Rally racing is up there with the most thrilling types of motorsport. It also boasts a fascinating history, with cars, courses and technique all the byproduct of evolution and innovation.

First, an intro to rally racing as a discipline.

The term ‘rally’ covers many different things, from stage rally, road rally, rallycross, cross-country rally and more. Each type is a variation on a basic concept, namely competing to be the fastest to complete a series of timed stages or routes. Different types of rally place different emphasis on speed, navigation, endurance, precision, and other elements.

Let’s take a quick look at each:

• Stage rally is the most common and recognisable type of rally racing. Drivers compete to complete a series of timed stages, each of which is a section of road varying in length and terrain type. The driver with the lowest total time across all stages wins.

• Road rally, also known as TSD (Time-Speed-Distance), prioritises precision and navigation over speed. Drivers follow a predetermined route, with the goal of matching the target time and average speed.

• Rallycross entails short, intense races where multiple cars race head-to-head on short courses or course sections.

• Cross-country rally includes long-distance races that take place over several days, often over rough and unmarked terrain. They prioritise endurance and navigation.

Rally can take place on numerous terrain types including any combination of gravel, tarmac, snow, ice, mud, sand, dirt, and more.

Over the years there have been numerous categorisations for different types of rally racing. In 2018, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile approved the new Groups Rally, outlined below, to provide better organisation for the sport.

• Rally 1: Elite level, cars have 4WD drivetrain and 3.1KG/HP
• Rally 2: Performance level, cars have 4WD drivetrain and 4.2KG/HP
• Rally 3: Access level, cars have 4WD drivetrain and 5.6KG/HP.
• Rally 4: Performance level, cars have 2WD drivetrain and 5.1KG/HP.
• Rally 5: Access level, cars have 2WD drivetrain and 6.4KG/HP.

Rally has seen significant evolution over the years. In its infancy, modified production vehicles were used. Today, after years of development and refinement, the sport features high-performance, highly-specialised machines that deliver performance, speed, and endurance.

Here are some iconic rally cars that have made lasting contributions to the history of the sport and the evolution of its vehicles.

• Mini Cooper S – one of the most iconic cars ever, the Mini Cooper made its mark on rally racing in the 1960s thanks to its small size and agile handling.

• Ford Escort MK1 – billed by enthusiasts as “possibly still the most popular historic rally car ever”, the MK1 debuted in the late 1960s and quickly carved out an enduring reputation for itself. 

• Lancia Stratos – this is the first car designed specifically for rallying. Its distinctive shape, engine position, and other design features led to very successful competitive performance including Rally World Championship wins in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

• Audi Quattro – the first rally car to use all-wheel drive, unlocking greater handling and precision, and paving the way for the technology to become a standard of the sport in the mid 1980s. Also pioneered the turbocharged era in rallying.

• Peugeot 205 T16 – one of the most advanced rally cars from the Group B era, with a mid-engine position and a turbocharged 350 bhp.

• Lancia Delta Integrale – debuted in the 1987 season, this car quickly went onto achieve numerous victories and dominate the World Rally Championship.

Subaru Impreza WRX –  WRX stands for World Rally eXperimental, and the model set new benchmarks for rally cars suggesting the experimental approach was a success.

Rally engines need to balance power output with reliability and durability, given the intensity of the sport. They must be able to handle high speeds, sudden terrain changes, extreme conditions, and prolonged stress. They must also adhere to regulations on fuel efficiency and displacement.

In the past, stock engines from production vehicles were used for rally, with adaptations to maximise their reliability. Power was a secondary consideration: drivers were mainly concerned with making sure their cars would be able to complete the event, as was demanded by the focus on completing challenging routes over achieving high speeds.

The style, shape and design of rally cars have been driven by a need to maximise performance while adhering to evolving safety regulations. From production vehicles with modifications that improved performance while retaining much of the original design, through to today’s purpose-built machines with distinctive, performance focussed designs.

Here are some distinctive features of rally cars:

• Reinforced suspension: to handle rough terrain and sudden changes in terrain type

• Roll cages: a standard feature in rally cars, these cages protect the drivers and co-drivers in the event of a crash

• All-wheel drive: rally cars use all wheels for improved traction on all terrain types

• Wide bodies: the stance of rally cars widened to improve stability and accommodate larger tyres

• Large rear spoilers: along with other aerodynamic design features, large spoilers are widely used to increase downforce and improve handling

• Lightweight materials: purpose-built rally cars utilise lightweight materials like carbon fibre to reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity

Electronic differential controls: modern rally cars use electronic systems to distribute torque evenly between wheels, optimising traction and handling