"And rallying, I’m afraid, is a sport for the terminally gormless." --Jeremy Clarkson
Group B was an FIA rally class that allowed manufacturers to push the boundaries of automotive engineering to their absolute limits.
With very minimal restrictions, manufacturers could unleash their wildest engineering dreams onto the rally stages. This wasn't just racing—it was automotive warfare.
Very few limitations on technology and design meant the teams could push the boundaries of automotive engineering to their absolute limits
Space grade materials used just to lower the weight of the car
500–600+ horsepower monsters and high power to weight ratio
Only 200 road cars needed to be manufactured before the cars could be used in the rally series
The pioneer of all-wheel-drive in rally. A technological marvel that changed the sport forever.
Mid-engine, all-wheel-drive perfection. One of the most successful Group B machines.
Twin-charged monster with both turbo and supercharger. The ultimate Group B weapon.
British engineering at its finest. A purpose-built rally weapon with incredible performance.
Naturally aspirated V6 power. The last of the Group B legends.
The cars became too fast for the safety standards of the 1980s
500–600+ hp in a car weighing around 900 kg. Drivers described the acceleration as violent—like a "grenade exploding" under the hood. The power-to-weight ratio was simply too extreme.
No carbon safety cells, weak roll cages, no modern fire resistance, no halo, no HANS device. The sport simply wasn't ready for that level of speed and danger.
Crowds stood inches from the cars. Drivers said the crowd would "open like a sea" as they approached. It only worked until it didn't...
A series of tragic events that changed everything. The Lancia Delta S4 crash in Corsica 1986, where Henri Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto lost their lives, was the final trigger.
The car went off a cliff, fuel ignited, and both driver and co-driver died. This was the moment that changed everything.
After Toivonen's crash in 1986, the FIA announced:
Group B was banned for the next season (1987)
Manufacturers were shocked, but rallying had no choice if it wanted to remain a safe sport. The era of unlimited power and minimal restrictions was over.