| Touring car racing is a general term for | | | | marques.[citation needed] |
| a number of distinct auto racing | | | | |
| competitions in heavily-modified street | | | | Germany |
| cars. It is notably popular in Britain, | | | | Since 1997, and nowadays still on the |
| Germany, Scandinavia, and Australia. | | | | over 20 km long famous old Nurburgring, |
| | | | in average over 150 touring cars compete |
| Characteristics of a touring car | | | | in the VLN series of ten typically 4 |
| While rules vary from country to | | | | hour long races. Cars range from old 100 |
| country, most series require that the | | | | hp road legal compacts to 500 hp Porsche |
| competitors start with a standard body | | | | 996 and even modified DTM cars (1250 |
| shell, but virtually every other | | | | kg). Most entrants of the 24 Hours |
| component is allowed to be heavily | | | | Nurburgring collect experience here. |
| modified for racing, including engines, | | | | |
| suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres. | | | | Australia/New Zealand/China/Bahrain |
| Wings are usually added to the front and | | | | Formerly the Australian Touring Car |
| rear of the cars. Regulations are | | | | Championship. The current formula was |
| usually designed to limit costs by | | | | devised in 1993 and branded at 'V8 |
| banning some of the more exotic | | | | Supercars' in 1997. The series features |
| technologies available (for instance, | | | | grids of 31 650+ hp (480 kW) Ford |
| many series insist on a "control tyre" | | | | Falcons and Holden Commodores. The |
| that all competitors must use) and keep | | | | weight limit for a V8 Supercar is |
| the racing close (sometimes by a "lead | | | | 1350kg. At one time the cars were billed |
| trophy" where winning a race requires | | | | as the "biggest, heaviest, fastest and |
| the winner's car to be heavier for | | | | most powerful" of all touring cars. In |
| subsequent races). In this, it shares | | | | terms of outright power, size and weight |
| some similarity with the American NASCAR | | | | this likely still true however DTM |
| series, but raced exclusively on road | | | | vehicles are probably faster around a |
| courses and street circuits rather than | | | | track. However, V8 Supercars provide the |
| the American series' primarily oval | | | | closest racing of any touring car |
| tracks. | | | | category, with the top 20 usually |
| Whilst not nearly as fast as Formula | | | | qualifying within 1 second of one |
| One, the similarity of the cars both to | | | | another! |
| each other and to fans' own vehicles | | | | The race cars themselves are derived |
| makes for entertaining, well-supported | | | | from production bodyshells and panels, |
| racing. The lesser impact of | | | | which are used rather than space-frame |
| aerodynamics also means that following | | | | chassis. Both Holden and Ford have |
| cars have a much easier time of passing | | | | factory backed teams and invest heavily |
| than F1, and the more substantial bodies | | | | in the sport. |
| of the cars makes the occasional nudging | | | | As the series has grown, major |
| for overtaking much more acceptable as | | | | international motorsport groups have |
| part of racing. | | | | involved themselves. Several teams now |
| As well as short "sprint" races, many | | | | benefit from the involvement of Tom |
| touring car series include one or more | | | | Walkinshaw, Triple 8 Engineering and |
| "endurance" races, which last anything | | | | Prodrive. Also, in 2005 the Championship |
| from 3 to 24 hours and are a test of | | | | had its first non Australian/NZ round, |
| reliability and pit crews as much as car | | | | held at the Shanghai Grand Prix Circuit. |
| and driver speed. | | | | This was followed in 2006 with a multi |
| | | | year deal to compete at the Bahrain |
| Differences between touring cars and | | | | Grand Prix Circuit. The growth of the |
| sports cars | | | | series has seen motorsport become equal |
| For the casual observer, there can be a | | | | with Rugby, as Australia's 3rd most |
| great deal of confusion when it comes to | | | | watched sport. |
| classifying closed-wheel racing cars as | | | | Due to its close, high intensity racing, |
| 'touring cars' or 'sports cars' (also | | | | V8 Supercars can lay claim to providing |
| known as GT cars). In truth, there is | | | | the best Touring Car category in the |
| often very little technical difference | | | | world. |
| between the two classifications, and | | | | V8 Supercar Championship Series |
| nomenclature is often a matter of | | | | incorporates the famous Bathurst 1000 in |
| tradition. | | | | the championship. Drivers are paired up |
| In general, however, touring cars are | | | | for the big 'enduro', and it is weighted |
| based upon 4-door 'family' sedans or, | | | | equally to the championship points |
| more rarely, 2-door coupe cars, while GT | | | | Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series, home of |
