Honda Confirms Accord for SCV8

30 November 2003

Honda has become the fourth manufacturer to confirm approval for the SCV8 Supercar Championship. Approval from Honda for its Accord brand to be represented, takes the all-new championship to within one manufacturer of its target of five brands for 2004. This confirmation comes less than two months from the announcement of the series.

The Directors of Supercar Promotions Limited (SPL), the management company of the exciting SCV8 Supercar Championship, are pleased to announce that Honda has approved the use of its Accord brand. This follows the approval of the X-Type by Jaguar, Vauxhall's Vectra, and the new 2004 saloon from Peugeot.

Four-time BTCC Champion and creator of the SCV8 concept, Andy Rouse said: “This is fantastic news. We never expected to confirm four brands so quickly following the announcement of the series on 1 July. To have such respected manufacturers approving the use of their brands within the series is extremely positive for the championship and demonstrates the serious level of interest that exists in SCV8 Supercars.”

SCV8 features a team franchise scheme where leading race teams will apply to exclusively represent one of the five brands, with each franchise holder building four cars to create a 20-car grid for 2004. Each of the five franchise teams can enter all four cars themselves or sell up to two of them for entry via appointed satellite teams. In future years, the grid will expand to eight manufacturer brands to provide the ultimate 32-car grid.

The SCV8 Supercar Championship is already well ahead of target for its 2004 launch. The Jaguar X-Type SCV8 successfully completed its initial shakedown tests last Friday at Silverstone, and a comprehensive database of teams and drivers have expressed serious interest in the championship. Allied to a high level of commercial interest from sponsors to television and now the acceptance of four manufacturers, the SCV8 Championship is ahead of schedule on all fronts.

SCV8 has been developed with the aim of bringing fans a series that features the excitement and spectacle of extremely high performance, yet easily recognisable, saloon cars for fast and furious championship racing. The V8, 550bhp, rear wheel drive configuration of the cars mirrors the highly successful Australian V8 Supercar Championship, and guarantees crowd pleasing action designed to put the "wow!" factor back into British motor racing.

With one franchise left available, there are many potential body-shells which could use the standard series chassis. These include Alfa Romeo 166, Audi A6, Ford Mondeo, Mazda 6, MG ZT, Renault Laguna, Saab 9-3, Volvo S60, and VW Passat, though the Ford Group may be reluctant to challenge its own Jaguar brand with a Mondeo, Volvo or Mazda. With Audi concentrating its efforts on DTM, there may be potential for them to also run in SCV8, and it could also provide an ideal platform for MG having recently launched the road-going ZT V8.

See series calendar for 2004 SCV8 Championship

Related Story 03.07.2003 - All-new V8 Championship to join British F3/GT