who is Lamborghini's biggest competitor? Ferrari which other manufacturers are in F1? Ferrari, Aston, Mercedes, Honda, Renault. 60% are luxury brands. it's about halo programs/niche branding, and being where your competition is. I will agree, if it's not Lambo it should be VW...compete against Honda/Renault (or replace Honda.....)
In revenue terms, increasing Lamborghini sales by 10% would be peanuts against developing VW sales by 2%. Also, Lamborghini market is rather limited, where VW potential is not. I know where I would put my money ...
Sorry to say it that clear but you guys have to be kidding!!! Remember VW stands for VOLKSWAGEN, VOLK means PEOPLE....95 % of the potential VW clients would only shake their head if VW would spend any money under their own name in F1, I doubt that it would have the effect of boosting sales. People buyng a VW (at least here in Germany) want a practical reliable car with a decent built quality. If VW would start spending money on F1 many of them would rather change to SEAT and SKODA as they think the would pay to much to finance an F1 program that has nothing to do with their product... Audi at least has a sporting image but VW not at all. I would say WRC was the most suitable series for the image of the marque. And before people point out that Honda and Renault are in the same situation: Renault is representing France in F1 and a French Renault client could get along with it although it has nothing to do with his car, Honda maybe the same but as there is Mercedes and was BMW in F1 nobody in Germany would feel represented by VW.
I see your point, but VW doesn't only sell in Germany, but is present also in many countries, so not only the opinion of the German customers matters!!! Anyway, AUDI is a better fit for F1, IMO. Also, both Mercedes and Renault were motoring pioneers and already present at the beginning of motor racing - the town-to-town variety. They also participated in the first GPs, pre-WWI, so there is history and some racing DNA to preserve in both brands.
I don´t think that international customers thik much different...If anything (as it was reported more negative outside Germany) after the Dieselgate a normal client would ask whether they gone completely mad going into F1 after this episode...
I cannot judge the strength of feeling in other countries, but here in UK, people are mostly P***ed off with VW because it refuses to compensate the unfortunate customers who bought the "illegal" diesel cars. The response to put the cars right so that they conform to regulations is also too long. But why VW compensates US customers and not British ones is something that nobody understands. We know it's about money, but can VW really neglect the UK market? Time will tell if they did a mistake there ...
Because the US government didn't give them a choice. I was one of the TDI owners that had their car bought back. Most owners I talked to could have cared less about the cheating. What pissed us off was how the entire situation was handled by the gov't and VW.
It looks like our UK government got cold feet about the VW scandal and don't want to upset the Germans as we enter the Brexit negotiations to leave the European Union. VW customers are sacrificed in that deal, so as not to rock the relations between countries. Another example of why you should never trust your government ...
Tag F1 anyone, that was a Porsche designed and built engine that pretty much dominated F1 in the mid 80s. They can do anything with enough money, VAGs support will ensure they have enough money. Settled rules will ensure they get the chance
I actually watched this part of the race and I was like "what happened there?" Amazing that such an important and expensive race can be lost by such a stupid human error ... sorry Toyota need to make their cars stronger! Pete
And Chrysler is being Sued for the same thing, rumors of Chevrolet coming, and NO ONE is talking about it. Bull****.
They both took government bailouts... One of the things I heard over and over was that they should never have had the same emissions standards for gas and diesel. Back on topic...if LMP1 is on the way out, will the ACO reconsider DPi's as a way to keep OEMs involved?
For sure nobody is talking about them...they are American If anybody still thinks that foreign and American companies are treated the same way is dreaming...Situations like these are welcome for a "secret" sort of protectionism...
Piquet JR.'s number 13 disqualified for cheating, giving Jachie Jackie Chan's cars a 2-3 overall finish [1-2 in LMP2]. Poor Piquet is part of another "cheating" scandal. Third-place Le Mans finisher disqualified, giving Jackie Chan's cars a 2-3 finish - Autoblog
Opinion: Was Le Mans '17 the beginning of the end for LMP1? The LMP1 class was on shaky ground before this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours – but the fact an LMP2 car came so close to winning overall has to put the category's future in serious doubt, says Jamie Klein. https://www.motorsport.com/lemans/news/opinion-was-le-mans-17-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-lmp1-920977/ Maybe LMP2 should "morph" into LMP1???
The beginning of HYBRID LMP1 maybe, but I think there is some interest from team to race non-hybrid LMP1. LMP2 imposes chassis and engines, which doesn't suit everybody.
I hope it's the end of Prototype. They've had a good run and it's been fun but it's time to go. DPi is boring, a spec class should never be the top(LMP2), and LMP1 is just not doing it anymore. I really hope Ratel gets his way and a version of GT1 comes back with cars like LAF, 918, P1, SCG, etc.
But doing so makes it easier to ban internal combustion engines, which looks like the long term plan.
Will be hard to do. Not saying it's impossible, but it goes back to the discussion on EROEI...there simply isn't any other power source that's small enough and efficient enough to meet what an internal combustion engine can do. That doesn't include the process of sourcing and refining the energy source, which favors internal combustion engines even further.
I'd go the other way - LMP1 should not be hybrid or full on electric. It's expensive technology and it's a pipe dream in terms of a scalability and adaptation (at least all electric). Cars should be completely internal combustion engines, limited aero, NOT spec. Otherwise, it's too expensive and has no real value to a manufacturer.
Er, I believe you have this backwards. Manufacturers WANT to master the hybrid and electric technology. Take that away and they will not be interested in Le Mans at all. Guys, we see Le Mans as a car race and want it to be exciting, etc. Manufacturers don't, they use it as it was always intended to develop technology and show they have mastered it. Winning by 50 laps would bore us to tears but make them very happy, etc. We need to remember the part that Le Mans and the Mille Miglia did to improving the automobile and Le Mans still has a part to play, thankfully. Pete
I disagree. The automotive industry does not need Le Mans / F1 etc For example VW has many test tracks to test all new hybrid tech etc for 24/48 hours. LMP is boring. Group C had many manufacturers You need at least 4-5 to make it an interesting sport imho I would love to see Ford Ferrari Lambo Porsche Mercedes etc in a GT1-ish type of race car. No hybrids, NA or Turbo cars, steel brakes KW/HP limit of 600 or so. A full field of these cars please.