History 1980s

1985 Rally New Zealand

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 1985 Rally New Zealand

Date: June 29 – July 2, 1985

Start Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Finish Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Total Distance: ~800 km of special stages

Surface: Gravel

The 1985 Rally New Zealand delivered everything the event is known for—smooth gravel roads, high speeds, and a technical rhythm through rolling hills and forest tracks. Timo Salonen was untouchable, leveraging the Peugeot 205 T16's balance and traction to win with consistency and clean execution. His performance was a benchmark in gravel rallying during the Group B era.

Route

Maramarua Forest: Wide, flowing gravel roads with soft shoulders and high-speed junctions.
Rotorua District: Alternating between dense tree cover and open farmland with tight corner sequences.
Whangarei Region: Slippery surfaces and long stages demanding maximum concentration.

The rally featured classic New Zealand stages, known for their fast sweepers and cambered corners:

While conditions remained largely dry, dust and worn lines created tactical challenges as cars ran deeper into the field.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Timo Salonen & Seppo Harjanne · Peugeot 205 T16
2nd Place
Hannu Mikkola & Arne Hertz · Audi Quattro
3rd Place
Malcolm Wilson & Nigel Harris · MG Metro 6R4

Salonen’s victory in New Zealand was decisive, furthering his grip on the 1985 WRC title and showing Peugeot’s dominance wasn’t limited to European soil.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Rhythm Driving: Fast sweepers demanded total confidence in pacenotes and corner commitment.
  • Gravel Variance: Dry dust created variable traction mid-stage and punished late-braking attempts.
  • Vehicle Setup: Suspension tuning for both floaty long corners and sharp transitions was critical.

The 1985 Rally New Zealand was a rally of flow and finesse—and Salonen’s drive was a demonstration of how to dominate through balance, not just aggression.

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