The world rallying circuit lost a piece of its heart when the FIA banned Group B rally cars in 1986, just four years after they burst onto the dirt tracks of the world in 1982 to captivate the fans and leave an impression that no other dirt machine could fill.
The likes of Lancia, Audi, Renault and Peugeot locked horns to be the top with even Ferrari and Porsche jumping in the ring with their legendary 288 GTO and 959 respectively. Group B cars were the pinnacle of rallying, they were featherweight, had nuclear plants as engines and sounded like a wood chipper gargling on electricity with teeth made of kryptonite.
However, being that maniacal meant that the cars were also extremely dangerous. Numerous fatalities among drivers and spectators alike lead the FIA to banning them after just four years.
While we may never live to see the likes of Group B machines ripping earth up on the dirt tracks of the rally circuit, there’s always YouTube to relive those glorious moments of some of the best and wildest cars to ever grace a rally stage.
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Source: YouTube via Autoblog
