The Mercedes rally car German automaker has a little-known history in rally racing dating back to the 1950s. Long before rally became synonymous with brands like Subaru and Mitsubishi, Mercedes competed with big sedans in the World Rally Championship’s precursor. Let’s shine a light on Mercedes’ surprising rally pedigree and the motorsport accomplishments of models…
Rally road type is the extreme variety of road conditions competitors must master. Unlike circuit racing on consistent asphalt or concrete, rally throws dramatically different surfaces at drivers, often within a single stage. From bone-dry tarmac to snow and ice, the changing road conditions form a key part of a rally’s character and difficulty. Let’s…
The meaning of STI Subaru enthusiasts, the two letters “STI” carry significant meaning. Badged on high-performance icons like the WRX STI sedan and the latest STI Type RA, those three letters signal the pinnacle of Subaru’s engineering capabilities. The STI name is intertwined with Subaru’s rally racing heritage and most powerful street cars. Let’s explore…
Honda Fit Rally Car subcompact seems an unlikely choice for off-road rally competition against machines built for racing like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. But thanks to clever engineering maximizing its dimensions and powertrain, the Fit earned respect as a giant-killing racer on loose surfaces worldwide. Let’s examine how Honda transformed its humble hatchback into a…
Opel Rally Car brand has faded from automotive prominence today, it enjoys a significant motorsport legacy built through rally racing success. Models like the Kadett, Ascona, and iconic Manta coupe proved formidable competitors in the 1960s through 1980s on loose and tarmac surfaces. Let’s revisit Opel’s potent rally racers who battled for glory in European…
BMW E30 Rally Car 1980s sports coupe reached icon status on road and track. But the M3 legend was also built on rally stages worldwide thanks to a specially developed E30 M3 rally car. Taking advantage of balanced rear-wheel-drive handling and robust engineering, the rally M3 achieved victory after victory in international rallying. Let’s examine…
When Hyundai rally car entered the World Rally Championship in 2014, few initially expected serious competition from the South Korean brand new to top-level rallying. But within a few short seasons, Hyundai proved doubters wrong by rapidly developing potent rally racers like the i20 WRC. Let’s look at Hyundai’s impressive growth into race-winning WRC competitors….
BMW Rally Car has a reputation for luxury performance sedans and sports cars rivaling the likes of Mercedes and Porsche. But BMW also has a significant racing heritage in the unlikely arena of rally racing. From the 2002ti of the 1970s to the E30 M3 in the 1980s, BMW proved it could be competitive in…