- Engine: 1988cc, straight 4, 16 valves, twin cam,
- Nippondenso injection,Toyota CT26 turbocharger.
- Transmission: 6-speed X-trac gearbox with four-wheel drive and viscous coupling
centre differential.
Suspension: McPherson strut front and rear.
Weight: 1200 kilogrammes.
Tyres: Michelin.
-
The World Rally Championship is open to Group A, Group N and Formula 2
cars,
with the quickest cars generally running in Group A.
GROUP A cars are heavily modlfied, but based on production cars. The
manufacturer must make at least 2500 examples of the road car in 12 months before it can
be used in competition, and the standard version must be a four seater - assuming the
engine is larger than one litre.The rally car must be broadly slmilar to its road
counterpart. The steel bodyshell must be retained, along with major engine components,
such as the cylinder block, the cylinder head, and the turbo. Turbochargers must be fitted
with a 38 millimetre air restrictor.
All suspension parts may be changed, but they must work in the same way as the original
sus- pension: the mounting points on the bodyshell may be moved, but only within strict
limits. The transmission must be generally similar to the standard cars: it isn't permited
to turn a two- wheel drive into a four-wheel drive car. However, manufacturers can use
substitute gearboxes and differentials by specifying them in advance. In the same way,
they can replace the entire braking system.
GROUP N cars are much more standard than Group A cars, and are sometimes known
as the "showroom class". They must be made in the same quantity as Group A cars,
but they must retain all the standard seats and interior trim. Full safety and rally
equipment can be fitted, as in Group A, which includes roll cages, fire extinguishers,
sumpguards, and extra lights, but the only performance modifications are replacement
springs and shock absorbers, competition tyres, and harder-wearing brake pads. Turbo Group
N cars must also be fitted with a 36 millimetre air restrictor.
TOUR CAR CUP cars - commonly known as "FORMULA 2" cars - are full
Group A machines, but less sophisticated and therefore cheaper than the most competitive
Group A cars. They have the same freedom in performance modifications, but they can only
be front-wheel drive, and they must have engines of a maximum of two litres, without super
or turbocharging. -
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