 2.0-liter Super Touring series runs series in South
\nAfrica, Australia, Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany and
\nSpain. It is likely to start in the United States as well, and an
\nAsian debut for the race series cannot be far away.<\/p>\n
The racing continues to be the closest of any in the world,
\nwith as little as half a second separating the top dozen cars on
\nthe grid.<\/p>\n
Incidents and accidents are rare, but with cars capable of
\nmore than 250kmh, there are sure to be some thrills and spills.
\nPower outputs are broadly similar between the cars, handling
\nlimits also, meaning the race to the first corner always produces
\na massive scramble off the line.<\/p>\n
While Volvo made a massive impact on the British market with
\nits wagon in its first year, it subsequently opted for a sedan to
\nform the basis of its racing. This offers better aerodynamic
\ndown-force, making the car more stable at race speeds.<\/p>\n
The car on show at the Jakarta Auto Expo is one of these
\nsedans. It is packed with the latest Volvo race engine
\ntechnology. The closest racing Volvo on the race tracks is in
\nAustralia, where track hero Peter Brock has been driving the car
\nfor two seasons with a modicum of success.<\/p>\n
Audi, which is set to launch the A4 on the Indonesian market
\nnext year, is another key player in the Super Touring stakes.
\nAudi's A4 has been winning races in Australia, while last year
\nthe team won the Belgian and Italian Super Touring championships
\nand is a serious challenger for titles in all the Super Tourer
\nchampionships this season.<\/p>\n
The A4's compact dimensions, highly tuned handling and some of
\nthe world's best sedan drivers have made the team a formidable
\nforce. Audi's preparation and team management is another strong
\npoint.<\/p>\n
BMW founded its reputation on the race tracks of Europe and
\nits ever evolving motorsport department enjoyed a rich diversity
\nof product from which to craft its racing cars. The current 320i
\nrace cars use highly developed four cylinder engines. Testing and
\nteam management is now under the control of the British based
\nMcLaren organization, well known for its participation in Formula
\n1 racing.<\/p>\n
------------
\nCaption:<\/p>\n
Audi, which launches the A4 here next year, is a formidable force
\nin worldwide 2.0 liter Super Touring races.<\/p>",
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