Supertouring
Encyclopedia
Super Touring, Class 2 or Class II was a motor racing
Touring Cars category defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
(FIA) for national touring car racing
in 1993. It was based on the "2 litre Touring Car Formula" created for the British Touring Car Championship
(BTCC) in 1990. The FIA organised a World Cup
for the category each year from 1993 to 1995, and adopted the term "Super Tourer" from 1995.
Super Touring replaced Group A
as the norm in nearly every touring car championship across the world, but escalating costs, and the withdrawal of works team
s caused the category to collapse in the late 1990s
. The cars looked like regular production road cars, while expensive changes had to be made to provide space for racing tyres inside the standard wheel arches.
An example for this was the German
Super Tourenwagen Cup
(STW) series, which ran from 1994 to 1999, filling a void left after the end the 2.5 litre V6
-powered Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
(DTM) in 1996. In 2000, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
(keeping the 'DTM' acronym) resumed with 4.0 litre V8
-powered cars.
The Super Touring cars were required to be a minimum of 4.2 metres (13.8 ft) in length, with four doors, effectively requiring a small family saloon car as a minimum. No more than 2 litres engine capacity, or six cylinders
were permitted, and the engine was required to be normally aspirated. Only two wheels could be driven and steered. For homologation
, initially at least 2500 units of the model used must have been produced. In 1995, in a bid to counter the increasing numbers of homologation specials this was increased to at least 25,000 units.
There was no restriction on body size and doors until 1993, when it was changed to only allow cars with a minimum of four doors and no smaller than the EuroNCAP
'Small Family Car' class, although 'Large Family Car
' tends to dominate the category. Until 1995, teams were only permitted to fit aerodynamic device that were available through dealers, but that changed when, in 1994 BTCC season, Alfa Romeo
entered a 155
with Gabriele Tarquini
and Giampiero Simoni
as drivers. The car had a front spoiler with a bottom piece that could be unscrewed and moved forward, acting as a splitter, and a rear spoiler with a pair of extensions, giving the car more downforce. When Alfa Romeo won the first five rounds, Ford, supported by Vauxhall, made a complaint to the race stewards. TOCA soon decided the aero devices were illegal and Alfa Romeo were stripped of the points they earned at Snetterton and Silverstone, though this decision was later reversed by appeal. After this point, Alfa were forced to run their spoilers in the retracted position (the position in which the spoilers were fitted on the road going version, the Alfa 155 Silverstone, though the road car was sold with two unfitted spoiler extension brackets). In the mean time, Renault and BMW responded by introducing their own limited edition road cars - to enable them to run with oversized aerodynamic aids. Soon after that, the FIA changed the regulation in all series to allow cars to only use non-production aerodynamic devices with a restricted size. Restrictions varied depending on body type, with Volvo
having to revert from the 850 Estate
to their four-door saloon model the following season when they found themselves to be disadvantaged by the new rules. In the Italian Supertourismo category, teams entered extended spoilers without complaints.
Alfa Romeo also homologated 2500 road cars, which was the minimum, for that season to allow their 1.8 litre car with an advantage of a higher rev limit to enter, that was also changed to only non-homlogated consumer models to enter.
Some series however, would change the rules to suit crowd demands, and competition from rival series, one example, was the Japanese Touring Car Championship
(JTCC), which made increases to body width and exhaust noise, also keeping the front aerodynamic devices basic in 1997 and in 1998 with the withdrawal of Nissan due to financial problems and Honda
, to commit to its Formula One
(F1) programme, and realising it would be less expensive for them to race their NSX
in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
(JGTC), leaving Toyota as the sole factory manufacturer to compete using their Corona EXIVs
and Chasers
. In 1999, a new formula using spaceframe cars came to nothing, and the series was abandoned altogether, as by then Japan's big three all had works entries in the JGTC.
In Australia, the series began in 1993 when the Group A regulations for the Australian Touring Car Championship
series was replaced by V8 Supercar
and Super Touring. The advent of a new management structure and telelcast arrangement for V8Supercar put them in conflict with Bathurst 1000
organisers. Super Touring were offered the chance to compete at Bathurst after race organisers could not come to terms with V8 Supercar. Bathurst City Council and V8 Supercar came to a separate arrangement to host their own breakaway "Australian 1000 Classic" race. Super Touring did not become a viable option, and the third and final race was transformed into a motorsport carnival, with several categories attending and the Super Touring event halved to 500 kilometres (310.7 mi), before collapsing in the aftermath of the 1999 race. In 2000, in the absence of a rival, the V8 Supercar event took up the Bathurst 1000 name.
