POLL: Would you like to see TCR in Australia?

The TCR touring car category is enjoying rapid growth across the globe and is now setting its sights on establishing itself in Australia.

Launched by former World Touring Car Championship manager Marcello Lotti, the low-cost, 2.0 litre front wheel drive touring car class has swept Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The regulations are now the base for a rebranded World Touring Car Championship.

TCR penned a five-year agreement with the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) in January to set up a national series for the class in Australia.

The platform has proved successful with manufacturers with Audi, SEAT, Volkswagen, Ford, Alfa Romeo, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Lada, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, and Subaru, all having developed cars for the category.

Two of those, namely Hyundai and Audi, have so far shown their support for an Australian series to emerge.

However, TCR’s arrival in Australia is far from certain with the series’ future hinging on the ability to secure a viable promoter, who will face the tricky task of establishing the formula in a (V8) Supercars dominated landscape.

CAMS is expected to review proposals from prospective TCR promoters later this month.

It is possible to draw similarities to when Super Touring reared its head in Australia in the mid-to-late 1990s.

While hugely popular in Europe, the category enjoyed some success, by taking over the official Bathurst 1000 event, before it ultimately proved unsustainable in the Australian motorsport market place going up against Supercars.

It remains to be seen how TCR could fit into the current national motorsport marketplace if plans to introduce the category gather pace.

What do you think? Would you like to see a national TCR series in Australia?

Cast your vote in this week’s Pirtek Poll.