7.12.2004
Build of Chevrolet World Touring Car on schedule

Build of the three Chevrolet Lacetti World Touring Cars, to be entered by Chevrolet Europe in next year's World Touring Car Championship, is continuing at a steady pace at RML (Ray Mallock Ltd.) in Wellingborough, U.K.

Drivers Alain Menu from Switzerland, Nicola Larini from Italy and Rob Huff from the U.K. will get the chance to start testing the Lacetti for the first time in Spain in early January 2005. This ends the first stage of Chevrolet's new World Touring Car program, which had started with an initial evaluation in April 2004, followed by the start of the design process in August 2004.

With the touring car regulations being quite strict, it is up to the engineers to consider every possible idea that might give a small advantage over the competition.

Although, aerodynamically, there is little room to play with, the engineers at RML have already spent a substantial amount of time in the windtunnel and will continue to do so throughout the season.

Chassis 1 and 2 will commence testing in early February, while chassis 3 will join the other cars in March. Each car takes some 300 hours to build in a process that starts with a bare shell. The roll cage is fitted to the shell, after which it is painted. Next come the main pipework and wiring looms, fitting of the engine and gearbox followed by the suspension. After the radiator and interior fixtures are installed, the body panels are added to the shell, the braking system is bled and the livery put on. With wheels and the geometry set on the flat patch, the car is ready to go testing.