The New IRL Chassis Is.....

[cosworth151]

They don't have to advertise the V8 Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Chargers, 300's etc - they're selling like hotcakes! You advertise what's NOT selling.

I just did a quick survey of the parking lot here at FCR Systems. The only thing without a V8 is a Jeep Wrangler. I asked Laura, our Office Manager, why she got an SUV instead of a car. She said it was all she could get with a V8!

That's why trucks are outselling cars. The CAFE restrictions aren't as draconian on them, so V8's are common.

I've only had 4 street vehicles in my life that weren't V8's (Yugo GV, MG Midget & 2 used station wagons I had in high school). Claw_grrrl has never had a car that wasn't a V8.

[Jericoke]

They don't have to advertise the V8 Mustangs, Camaros, Challengers, Chargers, 300's etc - they're selling like hotcakes! You advertise what's NOT selling.

I just did a quick survey of the parking lot here at FCR Systems. The only thing without a V8 is a Jeep Wrangler. I asked Laura, our Office Manager, why she got an SUV instead of a car. She said it was all she could get with a V8!

That's why trucks are outselling cars. The CAFE restrictions aren't as draconian on them, so V8's are common.

I've only had 4 street vehicles in my life that weren't V8's (Yugo GV, MG Midget & 2 used station wagons I had in high school). Claw_grrrl has never had a car that wasn't a V8.

Try looking in an average parking lot in New York, LA, Chicago or Dallas, and you're going to find something different 

None of my coworkers own a V8.  I would be comfortable suggesting that most of the people going to the Toronto Indy this weekend do not own a V8.  (Probably more going to the Edmonton Indy though...)

Maybe the government is the one to blame this on; the car companies spent a lot of money on making fuel efficient V6s because it seemed easier.  They could have gotten the same results with V8s if they tried - Ford was right, it is a superior design.

[cosworth151]

Having spent time in all of them:

NYC: Nobody can afford to park. A parking space costs more than an apartment. 

L.A.: Who cares about Hollywierd, anyway?

Chicago: The lots will be empty. All of the cars will be stuck in traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway. 

Dallas: Unless you're driving a Suburban or an F350 Super Duty they make you move to Oklahoma!

[lkjohnson1950]

I agree with Jeri, most of the CARS sold in the US-Canada are 4s and 6s. Toyota only sell V8s in trucks and Lexi (Lexuses?), Nissan only in trucks and Infinitis, Ford offers them in trucks and Mustangs, (and the Crown Vic which is going out of production) Chevy in trucks, Camaros, and Impalas, Honda doesn't even sell a V8. As long as the cars are fast, no one will care how they are powered, and according to the IRL, the manufacturers they spoke to asked for a turbo 4 or turbo 6 formula.

Lonny

[cosworth151]

Then let the manufacturers watch the little econo-slugs waddle around. I sure NASCAR is breathing a big sigh of relief over it.

[Jericoke]

Then let the manufacturers watch the little econo-slugs waddle around. I sure NASCAR is breathing a big sigh of relief over it.

The V8s haven't exactly set IRL afire, have they?

More of the same isn't going to bring the IRL to parity with NASCAR.  Bringing in American car companies seems like the best move to me, and giving them what they want makes sense too.

[cosworth151]

IRL is still here. None of the American car companies have expressed any interest in building the 6 poppers for the new spec. I think they're still smarting from developing 6 poppers for the NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) series. The series went back to V8's after 2 seasons, because they couldn't give tickets away with the V6's.

I just read two other articles on line this morning. One said that Honda's flagship model, the Honda Legend/Acura TL was being killed off. They only sold about 800 of them this year. The reason: No V8.

The other said that Ford may have to revive it's proposed Interceptor, the replacement for the Crown Vic. Ford has dominated the police car market for a generation. There has been almost zero interest in the new Taurus police car. The reason: No V8.

[Scott]

I like it...as long as it's not behind me with the lights flashing.   

[Jericoke]

IRL is still here. None of the American car companies have expressed any interest in building the 6 poppers for the new spec. I think they're still smarting from developing 6 poppers for the NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) series. The series went back to V8's after 2 seasons, because they couldn't give tickets away with the V6's.

I just read two other articles on line this morning. One said that Honda's flagship model, the Honda Legend/Acura TL was being killed off. They only sold about 800 of them this year. The reason: No V8.

The other said that Ford may have to revive it's proposed Interceptor, the replacement for the Crown Vic. Ford has dominated the police car market for a generation. There has been almost zero interest in the new Taurus police car. The reason: No V8.

Nationwide is bigger than ever.

Perhaps the IRL is going with the `New Coke` approach... the attention of shifting to smaller engines is translated into a triumphant return of V8s to Indy?

[lkjohnson1950]

May I remind you that nearly 30 years ago BMW built a 1500cc 4 banger that put out about 1200 horsepower in qualifying trim. That's about 400 more than the IRL's V8s. With that much power, there is no way they are going around Indy flat. I could live with that. In fact I could love that. If they can get to the point that the difference between being FAST and being on row 11 is more that being "trimmed out" Indy will thrive. No one ever accused AJ Foyt of being a sissy because his winning Offy was "only" a 4.

Lonny

[cosworth151]

I'd forgotten about the BMW. I guess that's because I mostly lost interest in F1 during the "turbo whiz-bang" era. Even Cosworth was reduced to the sad, little GB series 6 popper.   

A.J.'s Offy roadsters also had drum brakes and solid front axles. He was one of the first to scrap the antique Offy as soon as the Ford/Cosworth Indy V8 became available.

[Dare]

I'm starting to lose interest in IRL this
year with 2 teams winning all the races.
I don't see a new chassis improving that situation

[Jericoke]

I'm starting to lose interest in IRL this
year with 2 teams winning all the races.
I don't see a new chassis improving that situation

I've never liked the IRL. I'm kind if excited about the new chassis though. It may be like 2009 in F1 where the big teams are caught flat footed by smaller teams with a better design

I don't care how big the engines are... Just so long as I get to choose which engine to root for

[cosworth151]

I'm starting to lose interest in IRL this
year with 2 teams winning all the races.

You mean like all those seasons that Ferrari & McLaren won every F1 race?

I've been an IRL fan from the first announcement. They were going to have real engine. I had very little interest in C.A.R.T.'s tiny turbo tinker toy engines, even if some of them were built by Cosworth. I can't see me having any interest in IRL if it reverts to those go kart engines on steroids. 

[John S]

I'm starting to lose interest in IRL this
year with 2 teams winning all the races.
I don't see a new chassis improving that situation

For me it's those neverending circles they keep going round, I find I get dizzy very easily as I get older.