Rally History Archive

The Citroën Saxo Kit Car was a lightweight, high-revving asphalt machine that became a staple of national tarmac championships and a launchpad for young rally talent in the late 1990s.

The Citroën Xsara Kit Car was a front-wheel-drive asphalt specialist that stunned the WRC world by defeating all-wheel-drive competition on sealed surfaces in the late 1990s.

The Citroën ZX Rallye Raid dominated cross-country rallying in the 1990s, winning multiple Dakar Rallies and proving nearly unbeatable in the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies.

The Daewoo Nexia and Espero had a modest rally presence in the Asia-Pacific region during the 1990s, serving primarily as privateer entries and promotional tools for the emerging Korean brand.

Fiat’s Cinquecento and Punto Kit Cars were compact front-wheel-drive tarmac specialists that played a key role in junior rallying and national championships during the late 1990s.

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth became a 1990s rally icon with its dramatic styling, powerful Cosworth engine, and consistent performance under the Group A regulations.

The Ford Escort WRC was Ford’s first entry built to the new World Rally Car regulations, evolving the proven Escort RS Cosworth into a more aggressive, modern machine for the late 1990s.

The Ford Focus WRC debuted in 1999 as Ford’s bold new entry into the WRC, combining cutting-edge engineering with an all-new chassis to replace the aging Escort platform.

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 was Ford’s answer to the Group A rally era, bringing turbocharged power and all-wheel drive to the forefront before the Escort Cosworth took over.

The Hyundai Coupe Kit Car was a front-wheel-drive tarmac rally car developed for FIA Kit Car regulations, offering a budget-friendly entry into European asphalt competition in the late 1990s.

After Lancia’s factory withdrawal in 1992, the Delta HF Integrale lived on through privateer teams like Grifone and Jolly Club, remaining competitive well into the mid-1990s.

The Lancia Delta Integrale 16v and Evoluzione models carried Lancia’s rally dominance into the early 1990s, blending all-wheel-drive mastery with unmatched consistency and engineering prowess.

The Mazda 323 GT-R and GTX were durable, turbocharged Group A rally cars that gained legendary status in the grueling Safari Rally and other endurance events of the early 1990s.

The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was a crucial stepping stone in Mitsubishi’s rally history, blending turbocharged power with early AWD and setting the stage for the legendary Lancer Evolution series.

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV through VI marked the peak of Mitsubishi’s rally dominance, guiding Tommi Mäkinen to three consecutive WRC titles and elevating the Evo legend to new heights.

The first three generations of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution forged the brand’s rally legacy, introducing the world to aggressive turbocharged power, sharp handling, and fierce competition in the early 1990s.

The Nissan Sunny GTI-R was a powerful Group A rally car built for WRC competition in the early 1990s, but despite its strong specs, its factory program struggled to convert potential into results.

The Opel Astra GSi and its later Kit Car variant were competitive front-wheel-drive entries in the German tarmac rally scene, known for their solid handling and success in national F2 events.

The Peugeot 106 Maxi and S16 Kit Car were compact tarmac specialists built for lower rally classes, earning respect in national championships and hillclimb events during the late 1990s.

The Peugeot 206 WRC marked Peugeot’s triumphant return to top-level rallying, quickly rising to dominance with a compact, agile chassis and three consecutive Manufacturers’ titles.

The Peugeot 306 Maxi was the definitive front-wheel-drive Kit Car of the late 1990s, dominating tarmac rallies with razor-sharp handling and a screaming naturally aspirated engine.

The Proton Wira was a Group A rally car developed for the Asia-Pacific rally scene, offering a reliable and accessible platform that helped raise Malaysia’s motorsport profile in the 1990s.

The Renault 5 GT Turbo was a popular and competitive Group A rally car during the late 1980s and early 1990s, known for its turbocharged punch and feisty handling on tight European stages.

The Renault Clio Maxi was one of the fiercest competitors in the F2 Kit Car category, known for its explosive tarmac performance and thrilling high-revving engine note.

The Renault Mégane Maxi was a powerful and dramatic F2 Kit Car that brought wide-arched aggression and high-revving fury to tarmac stages in the late 1990s.

The SEAT Ibiza Kit Car was a front-wheel-drive tarmac rally machine that claimed back-to-back FIA 2-Litre World Cup titles in the late 1990s, marking SEAT’s most successful rally effort to date.

The Subaru Impreza 555 became a rally legend in the mid-1990s, known for its striking blue-and-gold livery and for propelling Colin McRae to global stardom.

The Subaru Impreza WRC97 through WRC99 marked the evolution of Subaru’s rally dominance under the new World Rally Car rules, blending performance, technology, and one of the most iconic liveries in motorsport history.

The Subaru Legacy RS marked Subaru’s first serious foray into the World Rally Championship, laying the groundwork for the brand’s rally dynasty in the 1990s.

The Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 was Toyota’s first serious entry into top-tier rallying, debuting with turbocharged power and all-wheel-drive in the late 1980s and gaining momentum into the early 1990s.

The Toyota Celica GT-Four ST185 was a dominant force in early 1990s rallying, earning multiple world titles and cementing Toyota’s status as a WRC powerhouse.

The Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 was the most advanced and powerful rally Celica ever built, featuring cutting-edge technology and aggressive styling, but also controversy in its competitive history.

The Toyota Corolla WRC marked Toyota's return to rallying with a purpose-built World Rally Car that delivered competitive results in the late 1990s, culminating in a Manufacturers’ Championship win.

The Volkswagen Golf III Kit Car was a front-wheel-drive tarmac specialist that brought German engineering to the fiercely competitive F2 category in the late 1990s.

The Škoda Felicia Kit Car was a late-1990s front-wheel-drive rally contender that found success in national and regional asphalt championships, showcasing the Czech brand's rally ambitions before joining the WRC grid.