• Latest
  • Trending

Mazda kill off TCR programme

August 13, 2020

Hayden Paddon and Scott O’Donnell appointed to Elite MotorSport Academy Trust

September 19, 2025

Motorsport Diary: Kiwis racing overseas this weekend

September 18, 2025

Another exciting season of motorsport at Teretonga Park

September 18, 2025

Toby McCormack returns for another season in NZ Formula Ford

September 18, 2025

Zeltwanger looking to maintain blistering winter form

September 17, 2025

Palmer the one to beat heading to Rally Waitomo this weekend

September 17, 2025

TRS and Formula Pacific cars running under exciting new format for 2025/26 season

September 17, 2025

Nick Cassidy to race with Citroën in Formula E while balancing WEC drive with Peugeot

September 17, 2025

Cormac Buchanan battles through tough Misano weekend in Moto3 rookie season

September 16, 2025

Ryan Yardley and David Musial Jr. claim victory in Porsche Endurance Challenge at Road Atlanta

September 15, 2025

Tough weekend at the Bend for Giltrap and Osborne in Porsche Carrera Cup

September 15, 2025
Friday, September 19, 2025
VelocityNews
Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time updates on Kiwi drivers, events and much more!
Subscribe to New Alerts
  • International
    • Formula 1
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Formula E
    • Esports
    • Super GT
    • Super Formula
    • TCR
    • WEC
    • GT
    • Porsche Carrera Cup
    • BTCC
    • DTM
    • IMSA
    • IndyCar
    • Road to Indy
    • NASCAR
    • WRC
    • MotoGP
    • Motorcycle Racing
    • Historic Racing
  • New Zealand
    • Toyota Formula Regional
    • Toyota GR86 Championship
    • Rally
    • Speedway
    • Drifting
    • Formula Ford
    • Formula First
    • TCR NZ
    • TransTasman V8 Series
    • V8 Utes
    • GT New Zealand Championship
    • GTRNZ
    • Central Muscle Cars
    • Pirelli Porsche
    • Mazda Racing Series
    • NZ Endurance Championship
    • NIERDC
    • SIERDC
    • Pro8 South Island Series
    • SsangYong Utes
    • Kartsport
    • NZ Historic Racing
    • NZ General
  • Australia
    • Supercars
    • Super2
    • Australian V8 Touring Car Series
    • Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
    • Porsche Sprint Challenge
    • S5000
    • Australian GT
    • TCR AU
  • Features
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Profile
    • Race Cars
  • Circuit News
  • Velocity TV
  • Performance Cars
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Job Dashboard
No Result
View All Result
VelocityNews
No Result
View All Result

Mazda kill off TCR programme

by Zane Shackleton
August 13, 2020
in International, News, TCR
0

Coronavirus has killed off the highly anticipated Mazda TCR programme set to make its debut next season across a range of global TCR series.

The sinister looking hatchback based off of the Mazda3 was set to be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder mill punching an estimated 260kW of power.

The car was set to make its competition during the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Daytona earlier in the year under Long Road Racing who are also responsible for the development of the Global Mazda MX-5 cup cars.

A series of planned test days for the 3 TCR was earmarked for later this year before the global pandemic stalled all plans. But now, Mazda USA have confirmed they have ceased the programme entirely, citing the economic aftershocks of the pandemic as the catalyst of their decision.

Even if the car were to be fully developed and homologated for competition, the economic turmoil of the United States raised doubt on whether teams and drivers could attract sufficient sponsorship to run the car.

Already a number of IMSA and American motorsport outfits have had to make sizable cutbacks to limit financial damage inflicted upon by the pandemic.

Mazda were set to become the first TCR manufacturer to base their operations out of the United States.

“Given the recent conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) has elected to cancel the development program for the Mazda3 TCR car,” a brief statement from Mazda read.

“We thank all our fans and partners for their continued support for Mazda Motorsports.”

It was unknown whether the Mazda 3 TCR would have enticed the interest of New Zealand customers for the upcoming NZ TCR series slated to kick off later this year. Though director of Mazda Motorsports, John Doonan, had initially expressed interest in expanding the car outside of Europe and America with eyes on Asia and Pacific.

Roll out of the car had already once been postponed after “unforeseen issues” in development late last year meaning the first batch of cars were set to be shipped to customers in the back stages of 2020.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2022 VelocityNews - Independent New Zealand and International Motorsport news.

No Result
View All Result
  • International
    • Formula 1
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • Formula E
    • Esports
    • Super GT
    • Super Formula
    • TCR
    • WEC
    • GT
    • Porsche Carrera Cup
    • BTCC
    • DTM
    • IMSA
    • IndyCar
    • Road to Indy
    • NASCAR
    • WRC
    • MotoGP
    • Motorcycle Racing
    • Historic Racing
  • New Zealand
    • Toyota Formula Regional
    • Toyota GR86 Championship
    • Rally
    • Speedway
    • Drifting
    • Formula Ford
    • Formula First
    • TCR NZ
    • TransTasman V8 Series
    • V8 Utes
    • GT New Zealand Championship
    • GTRNZ
    • Central Muscle Cars
    • Pirelli Porsche
    • Mazda Racing Series
    • NZ Endurance Championship
    • NIERDC
    • SIERDC
    • Pro8 South Island Series
    • SsangYong Utes
    • Kartsport
    • NZ Historic Racing
    • NZ General
  • Australia
    • Supercars
    • Super2
    • Australian V8 Touring Car Series
    • Porsche Carrera Cup Australia
    • Porsche Sprint Challenge
    • S5000
    • Australian GT
    • TCR AU
  • Features
    • Features
    • Opinion
    • Profile
    • Race Cars
  • Circuit News
  • Velocity TV
  • Performance Cars
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Job Dashboard

© 2022 VelocityNews - Independent New Zealand and International Motorsport news.