Unfortunately, during the Super Touring's long run, the category suffered two fatal accidents. In 1995, Gregg Hansford
at Phillip Island
, and Kieth O'dor at Avus
, were involved in fatal accidents as a result of a broken neck caused by their cars' being hit side-on
. Soon after, rollcages in competition cars with built in side impact bars, and seats with head restraints on the side would become mandatory.
One reason for Super Touring's demise was the cost of preparing a car for competition. In 1990, a Vauxhall Cavalier
cost £60,000. By the later part of the 90's, a similar car with more sophisticated aerodynamics device and telemetry cost £250,000.
The current World Touring Car Championship
regulations are very inspired by the old series, with production-based four door saloons powered by 2.0 litre engines. Wider wheel arches are allowed, which makes the cars look more spectacular. Cars under S2000 regulations are cheaper than their predecessors, to which serious modifications had to be made to allow for wider tires, lower ride height and different suspension - as the width of Super 2000 cars does not need to be the same as that of the production models, development costs can be kept lower. Various national championships use similar rules.
Although it bears no resemblance to its predecessor, the "Super Touring" name was retained by the Championnat de France de Supertourisme for the current 3.0 litre tube frame
cars.
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
Touring Cars category defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
(FIA) for national touring car racing
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
in 1993. It was based on the "2 litre Touring Car Formula" created for the British Touring Car Championship
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
(BTCC) in 1990. The FIA organised a World Cup
World Touring Car Championship
For the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
for the category each year from 1993 to 1995, and adopted the term "Super Tourer" from 1995.
Super Touring replaced Group A
Group A
In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed...
as the norm in nearly every touring car championship across the world, but escalating costs, and the withdrawal of works team
Works team
A works team is a sports team that is financed and run by a manufacturer or other business. Sometimes, works teams contain or are entirely made up of employees of the supporting company.-Africa:...
s caused the category to collapse in the late 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
. The cars looked like regular production road cars, while expensive changes had to be made to provide space for racing tyres inside the standard wheel arches.
An example for this was the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Super Tourenwagen Cup
Super Tourenwagen Cup
The Super Tourenwagen Cup, or German Supertouring Championship, was a touring car racing series held between 1994 and 1999 in Germany.The championship was established when BMW and Audi both left the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft in 1992, after the series had adopted the more expensive Class 1...
(STW) series, which ran from 1994 to 1999, filling a void left after the end the 2.5 litre V6
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
-powered Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide....
(DTM) in 1996. In 2000, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters is a touring car racing series based in Germany, but also with rounds elsewhere in Europe....
(keeping the 'DTM' acronym) resumed with 4.0 litre V8
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
-powered cars.
Regulations
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
were permitted, and the engine was required to be normally aspirated. Only two wheels could be driven and steered. For homologation
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
, initially at least 2500 units of the model used must have been produced. In 1995, in a bid to counter the increasing numbers of homologation specials this was increased to at least 25,000 units.
There was no restriction on body size and doors until 1993, when it was changed to only allow cars with a minimum of four doors and no smaller than the EuroNCAP
EuroNCAP
The European New Car Assessment Programme is a European car safety performance assessment programme based in Brussels and founded in 1997 by the Transport Research Laboratory for the UK Department for Transport and backed by several European governments.-History and activities:Euro NCAP is a...
'Small Family Car' class, although 'Large Family Car
Large family car
A large family car, also known as a D-segment car, is a European automobile classification which is larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Multi-purpose vehicles based on a large family car design are often called large MPVs, while similarly-priced models from luxury car...
' tends to dominate the category. Until 1995, teams were only permitted to fit aerodynamic device that were available through dealers, but that changed when, in 1994 BTCC season, Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo in motorsport
During its history, Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sportscar racing, touring car racing and rallies. They have competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries and private...
entered a 155
Alfa Romeo 155
The Alfa Romeo 155 is a compact executive car produced under the Italian Alfa Romeo marque between 1992 and 1998.-Design:Built to replace the 75 and based on the parent Fiat Group's Type Three platform, the 155 was somewhat larger in dimension than the 75 but evolved its styling from that of its...
with Gabriele Tarquini
Gabriele Tarquini
Gabriele Tarquini is a racing driver from Italy. He participated in 78 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on May 3, 1987. He scored 1 championship point, and holds the record for the most failed attempts to qualify...
and Giampiero Simoni
Giampiero Simoni
Giampiero Simoni is an Italian former racing driver who made his name in Touring Car racing.-Racing career:His racing career started in karting, becoming world kart champion in 1987...
