Η Honda ανακοίνωσε σήμερα ότι θα μπει στο WTCC. Ο CEO της Honda, Takanobu Ito δήλωσε ότι η εταιρία του έχει πάρει μια απόφαση να μπούνε στο WTCC με το ευρωπαϊκό Civic. Θα κατασκευάσουν έναν εντελώς νέο κινητήρα σε συνεργασία με τις Mugen και J.A.S. Motorsport. Το αγωνιστικό θα βασιστεί πάνω στο 5-πορτο Civic και η ανάπτυξη του θα γίνει στο εργοστάσιο της Honda στη πόλη Swindon της Αγγλίας.
Ο κινητήρας θα είναι τετρακύλινδρος χωρητικότητας 1.600 κ.εκ τεχνολογίας turbo άμεσου ψεκασμού και θα πληροί τους κανονισμούς της κατηγορίας Super 2000 της FIA. Ντεμπούτο θα κάνει στον αγώνα της Suzuka στις 21 Οκτωβρίου του 2012, ενώ θα ακολουθήσουν οι αγώνες σε Κίνα και Macau. Πλήρη εμπλοκή θα έχει από το 2013 με 2 αυτοκίνητα τα οποία θα τρέχουν με τα χρώματα της J.A.S. Motorsport.
[Πηγή: Honda]
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HONDA CIVIC ENTERS FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
“We have made a decision” said Honda CEO, Takanobu Ito “to enter into the WTCC with the European Civic. We will develop a totally new engine for this project and we are all excited about starting this new challenge.”
For this project, Honda has formed a joint partnership with Mugen and J.A.S. Motorsport. Honda R&D is developing a bespoke racing engine, while Mugen will manufacture and maintain it. J.A.S. Motorsport will develop the race car, using the new Honda Civic 5 door produced in Honda’s manufacturing plant located in Swindon (UK).
The racing engine is a 1.6 litre 4 cylinder direct injection turbo-charged petrol engine, developed in accordance with FIA’s Super 2000 regulations.
Honda’s ambition is to join the WTCC as early as this season, with a string of “inaugural rounds”. Discussions are currently being held with the FIA, but these rounds would include Japan (held on 21 October 2012 at Honda’s Suzuka circuit), followed by China and Macau. Honda will then enter a two car team, managed by J.A.S. Motorsport, into every race in the 2013 championship season.
This activity is being run independently to the Honda Racing British Touring Car Championship winning team. Three-times BTCC Champion, Matt Neal and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden will be behind the wheel of the race-prepared Team Dynamics version of the new Civic and lining up on the grid at Brands Hatch on 1 April for the first race of the 2012 season.
Racing has always been a fundamental element of Honda’s DNA. In the late 1950s Honda first entered the Isle of man T.T and then Formula 1 in the 1960s. The FIA WTCC is the next chapter in Honda’s on-going commitment to world motor sport and provides a perfect platform to demonstrate its racing spirit to Honda’s numerous fans around the world.
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