The Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has officially confirmed a 23-car entry for the 2010 season.

Defying the current economic climate, that’s more than was announced at the start of 2009 and includes a number of new teams, drivers, models of cars and big name sponsors.

Media, VIP guests and fans descended on the Brands Hatch circuit in Kent for the annual launch of the UK’s premier motor racing series.

There, the teams and drivers are taking part in an official test session prior to the opening round, which this year will be staged at the Thruxton circuit in Hampshire on Easter Sunday, April 4.

In total, seven different manufacturers, with nine different models, are represented on the grid, namely BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, SEAT, Vauxhall and VW.

Notably Honda and, for the first time, Chevrolet have entered as official manufacturer teams with former champions and fierce rivals Matt Neal and Oxford's Jason Plato spearheading their campaigns, running under the Team Honda and Silverline Chevrolet banners respectively. Chevrolet’s entry also debuts its striking Cruze model into the BTCC.

Joining Plato in the Chevrolet fold for what will be his debut season in the BTCC will be the youngest driver on the grid, Alex MacDowall who has only just turned 19.

Team Aon’s Ford Focus will be powered by pioneering liquified petroleum gas (LPG) technology, while Triple Eight Race Engineering at Greatworth, near Banbury – which masterminded the factory Vauxhall team’s six drivers’ titles during the last decade – will continue with a pair of its Vectras for two as-yet unnamed drivers.

Looking to the future, two teams, Pirtek Racing and Pinkney Motorsport, will use the BTCC’s turbo-charged ‘Next Generation Touring Car’ engine, each in a Vauxhall Vectra, ahead of the arrival of full-blown NGTC regulations in 2011.

WSR, 2009’s title-winning team, and Airwaves BMW will both continue to run BMW’s ultra-successful 320si model, but with all-new driver line-ups. Robert Collard, an Airwaves driver in 2009, and Andy Neate – back after a remarkable recovery from serious injury – are both in at WSR.

Meanwhile, Mat Jackson – second in 2008’s championship in a BMW – and the returning Steven Kane form Airwaves’ line-up. Newcomer Forster Motorsport makes it six BMWs on the grid.

In addition, the VW Golf – one of the most iconic models in motor manufacturing history – will appear in the BTCC for the first time since 1989, run by new team AmD Milltek Racing.com. Also entering its first BTCC campaign, Special Tuning UK maintains SEAT’s presence with the Spanish make’s Leon.

Meanwhile, Hondas and Vauxhalls are further represented thanks to four smaller teams entering older but nevertheless still-potent BTC-spec cars. Running Honda Integras – one for pop star Mel C’s brother Paul O’Neill – are Sunshine.co.uk with Tech-Speed Motorsport and, making its debut, Central Group Racing. TH Motorsport is fielding a Honda Civic Type R and Boulevard Team Racing continues with its 2001 Vauxhall Astra Coupe that twice achieved top ten results in 2009.

This year’s BTCC season will once again receive massive TV coverage across the ITV network. Mammoth six hour-plus broadcasts from all ten race events on ITV4 will each be followed by four 90-minute highlights on ITV1, ITV4 and Men & Motors. Coverage is set to break the 120-hours mark – beating 2009’s record figures. Furthermore, the itv.com website will live-stream ITV4’s race-day coverage.