RML has officially confirmed that it is to build at least four new-specification Chevrolet Cruze cars for the 2014 World Touring Car Championship season.
The WTCC’s most successful team has been working on the design of the new car since the summer, although it has not yet been confirmed exactly how many of the new Cruzes will be built for customers, with up to six still possible in time for the start of next season.
RML themselves have also confirmed that they will not run a team in the championship next season, preferring to offer technical support to the customer teams who purchase the cars from them. It will thus mark the first time since the series’ inception in 2005 that RML do not field a team in the championship.
“I am delighted that this project can now be officially announced and that RML will be supplying a number of customer cars to the 2014 WTCC grid,” said RML CEO Ray Mallock. “Strategically this opportunity is of great significance to RML as we reaffirm our commitment to the WTCC in the long-term and the introduction of the exciting new regulations.”
Mallock explains that the car will not simply be an update of the existing chassis, which have dominated the WTCC for the past four years, but will be a completely new build.
“The car is a completely new clean sheet design – it has to be to take advantage of the new regulations,” added Mallock. “The car represents a very significant step forward in performance over the existing Cruze, with significant aero gain, weight reduction and 20% more power increase.
“Of course with Citroën entering the championship next year along with Honda and Lada, we are in no doubt of the challenges that lay ahead to ensure that RML’s customers remain at the forefront of the series. The new car looks stunning and its performance will be way ahead of the current generation of cars.”
Campos Racing’s Hugo Valente has already confirmed the purchase of the first chassis, which will be run by the Spanish team in 2014. It is understood that Tom Chilton has already placed an order for the second chassis. It is not known which other teams and drivers will compete with the remaining chassis.
The announcement of at least four new-spec Chevrolets takes the total number of 2014-regulations cars on the grid to 14, with Citroën expected to field a three car team along with LADA, whilst Honda campaign two new-spec cars themselves and have committed a further two to Zengő Motorsport and Proteam Racing respectively.
Now that does look nice.
photoshop?
it looks far more extreme than the Lada, Honda, and Citroen examples.