V8 Supercar discussion thread

[MZ21]

They were supposed to heading back to court this week? 15 or 16th. Court has ordered mediation with Volvo.

[BigMuz]

It's not like there were any signs that Betty was mental from day one.

I mean, other than the way she looks, acts and speaks.

She's the Nathan tinkler of the v8s.

[BeverlyHillsCop]

The Federal Court-ordered mediation between Garry Rogers Motorsport and Volvo Car Australia has broken up without a solution being achieved.

However, team owner Garry Rogers described the mediation as a positive step because the two parties were at least in discussion.

“There was a lot of discussions, a lot of options and a lot of this and a lot of that back and forward but no decisions,” Rogers told supercars.com. “But most legal things go that way.

“There were a lot of things proposed and discussed but nothing agreed or not agreed.

“So we will just sit down tonight and have a chat with our legal people and go from there.”

Both Garry Rogers and son Barry attended the session with legal representatives while VCA managing director Kevin McCann attended, also with legal representation.

“It was good that some discussion happened because that hadn’t happened until today,” Rogers said.

Volvo shocked GRM and the Supercars pitlane in May when it announced it would not renew its factory deal with the team, despite widespread expectation it would.

After a request for a one year extension was rejected, Rogers initiated Federal Court action in October alleging misleading and deceptive conduct, naming Volvo Car Australia and Polestar Performance as the respondents.

The mediation was ordered by a Federal Court judge in Melbourne at the directions hearing into the case in October. It is understood GRM today requested the cars be allowed to race for a further two years.

If the talks do not produce an agreement, the case will be back in court in February for a listings hearing, but that is expected to only set a date for the case to begin proper. That may not happen until mid-2017.

Volvo and Polestar have made it clear they wants to exercise a clause in the contract to buy back the cars and the B8444S engines developed specifically for the Supercars program.

GRM agrees the engine, developed by Volvo’s global racing motorsport partner, Cyan Racing, is Volvo’s to reclaim, but argues the Chinese-owned Swedish car manufacturer has no right to the cars themselves, which are based on a proprietary Supercars chassis.

Rogers said the session hadn’t affected his determination to race the S60s with Volvo engines in 2017.

“We will keep working and working [toward the 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship] and be ready for it,” Rogers promised.

He also said the announcement of a full-time driver to join James Moffat in 2017 was still not ready to be made.

http://www.supercars.com/news/champi.../?sf46374578=1

[Sonicevo]

So in other words GRM may not be running in 2017 if they don't reach an amicable solution before the hearing date in Feb? Surely they'd be in legal trouble if they just went ahead and ran the cars whilst a legal decision was pending? What a shitstorm, fuck you'd be pissed off if you were Garry Rodgers, gonna drop a heap of money fighting this but what choice does he have. Would be a drop in the ocean for volvo, even if they lose they'll appeal, Garry wouldn't see any legal costs paid for years. James Moffat must also be quivering in his boots. How the hell do some of these teams make money, they'd have to be losing a bundle, especially Erebus and now GRM.

[sirhsv]

2016 V8 Supercar season - discussion thread

Garry sounds like a lot more conservative with his money then Betty. Hiring young talent is cheap also...until they make a name for themselves and move on. Erebus is a never ending money pit with not much to show for it. Thinking of how much bulk coin was dropped on the Mercs that sit in the shed after several seasons is sad.

[Sonicevo]

It is amazing how differently one runs a business that has finite cash reserves and must make money to survive compared to one that has endless cash reserves. I mean there are start up costs and then there's Erebus. Betty is a shithouse businesswoman no doubt about it.

[SuperDave]

So in other words GRM may not be running in 2017 if they don't reach an amicable solution before the hearing date in Feb? Surely they'd be in legal trouble if they just went ahead and ran the cars whilst a legal decision was pending? What a shitstorm, fuck you'd be pissed off if you were Garry Rodgers, gonna drop a heap of money fighting this but what choice does he have. Would be a drop in the ocean for volvo, even if they lose they'll appeal, Garry wouldn't see any legal costs paid for years. James Moffat must also be quivering in his boots. How the hell do some of these teams make money, they'd have to be losing a bundle, especially Erebus and now GRM.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why doesn't Volvo want GRM running the S60 shaped cars in 2017 while not contributing any money, and gaining free advertising of the S60?

[mph]

It's probably a nice tax deduction for Betty anyway.

[BeverlyHillsCop]

Maybe I'm missing something, but why doesn't Volvo want GRM running the S60 shaped cars in 2017 while not contributing any money, and gaining free advertising of the S60?

According to Volvo, V8 Supercars does not fit with their image/direction they wanna take the company..... so they want their engines/car back because they have a buyback clause in the contract...
It is ironic, since they've spent mega bulk $$$$ joining the WTCC a series thats fallen apart, no spectator interest and now only has Honda and Volvo as factory teams.... but hey.... thats the future right....
The sooner WTCC fks off the better... the whole TC1 formula was a stupid idea from the start, thanks largely in part to Citroen who only agreed to join if WTCC went to that formula... rules were changed, Citroen joins, destroys the field for 3 years winning the championship 3 yrs in a row then fucks off....

[Bob Vegana.]

I feel like VolvoSE is run by out-of-touch grumpy old men.

[TJ]

Why the fuck would volvo say no, if its at 0 cost to them!?

[MZ21]

According to Volvo, V8 Supercars does not fit with their image/direction they wanna take the company..... so they want their engines/car back because they have a buyback clause in the contract...

Don't V8Supercars (or what ever they're called) own the chassis?

[BeverlyHillsCop]

Don't V8Supercars (or what ever they're called) own the chassis?

correct... all the common components/chassis IPO belongs to v8sc/supercars. essentially all Volvo own are a couple of body panels..

But this all depends on how the contract was written/who paid what I guess...


In other news regarding GRM.. Tander has been signed to GRM from 2017.....

[St00ge]

Don't V8Supercars (or what ever they're called) own the chassis?

Yeah was some issue there with the chassis not being allowed out of the country without the OK from V8Supercars IIRC, but the next problem for GRM even if they get to keep the cars I think V8Supercars need you to have the manufacturers blessing to run their shape in the series so Olvvo can veto their entry in the end.

[sirhsv]

GT to GRM is good to hear, he's still well deserving of a fulltime seat. Doesn't help though if you don't know what you're driving next year