Group B

Group B was a set of regulations for competition vehicles in rallying and racing, introduced by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 1982 and abolished at the end of the 1986 season in the World Rally Championship (WRC). It is often cited as the most legendary and also most dangerous era in rallying history.

The regulations were intended to allow manufacturers more freedom in design and development than previous rulesets. Group B cars had very few restrictions on weight, boost pressure, or materials, resulting in incredibly powerful and lightweight vehicles. They were also required to produce only 200 examples of the car to meet homologation requirements, a significantly lower number than previous Group regulations. This allowed for rapid development and technological advancement as manufacturers could quickly iterate on designs.

Key characteristics of Group B cars included advanced aerodynamics, lightweight composite materials (such as Kevlar and carbon fiber), powerful turbocharged engines (often exceeding 500 horsepower), and sophisticated four-wheel-drive systems.

The increased power and speed of Group B cars, coupled with relatively limited crowd control measures at rally events, led to a series of high-profile accidents, including fatal crashes in 1986. Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto died in a Lancia Delta S4 during the Tour de Corse, and Joaquim Santos lost control of his Ford RS200 at the Rally de Portugal, injuring dozens of spectators.

Following these incidents, the FIA banned Group B cars from participating in the World Rally Championship, effectively ending the era. Group A regulations replaced Group B, mandating less powerful and more production-based vehicles. Despite its short lifespan, Group B left a lasting legacy and is still revered by motorsport enthusiasts for its technological innovation, extreme performance, and the daredevil driving associated with the era.