as drivers. The car had a front spoiler with a bottom piece that could be unscrewed and moved forward, acting as a splitter, and a rear spoiler with a pair of extensions, giving the car more downforce. When Alfa Romeo won the first five rounds, Ford, supported by Vauxhall, made a complaint to the race stewards. TOCA soon decided the aero devices were illegal and Alfa Romeo were stripped of the points they earned at Snetterton and Silverstone, though this decision was later reversed by appeal. After this point, Alfa were forced to run their spoilers in the retracted position (the position in which the spoilers were fitted on the road going version, the Alfa 155 Silverstone, though the road car was sold with two unfitted spoiler extension brackets). In the mean time, Renault and BMW responded by introducing their own limited edition road cars - to enable them to run with oversized aerodynamic aids. Soon after that, the FIA changed the regulation in all series to allow cars to only use non-production aerodynamic devices with a restricted size. Restrictions varied depending on body type, with Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
having to revert from the 850 Estate
Volvo 850
The Volvo 850 is a compact executive car produced by Volvo Cars from 1992 to 1997 and designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Available in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate body styles, the Volvo 850 was notable as the first front-wheel drive vehicle from this Swedish manufacturer to be exported to North...
to their four-door saloon model the following season when they found themselves to be disadvantaged by the new rules. In the Italian Supertourismo category, teams entered extended spoilers without complaints.
Alfa Romeo also homologated 2500 road cars, which was the minimum, for that season to allow their 1.8 litre car with an advantage of a higher rev limit to enter, that was also changed to only non-homlogated consumer models to enter.
Some series however, would change the rules to suit crowd demands, and competition from rival series, one example, was the Japanese Touring Car Championship
Japanese Touring Car Championship
The Japanese Touring Car Championship , is a former touring car racing series held in Japan...
(JTCC), which made increases to body width and exhaust noise, also keeping the front aerodynamic devices basic in 1997 and in 1998 with the withdrawal of Nissan due to financial problems and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, to commit to its Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
(F1) programme, and realising it would be less expensive for them to race their NSX
Honda NSX
The Honda NSX, or Acura NSX, is a sports car that was produced between 1990 and 2005 by the Japanese automaker Honda. It is equipped with a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, powered by an all-aluminium V6 gasoline engine featuring Honda's Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control ...
in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
(JGTC), leaving Toyota as the sole factory manufacturer to compete using their Corona EXIVs
Toyota Corona EXiV
The Corona EXiV was an automobile by Toyota Motor Company. Released in 1989, it was the sporty Toyota Corona and a sister car to Toyota Carina ED. EXiV stood for EXtra impressiVe....
and Chasers
Toyota Chaser
The Toyota Chaser is a mid-size car produced by the Toyota Motor Company, Japan. Most were 4-door sedans, with the 2-door coupe discontinued after the first generation...
. In 1999, a new formula using spaceframe cars came to nothing, and the series was abandoned altogether, as by then Japan's big three all had works entries in the JGTC.
In Australia, the series began in 1993 when the Group A regulations for the Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
series was replaced by V8 Supercar
V8 Supercar
V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
and Super Touring. The advent of a new management structure and telelcast arrangement for V8Supercar put them in conflict with Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
organisers. Super Touring were offered the chance to compete at Bathurst after race organisers could not come to terms with V8 Supercar. Bathurst City Council and V8 Supercar came to a separate arrangement to host their own breakaway "Australian 1000 Classic" race. Super Touring did not become a viable option, and the third and final race was transformed into a motorsport carnival, with several categories attending and the Super Touring event halved to 500 kilometres (310.7 mi), before collapsing in the aftermath of the 1999 race. In 2000, in the absence of a rival, the V8 Supercar event took up the Bathurst 1000 name.
Unfortunately, during the Super Touring's long run, the category suffered two fatal accidents. In 1995, Gregg Hansford
Gregg Hansford
Gregg Hansford was an Australian motorcycle and touring car racer.-Racing career:Hansford began racing motorcycles in Australia, winning the 1973 500cc Unlimited title, as well as competing in the New Zealand Marlboro Series in 1975/76 and 1977/78 on Team Kawasaki 750s. He also won one leg of the...
at Phillip Island
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
, and Kieth O'dor at Avus
AVUS
The Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße, better known as AVUS, is a public road that was also used as a motor racing circuit. It is located in the south-western districts of Berlin, Germany, between Charlottenburg and Nikolassee, and is nowadays an important part of the public highway system, as...
