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Re: Real MGs? - was Re: SV, NASCAR and F1

To: Lawrie@britcars.com
Subject: Re: Real MGs? - was Re: SV, NASCAR and F1
From: Jeff Boatright <jboatri@emory.edu>
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 16:12:54 -0400
Lawrie,

I take your point, but overall, I don't think your argument has much 
to do with auto racing at the highest levels with the exception of 
Ferrari and Porsche, and even then, mainly in the past. I don't 
really care if other people mistakenly buy a car thinking that what 
they saw racing on Sunday is what they bought on Monday. That's their 
problem.  ;) I don't think the trickle-down theory of racing 
engineering converting to assembly line engineering has held water 
for decades. Top level motorsport is a marketing exercise. Even for 
World Rally, those cars are nothing like what you can buy in the 
showrooms. Heck, they have completely different drivetrains, 
suspensions, and computers.

OTOH, I thoroughly enjoy the goofiness that goes on with fans and on 
the track. It's sport - it's fun - it's irrational! If MG wants to 
badge a Lola, let 'em. If this causes a resurgence of interest in the 
marque - hooray! It sure didn't hurt Ford when they bought the Lola 
design that turned into the GT40. Was it a Ford? Nope, it just had a 
Ford engine and Ford dollars behind it. Those dollars went to Lola. 
Sort of like MG this June. Of course, Ford could _afford_ to spend 
those dollars...

BTW, does anyone know where the name "Lola" came from?

Jeff



Lawrie wrote:
>James,
>
>I fully agree that the racing of MGFs and the rally cars are worthwhile
>endeavors, as the cars at least bear some resemblance to what the dealer is
>selling. My gripe was that the Le Mans car was not an MG just because it had
>an engine based on the one used in the MGF.
>
>At least the Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, et al, cars raced at Le Mans are built
>by the companies whose name they bear, and incorporate the engineering and
>design ideas of those companies. The "MG" was mostly Lola, as I understand
>it.
>
>Still, I guess I'm in the minority here, as NASCAR is incredibly popular and
>people seem to believe that the cars they see racing really are Chevrolets,
>Pontiacs and Fords..................!
>
>Lawrie


_____________________________________________________________
Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
Assistant Professor, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
Senior Editor, Molecular Vision, http://www.molvis.org/molvis
mailto:jboatri@emory.edu

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