Satria Neo S2000 clocks in 6th fastest in China Rally 2009
The Proton R3 Rally Team is in China this weekend for the Rally of China 2009 in the Longyou countryside. They had their shakedown yesterday and managed to clock the 6th fastest time of the day with their Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car.
6th is a pretty good result considering out of a total of 82 competitors, 50 consisted of turbocharged Mitsubishis and Subarus which have an advantage due to their higher torque in the Longyou countryside’s mountainous terrain. The Satria Neo Super 2000’s 2.0 liter Renault engine is normally aspirated so it has less torque but it makes its 280 horses through high-revving and an aggressive tune instead.
“The main thing is to get a good clean run here, maybe not go as quick as it can go and try and get to the end with no problems,” said driver Alister McRae, who will be racing tomorrow with his navigator Bill Hayes. Leg 1 of the Rally of China 2009 will span a total of 40 kms. Look after the jump for some photos from the shakedown today.
Satria Neo S2000 scores first IRC podium finish in rally of Scotland
Proton Satria Neo S2000 driver Alister McRae has been awarded second outright in the season ending IRC Rally of Scotland following the exclusion of the winning Peugeot piloted by Irishman Kris Meeke. Proton’s ex-driver Guy Wilks, who now drives a Skoda Fabia, has been declared the winner.
Scotsman McRae reveled in his appearance on home soil, just seven days after almost capturing a podium on the Rally of China in a similar Satria Neo S2000. He made it this time by finishing third, giving Proton its first ever podium in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Meeke, the 2009 IRC champion was faulted by the stewards for having a front subframe that is lighter than permitted.
McRae, a former British and Asia-Pacific champion who now lives in Perth, was delighted with the Mellors Elliott Motorsport Proton Satria Neo S2000 and says he now the wants to do more rallies in the car in 2010. “The Proton chassis is one of the best I have ever driven. We’re doing the full IRC next year. We are looking forward to coming back and fighting these guys again,” he said.
The Satria Neo S2000 was only homologated in October 2008. It made its debut on the IRC in June at the Belgium Ypres Rally and the car has quickly shown its potential.
Team principal Chris Mellors has confirmed that a full IRC campaign alongside an attack on the Asia Pacific series is already in preparation for 2010. He said that the team is looking at a four-car program for 2010 – two in the IRC and two in the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship.
The Satria’s 2.0-litre Super 2000 engine is derived from the 1.8 litre Renault engine fitted to the Waja and has been further developed by MEM to produce a reliable 278bhp at 7600rpm with a usable power band from 5,500 to 8,500rpm. It uses a six-speed sequential Xtrac 4WD gearbox, one of two control transmission systems allowed under FIA rules. For a more in-depth technical view see Paul’s earlier post.
Atkinson inks deal with Proton
OFFICIAL: Ex-Subaru WRC man Chris Atkinson to join Proton for the 2010 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.
Chris Atkinson will compete in this year's FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship in a Proton Satria Neo S2000, having signed a deal with the Proton R3 Rally Team, it has been announced.
The Australian will link-up with Alister McRae, in what will be one of the strongest driver line-ups for the seven-round 2010 Asia Pacific Rally Championship, which starts later this month with Proton's home event, the Malaysian Rally, from April 24-25.
Atkinson brings a tremendous balance of youth and experience to the Proton team - and he's no stranger to rallying in the Asia Pacific region. He made his name in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship with a debut class win in 2005.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to drive the next generation of rally car. I'm really excited about the year ahead," said Atkinson, who competed in the WRC with the Subaru World Rally Team from 2005-2008.
"I've tested the Satria Neo S2000 briefly in Britain and it's a very, very good car. I'm looking forward to working with Proton and Alister [McRae] in the year ahead. To be honest, I can't wait to get started on the first event."
Proton R3 Rally team manager Chris Mellors meanwhile reckons that Atkinson will bring 'another dimension' to the squad.
"He has shown what he can do at the highest level of this sport and it's great news for Proton that he's joining us," Mellors added. "We're a real Asia Pacific team now: a Malaysian manufacturer with a native Australian driving one car and a Scotsman living in Australia in the other.
"There's no doubt, this is going to be an exciting season for Proton and all concerned with the programme. But, right now, the focus is on getting Alister and Chris more time in the Satria and getting everything ready for our home round of the 2010 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship."
The Proton Satria Neo S2000 is the product of an alliance between Malaysian manufacturer Proton and British motorsport preparation experts MEM. The car, which made its debut in the sport last season, has already run at the highest level, with McRae collecting second place on only his second event in the car in Scotland in December last year. The forthcoming Malaysian Rally will be the team's first appearance of 2010.
The 2010 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship consists of seven rounds in seven countries, including Malaysia, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Indonesia and China.
[img]"I've tested the Satria Neo S2000 briefly in Britain and it's a very, very good car. I'm looking forward to working with Proton and Alister [McRae] [/img]
Driver Bryan Bouffier, the reigning Polish Rally Champion, expressed his confidence in the Satria Neo, and in particular its competitiveness at its first outing.
"The Satria was fantastic, really predictable and comfortable to drive and with really good engine power, I am looking forward to driving it again," said Bouffier.
The FIA’s Super 2000 formula class was designed to reduce costs in rally and touring car racing and appearsto be living up to its aim.Malaysia had built the Satria Neo S2000 rally car to enter the competition.Eventhough the car is malaysian made, the driver is not a malaysian in fact a polish driver, Bryan Bouffier. He, once mention that the Satria was fantastic and comfortable to drive.
The new Satria Neo was engineered and developed by Mellors Elliot Motorsport (MEM) a company formed in 1982 bydriver Chris Mellors to enable him to compete in the British Rally Championship. Even the last Proton Wira rally (2002) which is driven by Karamjit Singh were built by them
The exterior of the car had been reengineered to incorporate an agressive looking aerodynamic bodykit.To improve safety and stiffness of the chassis,35 meters of lightweight chrome moly tube had been bent and welded together to form the rollcage for the car which will greatly increase torsional bodyshell rigidity which means better handling.
The Satria Neo s2000 Rally Car is installed with a 4-cylinder 1998cc DOHC normally aspirated engine which is based on the 1.8 liter Renault engine in the Waja. It produces 280hp at 7,800rpm and a massive 271Nm of torque at 7,000rpm, and is installed transversely at the front of the car. This engine is mated to an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission with Alcon clutch and 3 player LSD.
Brakes are also from Alcon, with 300mm discs with 4 piston calipers at the front and 300mm discs at the rear on gravel. For asphalt, the front brake discs are uprated to 350mm. Wheels are 18 inch alloys for tarmac and 15 inch alloys for gravel. The car’s electronics system runs on the GEMS Multiplex System with Powe Management, Data Logging and a Glass Dash Display
The following are the specs for a Super 2000 Rally Car:
· 3, 4 or 5-door models with length over 3900mm
· Generic 4X4 transmission without active differential from Sadev or Xtrac
· 2.0 liter normally aspirated engine from either a base engine used in any model from the manufacturer, or a engine licensed from another manufacturer with 2,500 units minimum production per year
· Engine must comply to BTCC/ETC specs with 8,500rpm rev limit
· Minimum weight – 1100kg tarmac, 1150kg gravel
· Maximum bodywork and wheel arch extension width 1800mm
Post time 14-12-2009 02:38 PM
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