Cypher09

GM should try to get it homologated for FIA GT3. American small block V8s + Spa or the Nordschleife sounds like a magic equation to me.

Not exactly breaking new ground with this one, it looks a lot like a Mini Moke to me. They also make cut down Chevys & Kias that look a lot like this BamBoo thing. They're all over Barbados as cheap rental cars.

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

You would think as a major OEM Ford would love to sell homologation specials to offset the development cost of their racing programs, but with all the crash tests they would have to go thru the replacement body parts for a road going version of this car would make the $20,000 GT500KR carbon fiber hood look cheap. Tho offering the parts thru Ford racing would be an nice option.

A manual is only available on the base model? Please make us a SS version.

I take it you've never seen any of these cars in person. The Z4 GT3 has a front splitter well over 2" from the bumper and a pair of dive planes, the new GT3R 911 has a dive plane on each side half the height of the front bumper not to mention the Alpina B6 has a splitter large enough to skate on. If all these elements are available in the rule book the manufacture building a new car would be foolish not to use them.

As far as the Vettes go, don't confuse a mechanical advantage (splitters, wings and whatever) with a well prepped team with top notch drivers. Callaway and Graff have the two best driver pairings on the grid, it's funny that the Hohenade/Keilwitz and Lambotte/Parisy cars are consistently finishing well (when the cars don't fail) and their stablemates are floundering around mid pack or in the grass.

The fact that Porsche had to produce a GT3.R version of the 911 when the performance benchmark of the class was suppose to be the 911 Cup should be a pretty clear indacator that the pace of develpment has hit high gear in GT3.

Take a look at some of the newer GT3 cars, the BMW Z4 GT3, Alpina B6 GT3 and the Marc VDS Mustang. All GT3 racers, all "festooned " with dive planes and/or giant splitters. You think Merc is here to play nice or win?

This car is definitely a step in the right direction, the current 430 Challenge car is way too pedestrian sounding for a race car.

Do you really think Tech 3 would be allowed to challenge Fiat Yamaha for a World Championship?

Spies is a rookie for 2010, if Rossi moves to Ducati in 2011 Spies will no longer be a rookie and therefore can ride for the factory Yamaha team.

If you're think about who's going to sub for Rossi while he's injured it Yoshikawa not Spies.

I've been a Colin Edwards fan for the past 15 years but he had his shot when he rode for the factory Yamaha team alongside Rossi for 3 years, he'll also be 37 when the season kicks off next year. I can't see the factory team taking him back in at this stage of his career.