Is it time to return to Group B Rally Cars?

Dr Who

Dr Who

Dr Who

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All this recent retro and track car chat has made me think, with the latest advances in carbon fibre monocoques etc, is it time they allowed back the old group B rally cars?

Formula one cars have got safer, and latest technology means the manufacturers could build some spectacular cars, cars which we all once loved and were far more special than the run of the mill souped up Imprezas C4's and Evo's of today.

RS200's 205 T16's Metro 6R4's not to mention the awesome Lancias and the SWB Audi Quattros.

Would manufacturers be interested in building 200 specials like this anymore?

Personally I would love to see them back again, safer faster and more spectacular than ever.

:cool:
 
Dr Who said:
Would manufacturers be interested in building 200 specials like this anymore?

Personally I would love to see them back again, safer faster and more spectacular than ever.
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no

Look at citroen and Loeb, they've won the WRC countless times in a rally car based on the Citroen C4, a car that doesnt bare any resemblance to the rally car in the slightest. Heck, they dont even have a proper hot version of the C4 at all. They have the VTS, but its nothing like the turbocharged monster that is the rally car.

They dont need to produce specials in the current WRC, and i cant see them going back to it.

Neither can i see them wanting a formula that calls for more power, more complex engines, and more evocative materials and crucially more Cost.

WRC is dieing because it costs too much, the last thing the manufacturers want is more expensive rally cars, and then to have to build 200 road going versions to go with them.

Audi built its brand on rallying with the quattro, they are now in a position of prestige and see no need to go rallying anymore to promote the brand. They've even scaled back their Le Mans commitments too as they just steam rollered everyone
 
What we want and what the manufacturers would compete in is another story

We know we'd like marques to be REQUIRED to produce a homologation car that we could drive too. but given they dont have to currently, and are still leaving WRC because its too expensive, its very unlikely.

I dont think anybody would enter a series where they have to build 200 road going examples of the car they want to rally.
 
It would be great, but it won't happen now, or for a while. It's probably one of the most difficult times for the car industry, so I can't see any investment in something that will see little return.

I would love to see it again though, just for the special cars. Of course, spectators would have to be carefully managed - remember what it used to be like with people on the courses!? Different times for sure.
 
Car manufacurers are dropping like flys from F1 because they is a decresing ability to push a car brand through the sport.

P1 and P2 classes in Endurance racing are deminishing because they are custom built cars solely for racing that major manufacturers have no interest in building. Even GT1 is slowly dying as manufacturers move to GT2 as it is far closer to the road cars they make.

There is absolutely no reason why any manufacturer would want to make Group B rally cars that are completely disassociated with the road cars they make. And making power hungry road monsters that chuck out CO2 will be bad for their Green 'image'.

From a fans point of view, YES PLEASE! Custom built uber racers would be fantastic, but the fact is, it is a catagory that makes absolutely no sence to any car maker, so would be dead before it even started.
 
Skeeter said:
Car manufacurers are dropping like flys from F1 because they is a decresing ability to push a car brand through the sport.

P1 and P2 classes in Endurance racing are deminishing because they are custom built cars solely for racing that major manufacturers have no interest in building. Even GT1 is slowly dying as manufacturers move to GT2 as it is far closer to the road cars they make.

There is absolutely no reason why any manufacturer would want to make Group B rally cars that are completely disassociated with the road cars they make. And making power hungry road monsters that chuck out CO2 will be bad for their Green 'image'.

From a fans point of view, YES PLEASE! Custom built uber racers would be fantastic, but the fact is, it is a catagory that makes absolutely no sence to any car maker, so would be dead before it even started.
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Group A or Group N would do ... they are not as crazy as the RS200, and can sell pretty well meaning that no loss would be made.
 
Skeeter said:
Car manufacurers are dropping like flys from F1 because they is a decresing ability to push a car brand through the sport.

P1 and P2 classes in Endurance racing are deminishing because they are custom built cars solely for racing that major manufacturers have no interest in building. Even GT1 is slowly dying as manufacturers move to GT2 as it is far closer to the road cars they make.

There is absolutely no reason why any manufacturer would want to make Group B rally cars that are completely disassociated with the road cars they make. And making power hungry road monsters that chuck out CO2 will be bad for their Green 'image'.

From a fans point of view, YES PLEASE! Custom built uber racers would be fantastic, but the fact is, it is a catagory that makes absolutely no sence to any car maker, so would be dead before it even started.
Click to expand...

Whichever class they make it, my point was having road cars as slightly detuned versions of the rally cars....

Lets say, a Citroen C4 but with 300bhp, sequential gearbox 4wd blah blah...

I reckon they would sell a few of those!

F1 is a different kettle of fish, the costs with F1 are staggering and the cars will never bear any resemblance to the road cars bar the presence of 4 wheels :D
 
No. The current cars are as fast if not faster over a given stage than the Group B cars. That said the memory of group B cars giving it beans through Chatsworth in 1986 will remain with me for a long time yet.

The current WRC cars allow a lot of freedom within the rules - you can't buy a 4WD 2.0L Turbo Citroen C4 for example. Silhouette or custom racing cars would just be plain dangerous.

The rallies should go back to the old format. The neutered 3 day events that run the stages multiple times are a shadow of a proper rally. Bring back the 5 day RAC with 40+ stages in proper forests lie Grizedale and Kielder.

I'm not even going to start on the useless TV coverage since C4 bowed out.
 
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