Volvo Racing ?!?? | FerrariChat

Volvo Racing ?!??

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by WCH, Jan 19, 2004.

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  1. WCH

    WCH F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Mar 16, 2003
    5,180
    Can this make any sense at all? Excerpt from Volvo's website:


    Volvo Cars of North America will sponsor S60 R GT Team, At Speed Motorsports, with Derek Bell / Bob Miller / Paul Gerrard driving

    Irvine, CA --- Following a record-breaking sales year in 2003, Volvo Cars of North America will take the battle for supremacy in the premium car market into a totally new 'arena' for 2004 - the racetracks of the USA.

    The company's first foray into racing in the US will be spearheaded by a retailer-backed four car Volvo team in the 2004 SPEED World Challenge GT Series run by At Speed Motorsports and featuring Le Mans racing legend, Derek Bell, as lead driver.

    The racing Volvo S60 Rs will be enhanced versions of the recently launched and highly acclaimed Volvo high performance sedan. Changes to the stock S60 R models will be announced closer to the start of the World Challenge season and will boost the already potent 300 BHP speedster's abilities by a significant amount.

    Bell will be joined for the 2004 season by At Speed Motorsports' owner and 2001 World Challenge GT Rookie of the Year, Bob Miller. Journeyman racer Paul Gerrard will make up the rest of the Volvo trio, with Miller serving in the dual capacity of team strategic director and racer. A fourth driver will be announced later.
     
  2. maranelloman

    maranelloman Guest


    I love it! I think that's great. And, with Derek Bell at the wheel, it sure will be fun to watch. He is a great guy. DAMNED nice looking wife (Misty), too.
     
  3. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

    Aug 20, 2001
    2,684
    East Coast
    Full Name:
    Jon K.
    #3 FLATOUTRACING, Jan 20, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Will,

    Everyone is now getting in on the Speed World Challenge act. Everyone want to be know as the sporty four door company.

    Volvo is trying to shed their stodgy soccer mom image. I am not sure why they are racing but hey it's makes for an interesting field with the new Caddy SWC car.

    In Europe Volvo is know for Touring car racing but has never really been a front running car. They raced in the British Touring Car Championship in the 90's and most recently in the European Touring Car Championships but in both series were mid-pack runner.

    One year, think it was 97 they raced the station wagons in BTCC and actually did quite well.

    Again I think they are simply trying to change their image to a more performance oriented company.

    Look at some of their recent commericials showing the S60 racing around Homestead Raceway. A far cry from their old commericials touting the saftey (and relatively mundane nature) of their cars.

    Regards,

    Jon P. Kofod
    www.flatoutracing.net
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  4. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    Volvo raced against the all conquering BMWs in Australia and nearly won the series. The problem they had was getting off the line ... FWD versus RWD.

    The 5 cylinder engines sound fantastic too :)

    Still would never own one ;)

    Pete
     

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