GRM WANTS TO MAKE TCR RENAULTS

GRM wants to make TCR Renaults – Photo: InSyde Media

Garry Rogers Motorsport is talking with the maker of the TCR Renault Meganes about supplying parts and even building cars here for the world market.

By MARK FOGARTY

Independent constructor Milenko Vukovic visited GRM last week to view its facilities and discuss a closer alliance, including making composite panels – and, eventually, complete cars.

GRM runs a pair of Megane RS TCRs built in Switzerland by the small Vukovic Motorsport operation for Supercars refugees James Moffat and Chris Pither.

The association could also lead to co-drives for Moffat and Pither at the TCR Spa 500 super-enduro.

The 500-lap race will be staged at the famous 7 km Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium from October 4-6 – the week before the Bathurst 1000.

Moffat is partnering Chaz Mostert at Bathurst, while Pither is with GRM’s Richie Stanaway.

Either or both could be drafted to share Vukovic Motorsport’s Megane entry in the Spa 500.

Vukovic Motorsport is licenced by Renault Sport to make La Regie’s TCR racer and sell it worldwide.

Although very well built, the Megane RS is over-engineered and over-weight, using fibreglass panels and hefty mechanical components.

GRM has the facilities and engineering expertise to design and produce lightweight replacement composite body panels, as well as lighter mechanical parts.

It also has the capability and capacity to build complete cars for Vukovic for the international market.

Although not quite a one-man band, Vukovic Motorsport is very small operation supported by the principal’s main body repair business.

The eccentric Swiss former racer was in Melbourne from late last Tuesday to Friday, spending two days at GRM, which has extensive composite panel production and engineering ability at its Dandenong South factory in Melbourne’s southeast.

Despite language difficulties, German-speaking Vukovic had extensive discussions with Garry and Barry Rogers about future partnerships.

“We’re interested in making cars and things,” Rogers Snr told AUTO ACTION. “But that’s a long way away at the moment. There’s no deal yet.”

Rogers is pleased with the association and satisfied with the Megane, in which Moffat was very competitive at Phillip Island earlier this month.

“What I like about Milenko is his enthusiasm,” he said. “And we’re happy to be racing those cars.”

The most immediate potential for GRM is to produce composite parts for Vukovic to replace the fibreglass panels.

GRM has approval to substitute composite components on its pair of Meganes and also to conduct a light-weighting program with the mechanicals.

The work might ultimately lead to an agreement with Vukovic to build complete cars here for sale overseas.

GRM also fields two Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloces in the TCR Australia Series.

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