Ford Tickford Mustangs

[NZmuzzy]

I'd love to see a V8 Mustang running and hope it does. IMHO, it'll be just as interesting to see what Holden will be running if anything at all. Production is stopping in a few months, surely they will announce what, if anything they will replace the V8 commodore with and that may hold the key to how amendable they are to a 2 door challenger? I can't see them handing the V8 market over to Ford that easily (yes I know Mitzi, Merc Volvo but ...)

I may be out of dat with Holden's plans but I know nothing.

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[apsilon]

I thought it had already been confirmed that the Insignia will be the Holden entrant for 2018 and will be a V6?

I don't follow the series. Used to be big into the touring cars but lost interest in the switch to the current format. Now that the Falcon and Commodore are done the series is even less relevant and IMO will struggle to survive more than a couple more years. I'd prefer to see a return to production based racing as the premier series in Australia.

 

[NZmuzzy]

You could be right, as I said I may be well out of date with recent announcements.

Whatever happens if the touring car championship is to servive by being relevant, beyond a couple of years there will need to be changes.

I've got beer, I've got chips, I'm waiting

 

[Friend of Dorothy]

Yes, the V6 Insignia, a rebadged Opel, a brand that will will soon be owned by PSA (Peugeot Citroën), so it will not even be a genuine GM product.

There will be no V8 'Holden' cars immediately after the Commodore dies, although the a future generation Camaro is apparently being designed with RHD capability, but would not be here until 2021 or so.

 

[Flying Fiz]

I saw on Inside V8 Supercars last week that Penske racing has formally requested that a Mustang GT be allowed to race in the series.

But for that to happen a lot of water needs to pass under the bridge, as they need exemptions for being a 2 door (currently only 4 door cars allowed) it isn't manufactured here (although that rule is always relaxed and will have to be permanently), something about not selling enough in Aust yet. Also need to put a team together test change test revise test, tune and the repeat endlessly before April 2018. Verdict was probably 2019.

But they showed a computer generated race going version (white with bold blue stripes) and it looked very HOT.

They also conceded that Mustang DNA has flowed through Australian motorsport since the early days with Leo Gaghan racing one, then Alan Moffatt in his red Boss Mustang GT and even old Dick Johnston had that ghastly looking Mustang GT for a couple of Bathurst stints.

I think the panel was all in favour and thought it was better than a 50/50 proposition.

 

[TeamDenno]

I saw on Inside V8 Supercars last week that Penske racing has formally requested that a Mustang GT be allowed to race in the series.

But for that to happen a lot of water needs to pass under the bridge, as they need exemptions for being a 2 door (currently only 4 door cars allowed) it isn't manufactured here (although that rule is always relaxed and will have to be permanently), something about not selling enough in Aust yet. Also need to put a team together test change test revise test, tune and the repeat endlessly before April 2018. Verdict was probably 2019.

But they showed a computer generated race going version (white with bold blue stripes) and it looked very HOT.

They also conceded that Mustang DNA has flowed through Australian motorsport since the early days with Leo Gaghan racing one, then Alan Moffatt in his red Boss Mustang GT and even old Dick Johnston had that ghastly looking Mustang GT for a couple of Bathurst stints.

I think the panel was all in favour and thought it was better than a 50/50 proposition.

Thought that the "isn't built here" was removed, given the fact that both Mercedes ad Nissan currently race, and they certainly are not built here.

It's the 2-door thing which is the main "political" hurdle... once that irrelevant matter is removed from the rules, the rest should be a formality of finding drivers, prepping the cars and testing.

 

[apsilon]

Thought that the "isn't built here" was removed, given the fact that both Mercedes ad Nissan currently race, and they certainly are not built here.

I thought Merc pulled out after only 1, maybe 2 seasons so it's just Ford, Holden and Nissan (because you can go and buy a RWD V8 Maxima right?)

I maintain my position that they need to move back to a production based formula and open the field up. Yes it creates parity issues but the current cars are now irrelevant and they either need to get ahead of it or they'll end up folding and another series will become the main one.

 

[RSPEC-015]

The 2 door thing is a furphy. The requirement is for a 4-seater passenger vehicle, Mustang fits that. Skaife should know better.

I think we'll see it but in 2019.

