Group A
In relation to
motorsport governed by the
FIA,
Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition. In contrast to the short-lived
Group B and the
Group C, the Group A referred to production-derived vehicles limited in terms of power, weight, allowed technology and overall cost. Group A was aimed at ensuring a large number of privately-owned entries in races.
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".
To qualify for
homologation, a minimum of 2500 cars of the competing model have to be built in one year, out of 25,000 for the entire range of the model (eg: 2500
Subaru Impreza WRX, out of 25,000
Subaru Impreza. Up to
1991, the requirement was a minimum of 5000 cars in one year, without regards to the entire range, but the FIA allowed "Evolution" models to be homologated with a minimum of 500 cars (eg:
BMW M3 Sport Evo,
Mercedes-Benz W201 Evo). Rules also required some of the interior panels to be retained, e.g. interior door panels and dashboard.
However, not all manufacturers who built 500 such models sold them all, rather strip the majority of them to build them as stock models or used them to allow teams to use modified parts. One such example of this was Volvo in 1985, after they had produced 500 such models, Volvo stripped 477 cars of its competition equipment and sold them as standard 240 turbo roadcars. As a result, after
FISA's failed attempt to buying a "Evolution" car at any European countries, they were forced to reveal the names of all 500 "evo" owners to be permitted to compete. The other example was Ford, after selling off their entire RS500 stocks, they read the rulebooks and found themselves that rather than using either the Sierra Cosworths or the RS500s, they could use the body that of the basic 3-door Sierra, which Ford was discontinuing, and use their Evolution equipment on them. Nowadays, these cars are treated as any other model in the range.
For touring car competition, vehicles such as the
Ford Sierra Cosworth and
Nissan Skyline GT-R were provided. Group A consisted of four categories, Division 3 - for cars over 2500cc, Division 2 - for car engine size that are between 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 were dependant on the car's engine size.
Group A stopped being used in touring car racing in
1994, when the German
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) switched to a 2.5 L
class 1 formula, while in Japan by that year as the
JTCC organisers followed suit and switched classes like most other countries who had adopted the
BTCC-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. While in Australia in order rid the Skyline dominance, organisers adopted both a 2-litre Supertourer category and a five-litre V8 engine powered series later to be called
V8 Supercars.
Hillclimb races still use Group A as a Touring Car class across Europe.
Under Group A in the
World Rally Championship, the cars used were modified road cars, often based on
turbocharged,
four wheel drive versions of standard small cars such as the
Lancia Delta Integrale,
Subaru Impreza WRX and the
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The cars are further 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 bitumen roads, different consistencies of gravel and dirt roads, and even snow-covered roads on some rallies held in northern Europe. 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
World Rally Cars and
Super 1600. The last WRC car to use the old Group A homologation requirement was the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI.
*
Australian Touring Car Championship 1984-1992
*
British Touring Car Championship -1990
*
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 1984-1990
*
All Japan Touring Car Championship 1985-1993
*
Alfa Romeo 33*
Alfa Romeo 75*
Alfa Romeo Alfasud*
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV/6*
Audi Coupé GT5E*
Audi 80 GLE*
Austin Metro*
BMW 5 series*
BMW 635 CSi*
BMW 323i *
BMW M3 E30*
Ford Capri*
Ford Escort RS 1600i*
Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500*
Ford Sierra XR4i*
Holden Commodore VL*
Holden Commodore VK*
Honda Civic 3rd gen./EF/EG*
Jaguar XJS*
Maserati Biturbo*
Mazda 929*
Mazda RX-7 SA22*
Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16*
Mitsubishi Starion*
Nissan Pulsar EN13*
Nissan Skyline RS-X*
Nissan Skyline GTS-R*
Nissan Skyline GT-R R32*
Opel Ascona*
Opel Monza 3.0E*
Rover SD1 3500/Vitesse*
Simca Rallye 3*
Talbot Sunbeam TI*
Toyota Corolla Levin AE86*
Toyota Celica ST162*
Toyota Corolla FX AE82* Toyota Corolla Levin AE92
* Toyota Corolla Levin AE101
*
1988 Toyota Supra Turbo-A*
Vauxhall Astra GTE/
Opel Kadett GSi*
Volvo 240 turbo*
VW Golf GTI
*
VW Scirocco*
Frank de Jong's Group A ETCC section
