The series will be known as the ECB World’s Best Alloy Bullbars Australian SUV Rally Challenge and will kick off at the opening round of the Bosch Australian Rally Championship, at Rally Calder In Melbourne on March 1-4 next year.
The ECB World’s Best Alloy Bullbars Australian SUV Rally Challenge is the first rally championship in the world open exclusively for Sport Utility Vehicles, the fastest growing sector in the car industry.
Currently one in four vehicles sold in Australia comes from the SUV sector and there are more than 50 vehicles in the Australian SUV market segment that will be eligible to compete in the ECB Australian SUV Challenge.
According to Ray Smith-Roberts, CEO of ECB the decision to back the inaugural Australian SUV Rally Challenge came as a result of the tremendous marketing opportunities the new rally series will provide the company.
“The Australian SUV Rally Challenge fits our marketing needs perfectly providing a synergy between our brand and the leading SUV models and will help us, and our network of fantastic dealers drive growth into the new vehicle market,” said Mr. Smith-Roberts.
“Eighty-five percent of the bullbars and nudge bars ECB sells go onto the new and current model vehicles which are exactly the sort of cars that will be contesting the ECB Worlds Best Alloy Bullbars Australian SUV Rally Challenge,” he added.
“Becoming the naming rights sponsor for the Series will give us more exposure to the new vehicle arena with vehicles such as the Subaru Forester, Hyundai ix35 and Toyota RAV 4 and we are very excited by the potential the Series offers us,” Mr. Smith-Roberts concluded.
CEO of the Bosch ARC, Scott Pedder says the commitment by ECB to the Australian SUV Rally Series is another important step in the rebirth and growth of the Bosch ARC and will help encourage more teams to consider rallying an SUV.
“It is absolutely fantastic to have ECB on board as the naming rights sponsor for the 2012 SUV Australian Rally Challenge not just because of the synergies the company has with the SUV sector,” said Scott.
“This adds to the credibility and critical mass of the Australian SUV Rally Challenge and will encourage more competitors and manufacturers to commit to the series,” he said.
“ECB is a really go ahead company which has championed Australian quality engineering, manufacturing and innovation, factors which are at the core of the Bosch ARC’s ethos,” he added
“ECB has been a part of the Australian automotive landscape for the past 40 years and Ray Smith Roberts and his team play an active role in the industry chairing industry bodies such as the 4WD Industry Council but this is their first involvement in motor sport sponsorship and the rally community welcomes and congratulates the commitment.
“The ECB World’s Best Alloy Bullbars Australian SUV Rally Challenge is already attracting interest from both factory teams and leading privateers with a number of competitors set to reveal in coming weeks plans to contest the series in 2012,” he said.
Australia will be the first country in the world to conduct a national rally series for Sport Utility Vehicles with new class will be open to all vehicles specified as Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) by industry statisticians VFACTS/RVCS, either in two wheel drive or four wheel drive form and be no more than 10 years old (plus model run ons).
The new SUV Australian Rally Challenge will welcome turbo diesel or normally aspirated petrol vehicles and will give the SUV sector access to motor sport competition that is relevant and the perfect showcase for cars of this type.
The rules have been formulated for the new SUV Rally Challenge to keep the cars close to standard with only minor wheel, tyre, brake, suspension and exhaust modifications allowed along with the mandatory safety equipment.
This means the ECB Worlds Best Alloy Bullbars Australian SUV Rally Challenge will be a relatively economical way for manufacturers to become involved in rallying and to showcase their product in the heat of competition.
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