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<b>NEW RACING SERIES:</b> The Global Touring Car series is set to begin locally in 2014 with events in other African countries to start in 2016. <i>Image: MOTORPICS</i>
The Global Touring Car (GTC) Africa Series, the continent’s latest motorsport discipline, has unveiled its racer for teams at the Zwartkops Raceway west of Pretoria.
The GTC racer is powered by a 368kW V8 mated to a six-speed transaxle sequential gearbox. The car has a "push to pass" button that unlocks an extra 37kW for a total output of 400kW.
Image gallery: 2014 SA Global Touring Car racer
The GTC Prototype was designed and built in Australia by Paul Ceprnich of Pace Innovations, who designed the cars for the 2013 Australian V8 Supercar series. The cars that will race in Africa are in based on the Australian V8's but are more compact.
'INVIGORATE CIRCUIT RACING'
GTC’s Gary Formato said: “When looking at the current situation in South African motorsport we quickly realised that we’re not running any top-line globally relevant circuit racing.
“This is why we have so few South Africans competing internationally and one reason why our sport has not had the public support it should have in the past 10 to 15 years. We think this car and the derivatives of the prototype we created for the various teams will reinvigorate circuit racing in South Africa.”
The GTC V8 has been designed to accommodate numerous body types "to meet the shape of any medium sized sedan".
It is hoped that the cars will be built in South Africa which will, according to GTC, “create a small industry as the series expands globally".
BUILT IN SA
GTC executive director Mark Woolley said: “This is a unique concept and one we hope will gain acceptance internationally when we formally launch GTC globally at the end of 2013. Fundamentally this is a South African idea. So it is no wonder we wanted to launch the first GTC franchise in SA and to build the global supply of GTC cars in SA.
“We have the expertise and ability to do so and we hope that the combination of the series and building the cars here will create direct employment and skills transfer and give our sport and industry the much needed boost it needs.”
GTC reports at least six SA teams have signed up for two cars each.
The GTC Africa series is due begin in South Africa during the second half of 2014 with races in other African countries planned for 2016.
The GTC racer is powered by a 368kW V8 mated to a six-speed transaxle sequential gearbox. The car has a "push to pass" button that unlocks an extra 37kW for a total output of 400kW.
Image gallery: 2014 SA Global Touring Car racer
The GTC Prototype was designed and built in Australia by Paul Ceprnich of Pace Innovations, who designed the cars for the 2013 Australian V8 Supercar series. The cars that will race in Africa are in based on the Australian V8's but are more compact.
'INVIGORATE CIRCUIT RACING'
GTC’s Gary Formato said: “When looking at the current situation in South African motorsport we quickly realised that we’re not running any top-line globally relevant circuit racing.
“This is why we have so few South Africans competing internationally and one reason why our sport has not had the public support it should have in the past 10 to 15 years. We think this car and the derivatives of the prototype we created for the various teams will reinvigorate circuit racing in South Africa.”
The GTC V8 has been designed to accommodate numerous body types "to meet the shape of any medium sized sedan".
It is hoped that the cars will be built in South Africa which will, according to GTC, “create a small industry as the series expands globally".
BUILT IN SA
GTC executive director Mark Woolley said: “This is a unique concept and one we hope will gain acceptance internationally when we formally launch GTC globally at the end of 2013. Fundamentally this is a South African idea. So it is no wonder we wanted to launch the first GTC franchise in SA and to build the global supply of GTC cars in SA.
“We have the expertise and ability to do so and we hope that the combination of the series and building the cars here will create direct employment and skills transfer and give our sport and industry the much needed boost it needs.”
GTC reports at least six SA teams have signed up for two cars each.
The GTC Africa series is due begin in South Africa during the second half of 2014 with races in other African countries planned for 2016.
