Welcome To V8 Global Touring Cars: Your New Favourite Race Series

This might be the most extreme Ford Focus saloon ever made. It's a purpose-built racer; the first challenger to be unveiled for the newly established Global Touring Car Series (GTC). Like DTM and the Australian V8 Supercars series, the GTC teams will all use the same space frame chassis with different bodies over the top.

Where it gets interesting though, is the body. Unlike the Aussie V8s or DTM racers, which have replica bodies over the space frame chassis, these GTC machines are designed to be able to have the original equipment body panels of most modern mid-sized saloons or hatchbacks fitted. Because of this they actually look very close to the real thing, albeit with the addition of a bodykit. The cars will be powered by V8s kicking out 500bhp, so the racing should be quick too.

The GTC kicks off this year in South Africa, but there are plans afoot to add races in other countries. We'll be keeping a keen eye on this series as it develops.