Red Bull Racing and Holden pair up for Sandman tribute

**Innuendo** · 24-10-2014, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by HK1837

It does look like an FE-FC van and a Gemini van. But not a W size van or any EJ onwards Holden van for that matter!

They'd be better off calling it a Gypsy.

I'm down with that. Of course the FE-FC and the Gemini Panel Vans are basically a Station Wagon body (even more so with the Gemini where they simply installed Fibreglass side cover panels). Station Wagon becomes a Panel Van for very little $$$. Makes me wonder if one without the cover panels are actually a Panel Van with cargo "windows"!

Originally Posted by Robbo

Would it be an old ute.."passed it's use by date"..out of the V8 series ute races? Then they have modified it to achieve this result?

Could well be Robbo.

All that said, how cool would this have been "if" they'd used a proper AMCAT Panel Van (Canopy)? At least the thing would look like a Panel Van and NOT a Station Wagon.

**Big Rob** · 24-10-2014, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Innuendo

I'm down with that. Of course the FE-FC and the Gemini Panel Vans are basically a Station Wagon body (even more so with the Gemini where they simply installed Fibreglass side cover panels). Station Wagon becomes a Panel Van for very little $$$. Makes me wonder if one without the cover panels are actually a Panel Van with cargo "windows"!

Could well be Robbo.

All that said, how cool would this have been "if" they'd used a proper AMCAT Panel Van (Canopy)? At least the thing would look like a Panel Van and NOT a Station Wagon.

Yep, they've taken a good idea, built a "different" car (van/wagon), but in my opinion just missed the boat a bit with the actual delivery of the Sandman concept.

They could have built a really cool ride for the same money using the right canopy and the right graphics package. They could have stuck "REDBULL" on the tailgate using the traditional Sandman script and we'd all probably have been raving about wanting one now.

**V8VAN** · 24-10-2014, 02:12 AM

I look at that and think closed in ute, not Sandman.

That said I don't mind it. I reckon it would look alright with a normal paint job instead of the redbull crap all over it.

**Innuendo** · 24-10-2014, 03:17 AM

centaur_sports_canopy.jpg

Just another photo from the Centaur site. Note: the Sandman style stripes.
Still looks too much like a Sportswagon and not a Panel Van for my liking.

**V8VAN** · 24-10-2014, 05:14 AM

Yeah I'd drive one but it's not a panelvan.

**SLR_dave** · 24-10-2014, 07:10 AM

Awh, c'mon, whats with the grumpys? I love it. It's a promotional vehicle for Holden Racing, therefore I love it, no question, basic logic. (Big Grin!) But if I look a bit further.... nope, still love it!
Surfboards on a racing car are completely stupid, so if anyone outside motoring circles thinks this is serious they are missing the point, it's supposed to be siilly! Enjoy I reckon! Its still probably pretty quick though.... hmmmn, anyone wanna put their H series up against it? One lap of the mountain... dry track, good weather.... (not meaning to ruffle any feathers) but really, it'd be over before any H series van even got its gearbox warm. They havent said it's a Sandman, they've said it pays tribute to Sandman, I think theres a genuine difference there. I see no reason to flame it at all. It reminds the public of Sandman history and shows a willingness from the manufacturer to continue association with that name / ideal. pretty cool, i'd have thought!

Anyway, it looks like its on a COTF chassis to me. Hard to tell from the photo but the rear wheel arches look too close to the back of the car/taillights for the ute. This vehicle could be just for fun, but maybe it has been done for a reason, - hard to forget the lap times for the Nuremburg circuit in the ute last year.

**HK1837** · 24-10-2014, 07:50 AM

I get all that Dave, and I don't have a problem with the concept, but why is putting a low roof canopy on a ute suddenly a tribute to a Sandman? When Holden already have something close in their current models (SS or SSV ute) or very recently had the exact thing in their lineup (SV6 Thunder and SS Thunder utes). So why not just get a Thunder ute and whack Redbull logos in Sandman-esque fashion on it? Would be far more recognisable as a Sandman than that thing.

**SLR_dave** · 24-10-2014, 08:01 AM

Yep, I'm with you Byron, and I dont know the answer to that, but I reckon theres a marketing department in there that does, am I way off in guessing its on a COTF chassis though? If it is, that would come some way to an explanation. It looks too short for VF?

**SLR_dave** · 25-10-2014, 09:15 AM

I had some time to scout around a bit.
I've been Googling (wasn't overly easy to find) but this vehicle is, as it turns out, on the COTF chassis. So, this does explain the dimensional perceptions, (its body is shaped to fit a chassis a bit shorter than VF). Carsguide explains that it is "Sitting on the 888-032 Car of the Future V8 Supercar chassis used by Jamie Whincup during the 2013 season" http://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news...anel-van-29934

However this also means that it is undoubtedley blisteringly quick. It's not even a VF Commodore, its COTF. (with surfboards)......... and yep I still love it!

Whether we like it or not, Holden is changing, I hope they take us with them, either that or come back to us, I'm prepared to stretch (a bit).

BTW, for those readers who havent checked it out, the COTF (car of the future) platform rules are avail on the V8 Supercars site, takes a bit of getting to but its there, basically, the race teams and manufacturers build a car off a standard chassis, the manufacturer provides the engine, adaption of a current model body, perhaps some hydraulics, various electricals... maybe the diff (cant remember) .... they and their team get two or three choices of brake caliper, pads, two choices of gear stick... etc.... its not what it used to be, much closer to NASCAR, but, I have to reckon this has allowed for a fair bit of Australian design so far, compared to what may have happened. I really disliked COTF when it started, because I felt they are no longer even resemblant of production vehicles, but all considered, I look at it a bit differently now. The manufacturers do seem to have input to the build of the the cars, some of the design flexibility they have could be race changing, (starter motor for instance, ur uhum) meanwhile it's allowing Australian design and engineering in motorsport ford/holden/nissan/merc too to continue... for the moment at least.

In any case,we should see this on thie race track in promotional form pretty soon.... it will be very quick. But is it a van though? I spose that was the question. Yeah, I say, its a flat topped racing van, (as long as you can crawl from the front seats to the canopy area, - on which of course, there is no word, or maybe I'll just say yeah cuase it's a tribute, pretty cool all round.).

**Innuendo** · 27-10-2014, 02:57 AM

redbull_ute-wagon_rear.jpg

So here it is from the rear. Clearly showing standard Sportswagon tailgate. Some decal with Sandman written on it (can't work out the rest).
It appears they have grafted a Sportswagon roof and tailgate onto a Ute which is modified to fit the COTF chassis. Still looks so much like the Centaur canopy and the concept so similar to the Walkinshaw SuperUte (in appearance/visual concept if nothing else). That I mentioned previously http://www.caradvice.com.au/125614/w...al-motor-show/