17 replies to this topic

[ams]

I just saw on channel 10 news that Subaru are withdrawing from next years WRC?

http://www.google.co...PFtzL2_hBxR6efg

Subaru withdraws from world rally championship


TOKYO (AFP) — Subaru said Tuesday it had withdrawn from the world rally championship with the end of the 2008 season because of the global financial crisis and falling car sales.
"Our business environment has rapidly deteriorated. In order to protect the Subaru brand we were forced to make this decision," Ikuo Mori, the president of Fuji Heavy Industries, which makes Subaru cars, told a press conference.
Mori fought back tears as he announced the decision, thanking fans.

The Subaru team won three manufacturer's championship titles and three driver's championship titles in its 19-year WRC participation.

"This, we believe, has helped us achieve our original goal of enhancing the value of the Subaru brand," Mori said.

He cited the global economic slump and falling car sales as major reasons for the exit, which he said was effective with the end of the 2008 season.

The company had already decided to pull out of the rally at the end of 2009 as the team has failed to shine in recent years, but brought forward the timing due to the severity of the business environment, he said.

Side note: Suzuki has pulled out also.

[aekOne]

Yeah i saw this yesterday. Here are the article from www.wrc.com

http://www.wrc.com/j...a...0of the WRC

http://www.wrc.com/j...a... WRC return

[Soop]

Well the WRC just failed epically. Can we have a real WRX now? Seems Subaru was cappering for the poofter hatch thing the WRC had going. At least thats what I heared. As for the WRC itself, the loss of Subaru wouldn't be any real worry. For the last how many years, Subaru has just been an also ran.

[Shiv]

Aww this is just tragic Its hard to imagine the WRC without a factory backed Subaru team. Very, very sad. The real issue now is what will Petter and Atko going to do now?? I'm pretty sure Petter signed with Subaru until the end of the '09 season so maybe they'll just get him to appear in adverts and stuff OR lay him off.

[Dylan]

Wow. That sucks. Colin would be rolling in his grave. RIP.

[robt]

Yeah I am bummed as. Its a real shame as there aren't that many manufacturors left in WRC. There used to be heaps like Seat and Skoda etc. Whats going on. Will there be a McLaren Ferrari championship in F1 soon? At least the Superbikes have Aprilia and BMW joining the 4 jap companies as well as Ducati. Subaru need to be there as thats why they have a cult following. No motorsport means they will become Hyundai.

[Shiv]

When they've got money they can allocate to motorsport, they'll be back, no doubt about it. In the meanwhile, the WRC and FIA can work on cost cutting to help make the championship cheaper for the manufacturers and teams.

[Xon]

The real issue now is what will Petter and Atko going to do now?? I'm pretty sure Petter signed with Subaru until the end of the '09 season so maybe they'll just get him to appear in adverts and stuff OR lay him off.

One of two things.
1) Retire and spend all day rolling around in piles of cash.
2) Become driver training instructors, then retire and spend all day rolling around in piles of cash.

[ams]

Not Subaru (or WRC) related, but looks like Chrysler and Ford are also victims of hard times...

http://www.news.com....6-31037,00.html

AILING US automaker Chrysler said it was halting its manufacturing for at least a month from Friday in response to a credit crisis and ongoing debate on a government rescue for the sector.

Ford will also shut down ten production plants for an extra week in January, AP reported.

[Soop]

Ford and Chrysler were in trouble long before the economic crysis. Subaru are trying to turn their cars into beige old people-mobiles, or cars for pretentious wankers who like walking around holding their d**ks and bragging about how their STi tickles their balls for them while they drive. How's about a car manufacture just builds a bare neccesity car. Seat belts, 4 -5 seats, 4 doors, 4-6-8cylinder and optional Air con. It'd cost 4/5th of f*ck all and more people would be able to afford it. More sales, higher profit. Oh wait no.... To many people like walking around holding their d**ks and bragging about how their high performance, street tamed race car tickles their balls and tells them how to get to the corner f*cking store thats been in the same place for the last 10yrs....

[Blaeven]

How's about a car manufacture just builds a bare neccesity car.
Seat belts, 4 -5 seats, 4 doors, 4-6-8cylinder and optional Air con.
It'd cost 4/5th of f*ck all and more people would be able to afford it. More sales, higher profit.

um...

somone already has...

http://www.caradvice...nches-2850-car/

new car for $2850 anyone?

[Soop]

Yeah one that doesn't spontaneously combust. Basically. They need to take for example an Impreza. They need: The Base model: 4 seats, 4 doors, a poxy engine that does the job, and a fricken air bag. Done. The Luxury model: See above, plus Climate control, what ever fancy GPS you like. Good seats and nice beige styling. Squishy comfy suspension. The sports mode: Seats that hold onto you. Suspension that holds onto the road (Not your butt cheeks). And a big f*ck off obnoxious engine. Mixing them three genre's just creats a niche market for f*ck whits.

[Xon]

Not everyone wants to drive a commodore Paulie...

[Soop]

Who said anything about Commonwhores? The current trend obviously isn't working for most manufactures.

[Xon]

You mentioned a car with 4 seats and an engine and no frills?

[Soop]

V3 STi anyone?

[Blaeven]

V3 STi anyone?

that's not no frills... that's no bullshit...

there's a difference...

[SUBARU]

Who said anything about Commonwhores?

The current trend obviously isn't working for most manufactures.

How did you come to this conclusion Paul?

Manufacturers spend billions on R&D in order to determine that they release a car that is going to sell and is going to cater for all different socio-economic levels, different demographics and different needs.
Sure, there have been a few monumental stuff ups throughout history for some manufacturers, but on a whole people are people and love being able to make the decision to have what ever type of car they want.

Bare necessity cars? Camry? Omega? Mondeo? Skoda? Hyundai? Honda? The list could go on and on...

There is nothing wrong with the cars the manufacturers are producing. The only problem the manufacturers are having is derived from a false economy.

All in all, I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here.

Spill it kid!