The forgotten cars of Group B

"KnowsAboutCars" (knowsaboutcars) 09/02/2013 at 12:42 • Filed to: group b

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Audi Quattro, Ford RS200 and Lancia Delta S4 are among the cars we usually think first when someone mentions Group B rallying, however there are many Group B rally cars that are rarely remembered. Here are few of them.

This image was lost some time after publication.

SKODA 130LR

Skoda proved to be rather successful with the 13oLR by winning under 1300cc class championship multiple times.

PEUGEOT 504 PICKUP

What were the French thinking when they decided that rallying the 504 pickup was a good idea?

CITROEN BX 4TC

Citroen was late in the under 3000cc game and had time to race in only three rallies before Group B was banned. In those three rallies the 4tc proved to be too heavy and not competitive at all with the big names of that class.

There were also some interesting prototypes that were never homologated.

MOSKVICH 2141-KR

ALFA ROMEO ALFASUD SPRINT

PEUGEOT 305 V6

Mikeado > KnowsAboutCars 09/02/2013 at 12:51

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Wow, that pickup's AWESOME! I suppose showing its off-road abilities to farmers and the like would be a clever move.

Sparf > KnowsAboutCars 09/02/2013 at 12:53

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Being partial to odd Soviet technology, that Moskvich is definitely a favorite of mine. The pickup is awesomely insane as well!

$kaycog > KnowsAboutCars 09/02/2013 at 12:58

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Ford RS200's.........one of my favorite pictures.

Hoccy > KnowsAboutCars 09/02/2013 at 13:12

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The Group B-era would be a more correct headline, because it's only the Citroen that is proper Group B. The non-homologated cars are awesome though, I'm not sure if all of them were intended for Group B rallying but don't really care.

The Peugeot 504 pickup was probably Safari Rally only. That rally was so hard on the cars that a lot of manufacturers made changes for that rally only. Wish it was on the calendar now as well, it's a classic!

Raphael Orlove > Hoccy 09/02/2013 at 13:17

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That was a nutso race. Anyone know why it was taken off? Too dangerous? Any particular incidents that got it axed?

Hoccy > Raphael Orlove 09/02/2013 at 13:27

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Wikipedia says "lack of funding/organisation". I also got the impression that it was too hard on the newer cars and the road standards was only getting worse. I remember they ran it back in the early 2000's, but it was a rally of many retirements..

They still run it as a part of the African Rally Championship, and they're trying to get it back into the WRC. I'd love to see it in the future, especially now that there are more than 2 teams there.

Raphael Orlove > Hoccy 09/02/2013 at 13:30

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I would also love to see it, too

BATC42 > Raphael Orlove 09/02/2013 at 13:55

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Too dangerous yes. All because of the crazyness of the cars and of the fans. And what was feared happened.

Can you imagine driving on these roads with 500+ bhp rally cars ? An accident was bound to happen.

Portugal 1986, a semi-pro Portugese driver got his hands on a Ford RS200, car he had never driven before. But he lost control after coming up a crest. The car finished its course in the road side crowd killing three people.

If this event wouldn't be the one to kill Group B cars. Fast forward to the Tour de Corse 1986.

Henry Toivonen was leading the 1986 championship behind the wheel of his Lancia Delta S4. During a stage he went off the cliff. When the tank hit the trees it exploded instantly killing Toivonen and his co-driver. Because the accident happened in an area without any spectators, a long time passed before emegency services could reach the scene of the accident. Nothing was left of the car but its chassis.

After this accident Ford and Audi abandonned rallying.

Afterwards, different incident happened, such as the Peugeot being disqualified for invalid sideskirts at the Italian rally, sideskirts that were deemed valid in Great Bitain afterwards. Later the same year the FISA (now known as the FIA) invalidated the results from the Italian rally resulting in Peugeot and Juha Kankkunen winning the championship.

Group B died in 1986 because it was dangerous, unsafe, crazy, though I still believe theses cars were great, awesome cars, that gave use some of the most memorable rally scene and without which we wouldn't have the technology we have today in our cars (anyone said Quattro ?).

But the Group B cars lived on. Peugeot brought the 205 T16 to the Paris Dakar, to Pikes Peak along with Audi and the Ford RS200 and Austin Metro 6R4 became the queen of rallycross.

Pictures by them , them and them among others.Source : TV Show I watched, I guess it was the BBC documentary about Group B and this website (in french).

On a side note, Raphael could yu ungrey me on the front page if you can ?

BATC42 > Hoccy 09/02/2013 at 14:01

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The FISA was ready to release new regulations allowing new cars in with the Group S. Cars limited to 300 bhp but only 10 road legals cars instead of 200 for Group B.

Audi started to develop the Quattro Sport RS 002.

And Lancia the ECV (initial protoype had 600 bhp).

Which was packing this engine :

Raphael Orlove > BATC42 09/02/2013 at 14:05

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You're not wrong about Group B. I was just wondering about the Safari Rally in specific.

And yes I can ungrey you!

Union of Smog Techs of CA > KnowsAboutCars 09/02/2013 at 14:17

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Nissan 240RS!