Frequently Asked Questions
How much do they cost?
New cars are currently NZ$55,000, whilst
the
original 14 cars imported to New Zealand were mainly 2002
models and have been selling for around
$30,000 - $35,000. Both prices compare favourably with the equivelent
Toyota/BMW/Renault/Ford
What's the comparison
with
the Toyota and Formula Ford cars?
Whilst all three cars are professionally
designed
and built there are
several differences, for example, whilst both the Suzuki and the
Toyota have similar horsepower, (both cars having well over 400hp per
ton) the ford is somewhat lower. The main difference though with
the
other two cars is without doubt the huge difference in cost, both
purchase price and running costs. The Suzuki, unlike the ford, also has
wings
and slicks (notably, the worlds
official F3 series slicks).
Is this a controlled
class?
Yes, the regulations covering the class
are as
tight
as we can
make them, whilst allowing
for some individuality among the drivers. Initial & random
scrutineering, plus
teching of the
top three finishers is done by qualified technicians.
Who designed these
cars?
The cars were originaly designed and
developed by
Monster Tajima of Suzuki
Motorsport in the same manner as was up until recently taking place
with the
Suzuki Motorsport WRC rally cars. All new cars are built by GP
Motorsport Ltd.
Who rebuilds the
engines?
GP Motorsport authorises a single engine
builder,
RMS, who rebuilds the
engines to standard specs and seals them with Official GPM seals.
Is testing restricted?
No, unlike the Toyota series, testing for
Formula
Suzuki is unrestricted.
Is this just a class
for the
young guys?
Not at all, in fact there is a good mix of
young guys and some slightly more
mature drivers!
What fuel do they use?
The only permissable fuel is the
commercially
available
BP Ultimate 98 octane pump gas.