What's The Deal With... TCR Cars

 I've already talked about how great touring cars and the races they provide, are. For this episode of What's The Deal With, I've decided to take a look at TCR cars, the class of car used in the FIA World Touring Car Cup, as well as numerous touring car and endurance championships across the globe. I'll primarily be looking at the cars that competed in the 2018 season of the FIA WTCR, though other TCR cars also exist.

TCR cars are based on hatchbacks and hatchback-sized saloons. There are no manufacturer entries; instead, the cars are sold to customer teams who run them in racing series. For 2018, the seven types of car that competed in the FIA WTCR were the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR, Audi RS 3 LMS TCR, Cupra León TCR, Honda Civic Type R (FK8) TCR, Hyundai i30 N TCR, Peugeot 308 TCR and Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.

The body shell is the same as the road-going car the TCR car is based on, though this body shell is reinforced and the wheel-arches are widened to accommodate wider wheels and tyres. The body also features a standardised front splitter, and an adjustable rear wing for downforce. The minimum weight is 1285 kilograms including the driver, though this falls to 1250 kilograms for cars with a production gearbox.

Regardless of the car, the engine is a turbocharged four-cylinder of between 1.6 and 2.0 litres, producing 350 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. That power is sent through a six-speed gearbox: typically a racing sequential gearbox, although production-spec paddle-shift automatics can also be used. TCR cars are strictly front-wheel drive; contrary to popular belief, the Audi RS 3 LMS TCR is NOT four-wheel drive.

The vehicle suspension has to use the same design as the road-going vehicle, but with modified and reinforced component parts. TCR cars use disc brakes all-around, with six-piston brake calipers up front and two-piston calipers at the back, and production anti-lock braking systems can be used. The wheels are a maximum of 18 inches in diameter, wrapped up in slick tyres (the provider of which depends on the series).

In my experience, these cars are great fun to drive and race. Front-wheel drive makes them very stable and rewarding to throw down a twisty piece of racetrack, safe in the knowledge that you won't spin out under power. Be mindful of braking from high speeds, as the lack of ABS and the front-biased weight distribution means the rear wheels are liable to locking up under hard braking, sending the tail swinging out. Also, you need to be mindful of the throttle in the middle of corners, as going on the throttle too early will result in wheelspin and understeer. The key to maximising corner exit speed is to be patient with the throttle, and figure out when you can roll onto full throttle. Get it right, and the car will drag itself out of the corner and launch itself down the next straight.

Before I go, I would just like to quickly mention the PURE ETCR Touring Car Series; the FIA's new Electric Touring Car Cup, using TCR-type vehicles outfitted with electric powertrains. Having already driven the Formula E car in Assetto Corsa, I reckon an electric touring car with instant power (and no need for energy saving) will provide thrilling low-emission racing. How long until us sim-racers get the chance to experience an electric TCR car for ourselves?