 

[TeamDenno]

I thought Merc pulled out after only 1, maybe 2 seasons so it's just Ford, Holden and Nissan (because you can go and buy a RWD V8 Maxima right?)

I maintain my position that they need to move back to a production based formula and open the field up. Yes it creates parity issues but the current cars are now irrelevant and they either need to get ahead of it or they'll end up folding and another series will become the main one.

Yes, sorry, you are right of course. Merc didnt last out of a couple of seasons.

But yes, with Holden and Ford gooone from production, something will have to give if the series is to continue beyond next year.

 

[Jack79]

The 2 door thing is a furphy. The requirement is for a 4-seater passenger vehicle, Mustang fits that. Skaife should know better.

I think we'll see it but in 2019.

yeah, i though this was the case as well, i recall reading something ab out late last year.

 

[Friend of Dorothy]

The 2 door thing is a furphy. The requirement is for a 4-seater passenger vehicle, Mustang fits that. Skaife should know better.

I think we'll see it but in 2019.

That seems to be correct; maybe Crompton and co were referring to allowing a chassis to suit 2-door cars.

I maintain my position that they need to move back to a production based formula and open the field up. Yes it creates parity issues but the current cars are now irrelevant and they either need to get ahead of it or they'll end up folding and another series will become the main one.

There have been enduro races for production cars at Bathurst over recent years but they were dominated by AWD cars, and very few spectators turned up. The Falcon GTHO and Monaro Bathurst era was epic; cars with more power than the tyres could handle and it looked spectacular. The opposite is true of contemporary production car racing these days.

Maybe GT4 type cars is the best that can be hoped for? Factory homologated Mustang vs Camaro vs others. At least the anti-racing management at Ford Australia could not veto cars running in Australia.

 

[apsilon]

There have been enduro races for production cars at Bathurst over recent years but they were dominated by AWD cars, and very few spectators turned up. The Falcon GTHO and Monaro Bathurst era was epic; cars with more power than the tyres could handle and it looked spectacular. The opposite is true of contemporary production car racing these days.

Maybe GT4 type cars is the best that can be hoped for? Factory homologated Mustang vs Camaro vs others. At least the anti-racing management at Ford Australia could not veto cars running in Australia.

True, there have been some great events outside of V8SC. I've been to the 12 and 24 hour enduros at Bathurst and there's been GT races as well more recently. Spectators at the events I've been to have certainly been lower than the touring car era of my childhood but how well advertised have these events been? I've only ever found out about them by accident, word of mouth or knowing someone participating. They rarely get much TV coverage either though I was pleased to see the last 12 hour GT race covered in full on 7mate IIRC and I watched and enjoyed it more than any V8SC race of the past decade but again, I only found out about it 2 days before it was on or I may have made plans to head up there.

Perhaps the GT3 and GT4 cars are the way forward. Slightly more relatable to the public even if the top tier are cars well out of reach of the average person.

Time will tell I guess.

 

[Liber]

We've wandered off topic a bit. From what I see, literally nobody in this thread has ordered any of the heavily overpriced packages from Tickford?

 

[Friend of Dorothy]

We've wandered off topic a bit. From what I see, literally nobody in this thread has ordered any of the heavily overpriced packages from Tickford?

That could well be the case, but keep in mind the that number of active members on this forum is very low compared with the thousands of Mustangs that have already been sold, so it is hard to know for sure.

Reading between the lines I think Tickford know it is a tough, crowded space market and are not going to get huge volumes to recoup their development/setup costs, hence the hefty price point.

 

[TeamDenno]

Yes, the V6 Insignia, a rebadged Opel, a brand that will will soon be owned by PSA (Peugeot Citroën), so it will not even be a genuine GM product.

There will be no V8 'Holden' cars immediately after the Commodore dies, although the a future generation Camaro is apparently being designed with RHD capability, but would not be here until 2021 or so.

Have GM finally indicated that a Camaro might eventually be produced in RHD? Or is that still rumour and supposition?

I know they looked at a feasibility study of doing this, entirely based on the success of the RHD Mustang project, but thought they had decided against with the fact that their (GM's) strategy really no longer includes too many RHD nations (UK, NZ and AU essentially) and they don't care too much of these markets anymore?

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