, were involved in fatal accidents as a result of a broken neck caused by their cars' being hit side-on
Side collision
Side collisions are vehicle crashes where the side of one or more vehicles is impacted. These crashes often occur at intersections, in parking lots, when two vehicles pass on a multi-lane roadway, or when a vehicle hits a fixed object....
. Soon after, rollcages in competition cars with built in side impact bars, and seats with head restraints on the side would become mandatory.
One reason for Super Touring's demise was the cost of preparing a car for competition. In 1990, a Vauxhall Cavalier
Vauxhall Cavalier
The Vauxhall Cavalier is a large family car sold primarily in the UK by Vauxhall Motors, the British division of General Motors , from 1975 to 1995...
cost £60,000. By the later part of the 90's, a similar car with more sophisticated aerodynamics device and telemetry cost £250,000.
The current World Touring Car Championship
World Touring Car Championship
For the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
regulations are very inspired by the old series, with production-based four door saloons powered by 2.0 litre engines. Wider wheel arches are allowed, which makes the cars look more spectacular. Cars under S2000 regulations are cheaper than their predecessors, to which serious modifications had to be made to allow for wider tires, lower ride height and different suspension - as the width of Super 2000 cars does not need to be the same as that of the production models, development costs can be kept lower. Various national championships use similar rules.
Although it bears no resemblance to its predecessor, the "Super Touring" name was retained by the Championnat de France de Supertourisme for the current 3.0 litre tube frame
Tube frame
Tube frame may refer to:*Tube , a structure designed to act like a three-dimensional hollow tube so to resist lateral loads*Space frame or space structure, a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern*Superleggera, sometimes referred to as a...
cars.
List of championships that used the Super Touring formula
| Major championships that used the Super Touring formula | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||
| British Touring Car Championship British Touring Car Championship The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s... |
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| Championnat de France de Supertourisme | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italian Superturismo Championship Italian Superturismo Championship The Italian Superturismo Championship was Italy's national motorsport series for touring cars. It was established in 1987 and its drivers' title has been held by such notable drivers as Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro and two-time Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi.-History:Established in 1987 the... |
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| Touring Car World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copa de las Naciones South American Super Touring Car Championship The South American Super Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series in South America.-The Champions:-Notable Drivers:... |
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| Japanese Touring Car Championship Japanese Touring Car Championship The Japanese Touring Car Championship , is a former touring car racing series held in Japan... |
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| Super Tourenwagen Cup Super Tourenwagen Cup The Super Tourenwagen Cup, or German Supertouring Championship, was a touring car racing series held between 1994 and 1999 in Germany.The championship was established when BMW and Audi both left the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft in 1992, after the series had adopted the more expensive Class 1... |
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| Belgian Procar Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Swedish Touring Car Championship Swedish Touring Car Championship Swedish Touring Car Championship was a touring car racing series based in Sweden, but also with rounds in Norway. They began operating in 1996, heavily influenced by the British Touring Car Championship and the success of BTCC racing on Swedish television... |
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| Campeonato de España de Turismo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Portuguese Touring Car Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central European Supertouring Car Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South African Touring Car Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship The FIA Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship was a motorsport championship for Super Touring racing cars, it ran in 1994 for 1 season only. The only champion was Joachim Winkelhock who drove for Schnitzer Motorsport.-Schedule:... |
South East Asian Touring Car Challenge | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Super Touring Championship Australian Super Touring Championship The Australian Super Touring Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for Super Touring Cars.-History:Super Touring was introduced into Australia in 1993 when CAMS replaced the existing Group 3A Touring Car category with a new two class Group 3A... |
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| New Zealand Touring Car Championship New Zealand Touring Car Championship The New Zealand Touring Car Championship was a motor racing title which was contested in New Zealand from 1984 to 2002.-Results:... |
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| North American Touring Car Championship North American Touring Car Championship The North American Touring Car Championship was a touring car racing series using the Supertouring formula that raced in North America in 1996 and 1997. The series was funded in part by IndyCar team owner Gerald Forsythe. He appointed his Vice-President of Business Operations, Canadian Roger... |
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| European Touring Car Championship European Touring Car Championship The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004... |
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| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | ||||||||||||||||||
- Serbian Super Touring Championship, Serbia
External links
- SuperTouring.co.uk - history of Super Touring
- SuperTouringRegister.com - archive of cars built to Super Touring regulations
- SuperTouringCars.net - Super Touring homepage with cars, facts, links, news, parts, photos
- Article 262 - Technical Regulations Super Touring Cars (Group ST)