Subaru pulls out of WRC

http://www.swrt.com/news/latest_news.html?id=1590

Subaru has announced its decision to withdraw from the 2009 World Rally Championship.

This
sudden decision was in response to the widespread economic downturn
that is affecting the entire automotive industry, and follows Suzuki’s
withdrawal announced yesterday.

After 20 years in the sport,
during which time the Prodrive-run Subaru World Rally Team has won six
World Rally Championship titles, this is not only sad news for Subaru
and the team, but also for millions of rallying fans around the world.
Thanks to its highly successful World Rally Championship programme,
Subaru has developed into one of the world’s most widely recognised and
evocative automotive brands.

Prodrive chairman, David
Richards, said: “Subaru’s departure from the World Rally Championship
is a great loss as it is one of the sport’s icons. The Subaru World
Rally Team has created true champions such as Colin McRae and Richard
Burns and its absence will be felt by many the world over. Although
this decision closes a significant chapter in Prodrive’s history, our
focus now turns to the future.”

For many, Prodrive and Subaru
are synonymous, given the long-standing and close association between
the two companies. However, while the Subaru World Rally Team
historically represented a significant part of Prodrive’s business,
today it accounts for no more than 20 per cent of the company’s
turnover.

Prodrive will look to redeploy as many of the rally
team as possible in other areas of its business operations, which have
grown to span advanced engineering and manufacturing for the
automotive, defence, marine and aerospace industries, in addition to
other motorsport programmes.

Despite the current economic
downturn, Prodrive’s automotive engineering business remains buoyant as
it works with vehicle manufacturers to accelerate the development of
next generation fuel-efficient vehicles and alternative fuel
technologies.

Together with Subaru, Prodrive’s commitment to
its customer rally teams will also continue unabated for 2009 and
beyond. Over the past 15 years, Prodrive has sold close to 500 rally
cars to more than 400 private competitors and independent rally teams
in 47 countries. During this time, Prodrive’s customers have won five
consecutive Production World Rally Championships and countless
international rallies. In 2008, Prodrive-supported customer teams have
claimed eight rally championship titles around the world.

Looking
ahead, 2010 will see the introduction of new World Rally Championship
technical regulations, which provide Prodrive with an opportunity to
prepare for re-entering the championship with a new team and build on
its 24 years of World Rally Championship experience and success.

hahaha now all the other ppl have a chance hahah that's how i see it.

man, sport compact car just did an article last month with Subaru and the WRC, what a bummer. Well, bet its a relief for Mitsubishi

so.. i dont understand why they're leaving the WRC???

isn't that like being able to participate in the olympics and deciding not to?

racing of any sort is super expensive. just shows the cuts they are making to stay afloat. Hopefully they can get back into it someday (or the big wigs never really liked it anyway, and just used the economy as an excuse, bastards...)

weak!!!!! haha..

oh well. go go lancer haha

3.0trd wrote:man, sport compact car just did an article last month with Subaru and the WRC, what a bummer. Well, bet its a relief for Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi hasnt campaigned the evo for 2 seasons

Yea... Mitsu's been out of WRC a few years.

Also with Subie and Suzuki pulling out of WRC we got-----

- Honda leaving F1

- Porsche and Audi leaving ALMS

- Honda pulling out of AMA

sport might just end all together if everyone drops out....

What is the world coming toooo?! ;_;

what is subi's official statment?

wtf, gas is cheaper now and everyone's pulling out???

The general population will never be satisfied with prices haha..

kreativekvs209 wrote:what is subi's official statment?

Subie explained their decisions as having been made to conserve money in a time of economic downturn or something of that sort. They should be back when things get better.