Subaru out of WRC

[Craig Senior]

Didn't see this one coming

Subaru cancel WRC entry with immediate effect

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/72492

Honda gone from F1, Suzuki from the WRC yesterday, now Subaru.

Who's next

 

[ZBOYD]

No flash in the pan this recession is it.

Bad news for motorsport. The longterm future for the BTCC only seems to be with independent entries, I'm not sure Vauxhall can continue to compete what with GM's problems in the States and the outlook within Vauxhall itself looks bleak with production being reduced and employees offered 9 month reducced pay sabbaticals.

SEAT made an announcement yesterday that it will adjust its production volume for the first half of next year in the face of what it describes as the persistent markets’ downturn, particularly in Spain and its main export markets, coupled to future uncertainty in those markets.

 

[Carr20vt]

No, its not good news.

 

[Lodgey180]

that is crazy !!!

 

[JasonP06]

Am I right in thinking it is this "credit Crunch" that everyone is bleating on about??

How exactly is this "credit crunch" affecting so many people? I mean Wollies and Subaru are as different as chalk and cheese yet they both seem to have been hit very badly indeed by this credit crunch.

I see from Wikipedia that it seems to be a downturn in the availability of loans/borrowing or an upturn in the cost of them from banks but that doesn't make sense. How are so many different types of companies all borrowing loans (or credit) from their banks? What are they all needing the money for?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_crunch

It is percieved to be by many all very bad I know that.

 

[ZBOYD]

Simply, its a matter of Economics. Business can't function without the flow of cold hard cash. If the banks are not freely loaning money to help business and people are not spending due to the lack of available credit (especially on new cars) then they need focus on saving the money.

The first thing to suffer in a recession is advertising and promotion, all of which cover Motorsport.

I think this is the tip of a rather large iceberg, I can see many more victims of this recession before the 2009 motorsport seasons begin.

 

[Craig Senior]

The first thing to suffer in a recession is advertising and promotion, all of which cover Motorsport.

I'm on the marketing team for the Harewood Hillclimb and we are already finding sponsorship and advertisers very difficult to get.

I think alot of the National/local motorsport venues and championships are going to suffer in 2009.

 

[Poverty]

No flash in the pan this recession is it.

Bad news for motorsport. The longterm future for the BTCC only seems to be with independent entries, I'm not sure Vauxhall can continue to compete what with GM's problems in the States and the outlook within Vauxhall itself looks bleak with production being reduced and employees offered 9 month reducced pay sabbaticals.

SEAT made an announcement yesterday that it will adjust its production volume for the first half of next year in the face of what it describes as the persistent markets’ downturn, particularly in Spain and its main export markets, coupled to future uncertainty in those markets.

Its pointless vauxhall competing against idies anyway really as it doesnt hold much weight. GM looks set to head for bankruptcy though!

2009 is the year we will get hit the hardest, and many big companies will collapse! Its going to be worse than the UK gov. is letting on that I can assure you!

 

[AlpineWhite]

Am I right in thinking it is this "credit Crunch" that everyone is bleating on about??

How exactly is this "credit crunch" affecting so many people? I mean Wollies and Subaru are as different as chalk and cheese yet they both seem to have been hit very badly indeed by this credit crunch.

I see from Wikipedia that it seems to be a downturn in the availability of loans/borrowing or an upturn in the cost of them from banks but that doesn't make sense. How are so many different types of companies all borrowing loans (or credit) from their banks? What are they all needing the money for?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_crunch

It is percieved to be by many all very bad I know that.

People aren't spending money. They're not spending it in the shops, and they're not spending it at the car dealerships.

The cause is probably a mixture of
1. People who haven't got money get get loans so that they can go and spend
2. People who have got money are keeping hold of it, riding out the storm if you like.

the causes.... that's a series of essays for another day!

 

[Poverty]

the cause is people spending money they have not got and living beyond their means. Everyone wants big wages but wants to pay little prices. It doesnt work!

 

[AlpineWhite]

You could also argue the cause is banks encouraging people to live beyond their means.

Or, that govornments aren't stopping people living beyond their means.

Or, that banks were running too close to the wind.

 

[Jonesy]

consumer greed


will we see some form of motorsport merging together??

 

[KaraK]

I'm really suprised at this - after all Subaru are basically the textbook case of using motorsport to improve car sales!

If it wasnt for the WRC they wouldnt have sold a fraction of the Impreza's they have sold.

 

[RobDon]

Shock news but hardly surprising.

 

[Carr20vt]

Same for BTCC and Cupra's i think.

 

[IainW]

I'm really suprised at this - after all Subaru are basically the textbook case of using motorsport to improve car sales!

If it wasnt for the WRC they wouldnt have sold a fraction of the Impreza's they have sold.

I suppose they can justify the pullout by saying they've completed their objectives, which they have done in a massive way, thanks mainly to Colin McRae and Prodrive.

The WRC was looking crap next year as it was, even worse now. Hopefully 2010 and the S2000 rules will see teams coming back and new cars appearing.

 

[Jonesy]

Maybe it's because Prodrive are buying Honda F1 Racing

 

[IainW]

Nah Prodrive are big enough to run lots of different things. If it was as simple as that, Subaru would just have moved on to another rally prep company.

 

[WaveyDaveyGravy]

I am really surprised about this I have to say. No-one will miss Suzuki but Subaru have been the constant factor in rallying for almost 20 years. They may be back when the rules change.

 

[Leonidas]

We could also see the Leon doin a bit of s2000 rallying