| racing cars are based upon more exotic | | | | up-and-coming drivers hoping to break |
| vehicles, such as Ferraris or | | | | into the main game as well as loyal |
| Lamborghinis. Underneath the bodywork, a | | | | privateers. |
| Touring Car is often more closely | | | | |
| related to its road-going origins, using | | | | British Touring Car Championship |
| many original components and mountings, | | | | United Kingdom/Republic of Ireland |
| while a top-flight GT car is often a | | | | The British Touring Car Championship |
| purpose-built tube-frame racing chassis | | | | (BTCC), currently competes at nine |
| underneath a cosmetic bodyshell. Many | | | | circuits in the UK and Republic of |
| Touring Car series, such as the BTCC and | | | | Ireland, with cars built either to BTCC |
| the now-defunct JTCC distinguish | | | | or European Touring Car Championship |
| themselves from sports-car racing by | | | | (ETCC) specification, with ballast being |
| featuring front-wheel drive, four-wheel | | | | used to equalise the two types. Cars are |
| drive and rear-wheel drive cars with | | | | 2.0 Litre saloons with around 270 bhp |
| smaller engines. | | | | and can be Front wheel drive,4 wheel |
| However, while in general Touring Cars | | | | drive or Rear wheel drive. There are |
| have a lower technical level than sports | | | | currently only two manufacturer teams |
| cars, there are notable exceptions to | | | | (Vauxhall, who run Astras built to BTCC |
| the rule. The Deutsche Tourenwagen | | | | rules, and SEAT, who enter "Super |
| Masters (DTM) is considered to be one of | | | | 2000"-spec Leons) although because BTCC |
| the most technologically advanced racing | | | | budgets have been kept relatively low |
| series in the world, with cars that, | | | | there is a strong independent and |
| underneath their four-door shells, are | | | | privateer presence in the championship. |
| more purebred racing machines than most | | | | Manufacturers represented by privateers |
| FIA-GT vehicles. | | | | include Vauxhall, Honda, Lexus, BMW, |
| | | | Peugeot, Alfa Romeo and MG. |
| DTM | | | | Prior to 2001 the BTCC was contested by |
| Germany/Europe | | | | cars built to 2.0 litre supertouring |
| The DTM series, the initials standing | | | | regulations and had in its heyday up to |
| for Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft | | | | 9 different manufacturers. It was |
| until 1996, then following a hiatus, | | | | considered to be the best touring car |
| revived as Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters | | | | championship in the world, as stated by |
| in 2000, features advanced purpose built | | | | Joachim Winkelhock on several occasions, |
| V8-powered space frame machines, covered | | | | and many of champions of that era now |
| with carbon fibre bodyshapes resemblant | | | | race in the World Touring Car |
| of the manufacturers' road machine. In | | | | Championship (WTCC). |
| order to lower costs, the engine power | | | | |
| is limited to 470 hp, and transmissions, | | | | World Touring Car Championship |
| brakes and tyres (Dunlop) are standard | | | | Worldwide |
| parts for all. Also, dimension and | | | | Modern World Touring Car Championship |
| aerodynamics are equalized. The approx. | | | | (WTCC) started in 2005, replacing the |
| 1050 kg light DTM cars corner incredibly | | | | old European Touring Car Championship. |
| quickly and wear spectacular bodykits | | | | It is generally considered to be the |
| incorporating huge wheel arches and | | | | most prestigious touring car |
| diffusors. | | | | championship in the world. |
| Easily Europe's premier series, DTM | | | | Running at major international racing |
| features many ex-F1 drivers like Jean | | | | facilities, this series is heavily |
| Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and | | | | supported by BMW, Alfa Romeo and SEAT, |
| especially Mika Hakkinen since the 2005. | | | | with Ford, Chevrolet and Honda also |
| The European locale makes this series | | | | showing limited support. It features 2L |
| appealing for aspiring drivers, who | | | | cars built to Super 2000 regulations |
| didn't quite make F1, as they compete | | | | based of FIA Group N. |
| alongside legends of the sport. | | | | Following the trend of recent FIA rules, |
| More than 20 works-backed entries of | | | | cost control is a major theme in the |
| Opel Vectra GTS, Audi A4 and | | | | technical regulation. Engines are |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class contested the 2005 | | | | limited to 2000 cc. Many technologies |
| DTM series. Opel will not return in | | | | that have featured in production cars |
| 2006, though, as GM has to cut costs. | | | | are not allowed, for example variable |
| This puts the whole series in jeopardy | | | | valve timing, variable intake geometry, |
| for 2007 as TV contracts ask for 3 | | | | ABS brakes and traction control. |