Motorsport category for race and rally cars
Lancia Delta HF integrale Group A
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI
,
Tommi Makinen
edition, a Group A rally car
Group A
is a set of
motorsport
regulations administered by the
FIA
covering production derived
touring cars
for competition, usually in
touring car racing
and
rallying
. In contrast to the short-lived
Group B
and
Group C
, Group A vehicles were limited in terms of power, weight, allowed technology and overall cost. Group A was aimed at ensuring numerous entries in races of privately owned vehicles.
Group A was introduced by the FIA in 1982 to replace the outgoing
Group 2
as "modified touring cars", while
Group N
would replace
Group 1
as "standard touring cars". During the early years there were no further formula for production based race cars. Cars from multiple Groups could contest the
World Rally Championship
for Manufacturers for example until 1997 when the specific
World Rally Car
formula was introduced as the only option. In recent years Groups A and N have begun to be phased out in eligibility in championships though they continue to form the homologation basis for most production based race car formulae including the
Groups Rally
which must first be homologated in Group A. Both Groups N and A, and the details of their differences are described in the FIAs International Sporting Code and several of its Appendices J articles.
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[2]
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Homologation
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To qualify for FIA approval, a minimum of 2,500 identical models have to be built in 12 consecutive months.
[5]
The homologation period lasts for every subsequent year of production and seven years after the year that less than 10% (250) are produced in one year and the model is considered out of production by the FIA.
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Evolutions of the series production model homologated are permitted with a ET (Evolution of the type) extension applied.
[2]
Before 1993 the initial production requirement was 5000.
[6]
However, not all manufacturers who built such models sold them all, some stripped the majority of them to rebuild them as stock models or used them to allow teams to use modified parts. One such example of this was Volvo with the 240 Turbo in 1985, an evolution of a model first homologated in 1982. After they had produced 500 such models, Volvo stripped 477 cars of their competition equipment and sold them as standard 240 turbo roadcars. As a result, after
FISA's
failed attempt at finding an "Evolution" car in any European countries, Volvo were forced to reveal the names of all 500 "evo" owners to be permitted to compete.
[7]
Touring car racing
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Ford Sierra RS500
Group A touring car
A
BMW M3 (E30)
Group A DTM touring car
For
touring car
competition, vehicles such as the
BMW 635 CSi
and
M3
,
Jaguar XJS
, various turbo
Ford Sierras
the
V8
Ford Mustang
, the turbo
Volvo 240T
,
Rover Vitesse
, various
V8
Holden Commodores
, various turbo
Nissan Skylines
, including the
4WD
, twin turbo
GT-R
,
Mitsubishi Starion Turbo
,
Alfa Romeo 75
(turbo) and
GTV6
, various
Toyota Corollas
and the
Toyota Supra Turbo A
were homologated. In the
European Touring Car Championship
, Group A consisted of three divisions, Division 3 ? for cars over 2500cc, Division 2 ? for car engine sizes of 1600?2500cc, Division 1 for cars that are less than 1600cc. These cars competed in standard bodykits, with the production-derived nature required manufactures to release faster vehicles for the roads in order to be competitive on the track. Tyre width was dependent on the car's engine size.
The FIA continued to promulgate regulations for Group A touring cars until at least 1993,
[8]
however Group A survived in touring car racing in domestic championships until 1993. The German
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
(DTM) switched to a 2.5L
Class 1
formula in 1993, while in Japan in 1994 the
Japanese Touring Car Championship
organisers followed suit and switched classes like most other countries who had adopted the
British Touring Car Championship
-derived
Supertouring
regulations. Many of the redundant Skylines found a new home in the form of the
JGTC
(Japanese GT Championship) with modified aerodynamic devices, showing its competitiveness whilst being up against
Group C
, former race modified roadcars and specially developed racers, like the
Toyota Supras
during the earlier years.
The
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
had originally announced in mid-
1983
that
Australia
would adopt Group A from 1 January 1985 to replace the locally developed
Group C
(not to be confused with FIA
Group C
racing cars) rules that had been in place since 1973. A class for the new Group A cars was included in selected Australian Touring Car endurance races in late 1984, prior to the replacement of Group C for 1985. The category would be officially termed
Group 3A Touring Cars
from 1988.
[9]
From
1993
, CAMS replaced the existing Group A-based category with a new formula which would also be designated Group 3A Touring Cars.
[10]
This was initially open to five litre
V8
powered cars and two litre cars (later to become known as
V8 Supercars
and
Super Touring Cars
respectively).
Hillclimb competitions
still use Group A as a touring car class across Europe, while in
Australia
Group A is now a historic class, though only actual cars raced from 1985 to 1992 (complete with log books) are allowed to compete.
Rallying
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Peugeot 306 Maxi
Colin McRae's 1995 WRC-winning
Subaru Impreza
Group A rally car
Under Group A in the
World Rally Championship
, the cars used were modified road cars, often based on
turbocharged
,
four wheel drive
versions of small cars such as the
Lancia Delta Integrale
,
Ford Escort RS Cosworth
,
Toyota Celica GT-Four
,
Nissan Pulsar GTI-R
,
Subaru Impreza WRX
,
Mazda 323 GT-R
and the
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
.
The cars are modified for greater power and torque, and fitted with suspension and tyres specifically suited to the conditions of the specific
rally
, which may take place entirely on asphalt roads, different consistencies of gravel and dirt roads and even snow/ice-covered roads on some rallies held in northern Europe.
By 1990, Group A cars exceeded the performance of the defunct Group B cars on many events, because although they had far less power they had better handling and traction. They were also much safer.
Group A is still used as the basis for most rally competitions around the world, but the most competitive cars are limited-production prototypes, known as
kit cars
(which competed in the
FIA 2-Litre World Rally Cup
),
World Rally Cars
,
Super 1600
and
Super 2000
.
The last car to use the old Group A homologation requirement in the WRC Manufacturers' championship was the
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI
. Group A cars could continue to enter WRC rallies until 2018 and can still enter the FIA's regional rally championships today.
Series that used the Group A formula
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Cars
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References
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External links
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FIA
categories and groups
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Category I
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Category II
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Category III
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Former
categories
and groups
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Category II
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Category A
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Category B
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Category C
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