When it comes to touring...

When it comes to touring cars, no one can touch BMW’s track record. For more than three decades, the Bavarian team has been shredding its tin-top rivals and stockpiling all the major national and international titles, culminating in Andy Priaulx’s back-to-back World Touring Car Championship crowns in 2005 and 2006.

Despite Priaulx’s heroics on the global stage, BMW hasn’t won a British touring car race since 1996. But that’s a record the company is set to rectify in the coming months. The front-running Team RAC outfit has ditched its venerable MGs for a pair of the latest BMW 320 saloons, as raced so successfully by Priaulx in the WTCC.

“Having decided not to design and build new cars for 2007, we conducted considerable research into all available options, and have chosen the BMW 320si,” explained Dick Bennetts, boss of WSR, who runs the squad.

While BMW is keen to emphasise this is not a full-factory supported attack on the BTCC, the WSR initiative certainly has enthusiastic backing from the manufacturer. “In no shape or form is this car a works effort, but we are delighted that we are going to be represented on the domestic front by a team which clearly has a good chance of success,” explained Chris Willows, corporate communications director at BMW UK.

“WSR proved it was capable of great things last year with two old MGs, so we can’t wait to see what it can achieve with the BMW.”

As well as securing world class machinery, Team RAC has also retained the services of star driver Colin Turkington. The 24-year-old Ulsterman finished third in last year’s championship behind Matt Neal and Jason Plato, and now believes he has his best shot at taking the BTCC title.

“We are in a fantastic position to do well this year,” confirmed Turkington. “The MG we were using was five years old and still we fought for the title. Now I’ve got what has proven to be the best car, so I should be in a great position to win the championship.”