Photo: Ford

Ford could replace Falcon with Mustang in 2016

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Ford could introduce the iconic Mustang model for the V8 Supercars in 2016 when the Falcon production ends.
“If they wanted to race the Mustang here on the platform we have got today it would be easy to do,” said Roland Dane, V8 Supercars board member and Red Bull Racing Australia and Triple Eight Race Engineering owner to motoring.com.au.

Four-door cars are only allowed in the V8 Supercars today, but the idea of allowing two-door cars was suggested already last year in a strategy paper submitted by Dane.
“The days of four-door medium and large saloons being main players in the market place have gone. So that’s what it [the paper] is really about. Now we have got some stability back in there I am hoping it will get looked at properly. But it has very much been in my mind for a long time,” said Dane.

Should two-door cars be allowed in the V8 Supercars, the other participating manufacturers in the championship have got suitable models such as the Skyline for Nissan and the E-Class Coupé for Mercedes.
“People’s tastes and needs and whatever are changing. But on the other hand there will always be the niche cars so we have to make ourselves open and flexible. I am saying have an open mind about two-door bodyshells. It is all about aspiration. Aspirational vehicles in the Australian market in the 1970s were actually two-door vehicles. Then they became derivatives of locally produced four-door Fords and Holdens. Now times are changing again. We have to have an open mind as to whether we go back to those two-door vehicles,” said Dane.

The introduction of the new COTF regulations for this season has boosted the championship by attracting two new manufacturers, but Dane says that more changes are needed.
“First and foremost I am only interested in it from our Australian championship to keep it relevant. We have kept it relevant by the Car of the Future but … we also have to keep keeping it relevant. That’s why we have to keep an open door and an open mind on this from an Australian point of view. Ultimately it’s quite difficult for even a very well conceived formula in Australia to go that much further afield because everyone has got their own ideas in different places. But you never know,” said Dane.