The FIA-sanctioned Superstars series is a fascinating Italian touring car championship for approved machinery such as the Audi RS4, BMW E39 M5 and E60 550i, Cadillac CTS-V, Chrysler C300 SRT8, Jaguar S-type R, Maserati Quattroporte and the Mercedes C63 AMG.

Demanding V8 engines of 3.0 to 7.0 liters in four-door sedan bodies gives the series a unique appeal and is the basis for fascinating racing.

To keep it competitive, the organizers have banned both ABS, traction control, while permitting 18×9.5” wheels for spec Pirelli tires under custom widebody fenders. They must also use a regulation rear wing and six-piston AP Racing front brakes. Where forced induction is used, no tuning is allowed and the organizers can add weight or air restrictors to prevent any team gaining a technical advantage.
That said, Audi Sport Italia has been running a team of RS 4 racecars for several years and is seeing impressive results. In fact, RS4 drivers have been on the podium in each of the first five rounds, winning four of them. They even scored dominant first and second place finishes at the Monza and Magione rounds.
With nine races in the 2008 Superstars series, including visits to Germany and Spain, Audi driver Gianni Morbidelli is leading the points race by a considerable margin.
You can find more information about the series at www.eurosuperstars.com/eng or you can visit www.touringcartimes.com for all related stories.
One of the reasons we’ve highlighted the Superstars series is because these factory-backed Audi racecars have some interesting aerodynamic modifications that might provide inspiration for anybody considering a new project car based on the B7 chassis Audi A4 or RS4. The Superstars definitely provide dramatic racing and some dramatic-looking cars.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 7:13 am and is filed under Sport Cars [t]. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.