Group B rally cars (with no techno music)

[der affe]

in worked on a R-5 turbo that was prepped for road racing back in the late 90's at a race/fab shop. that car was an absolute hoot to drive. sooo much power out of such a small turboed 4 cyl and went around corners like a slot car!

[daniel]

I was rofl'ing at the Ferrari 308 GTS in there!

huge surprise to see that!

[Gnarles]

awesome video, thanks for sharing! I have always had a thing for the Lancia Delta S4

[moatilliatta]

Thank You!

[Lance Racing]

Final Shots from the 1985 Olympus Rally, Olumpia Washington State

Rod Millen in the Mazda:





I only had 2 rolls of film on me that day. A friend of mine took me to the event. All I was told was I was going to see some cars race on dirt roads.

[Lance Racing]

I'm old enough to remember various magazine articles about Group B back in the day. A journalist was given a ride on a forest logging road by an Audi driver in a short wheel base quattro. This was a seasoned automotive journalist who had done plenty of crazy things in cars.

He said the ride scared the crap out of him. The line I remember was "This is a ride that 99.9% of the people would not want to take."

Good stuff.

[quickervicar]

The Quattro had it in straight line speed, but the 205 handled better and certainly felt less like it was going to tear my face off my body and drag it out via my anus. The Quattro certainly felt like it had more than 650hp, but that was most likely down to its ancient engine set-up (low compression, huge old school turbo, basic fuel/ignition system = huge ramp speeds).

I was probably a giant skirt and was going too soft, but I kinda didn't want to wreck either car considering they were only on loan to me for a magazine article.

The owner of the cars reckons a Ford RS200 Evo would decimate either of them, too. Reckons that between the Delta S4 and the RS200E the Pug and the Audi would have gotten hosed out of the WRC within a season (although who knows what would ahve happened in Group S)

Though I was talking tongue-in-cheek, it was only up to a point. Isn't it strange how something setup for all-out racing can give the impression of lackluster performance until you really start leaning on it? I know what it's like with motorcycles & I recall that TopGear episode when Hammond couldn't get the Renault R25 to stick because he was simply going too slow.

You still have huge respect in my book for getting behind the wheels of those things. I'd jump at the chance, but would also worry constantly about putting them into the hedge.

[dashboardmonkey]

11 minutes of pure awesome.

thanks josh

[Iain]

Group S was Group B's badder, more spastic, more lethal big brother that never made it out of the womb thanks to an FIA coathanger job.

Lancia Delta S4 GrpB


Lancia Delta S4 GrpS

[dude8383]

summs it up perfectly !


nice pics, I first saw Buffum in 89 driving the Audi at upstate NY rally, I have to scan those pics, they also had the escort cosworth, Mitsus, Subies, etc.. even the E30 M3 !

pics STAT!!!

[Lance Racing]

Group S was going to be insane. Homologation of only 10 or 20 cars or something like that.

Vlad - scan those pics!



Afternoon stages in and around Shelton, Washington State:



This was my best shot of the bunch. We were able to stand on a noll overlooking the turn:

[vlad]

Never gets old. That first shot of the guy with his hands on his head sums it up for me. I can just imagine the look of complete disbelief on his face.

Most spectacular period of motorsports history imo

summs it up perfectly !

Audi S1/Sport quattro = Greatest Rally car of all time. Don't try to disagree with me, because you're wrong.

nice pics, I first saw Buffum in 89 driving the Audi at upstate NY rally, I have to scan those pics, they also had the escort cosworth, Mitsus, Subies, etc.. even the E30 M3 !

[Iain]

You weren't trying hard enough.

The Quattro had it in straight line speed, but the 205 handled better and certainly felt less like it was going to tear my face off my body and drag it out via my anus. The Quattro certainly felt like it had more than 650hp, but that was most likely down to its ancient engine set-up (low compression, huge old school turbo, basic fuel/ignition system = huge ramp speeds).

I was probably a giant skirt and was going too soft, but I kinda didn't want to wreck either car considering they were only on loan to me for a magazine article.

The owner of the cars reckons a Ford RS200 Evo would decimate either of them, too. Reckons that between the Delta S4 and the RS200E the Pug and the Audi would have gotten hosed out of the WRC within a season (although who knows what would ahve happened in Group S)

[e30trooper]

that audi was baddass

[Lance Racing]

More Olympus 1985 Pics



Parc Ferme (back in Olympia think):



John Buffom drove the #2 car.