Group B

Group B Ford RS200.

Audi Quattro S1, one of the most successful Group B cars.

The Group B referred to a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rally racing regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were blamed on their outright speed, and the class picked up the moniker "Killer Bs." After the death of Henri Toivonen and his co-driver in the 1986 Tour de Corse, the FIA disestablished the class after only four years. The short-lived Group B era has acquired legendary status among rally fans.

Overview

Group B was introduced by the FIA in 1982 as replacement for both Group 4 (modified grand touring) and Group 5 (touring prototypes) cars.

Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed technology and overall cost. The base model had to be mass produced (5000 units/year) and had to have 4 seats. Group A was aimed at ensuring a large number of privately-owned entries in races.

By contrast, Group B had few restrictions on technology, design and the number of cars required for homologation to compete (only 200). Weight was kept as low as possible, high-tech materials were permitted, and there were no restrictions on boost, which turned out to mean almost unlimited power. The category was aimed at car manufacturers by promising outright race victories and the subsequent publicity opportunities without the need for an existing production model.

Group B was initially a very successful concept, with many manufacturers joining the premier World Rally Championship, and increased spectator numbers. But the cost of competing quickly rose, and the performance of the cars proved too much, resulting in a series of fatal crashes. As a consequence Group B was cancelled at the end of 1986 and Group A regulations became the standard for all cars until the advent of World Rally Cars in 1997.

In the following years Group B found a niche in the European Rallycross Championship, with cars such as the MG Metro 6R4 and the Ford RS200 competing as late as 1992. For 1993, the FIA replaced the Group B models with prototypes that had to be based on existing Group A cars, but still followed the spirit of Group B, with low weight, 4WD, high turbo boost pressure and staggering amounts of power.

Group 2 and Group 4

Until 1983 the two main classes of rallying were called Group 2 and Group 4. Major manufacturers competed in Group 4, which required a minimum of 400 examples of a competition car. Notable cars of the era included the Lancia Stratos, Ford Escort and Fiat 131 Abarth.

In 1979 the FISA (then the name of the FIA's motorsport regulatory division) legalized four-wheel drive (4WD). However, at the time it was generally felt that the extra weight and complexity of 4WD systems would cancel out the performance benefits, so the car companies were not keen on using it.

This belief was shattered when Audi launched the 4WD Quattro in 1980. That year, a Quattro was used as an opening (zero) car and driven by professional driver Hannu Mikkola in some rallies. At one particular rally, its combined time for all the stages was nine minutes quicker than that of the rally winner. While the new car was indeed heavy and cumbersome, its levels of off-road grip were staggering.

The Quattro was officially entered in the 1980 Janner Rally in Austria and easily won. Audi kept on winning throughout 1980 and 1981 seasons, although lack of consistent results meant that Ford took the driver's title in 1981 with Ari Vatanen driving a rearwheel-drive Escort. The team's victory at the 1981 Rallye San Remo was particularly historic: Piloted by Michèle Mouton, it was the first time a woman won a World Championship rally. Mouton placed second in the drivers' championship the next year, behind Opel's Walter Röhrl.