Gilesdwrc

This might be interesting?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01fcncc

DURATION: 1 HOUR
From the producer of Grand Prix: The Killer Years and the Grierson-nominated Deadliest Crash: The 1955 Le Mans Disaster.

In the 1980s rallying was more popular than Formula 1. 'Group B' machines had taken the world by storm. De-regulation opened the way for the most exciting cars ever to hit the motorsport scene. Nothing like it has ever happened since.
'This is the fastest rallying there has ever been' - Peter Foubister.

For four wild and crazy years manufacturers scrambled to build ever more powerful cars to be driven by fearless mavericks who could handle the extreme power. The sport was heading out of control and the unregulated mayhem ended abruptly in 1986 after a series of horrific tragedies. This is the story of when fans, ambition, politics and cars collided.

'The fans were crazy. As the cars sped by the spectators ran into the road!' - Ari Vatanen

'They were playing with their lives'.

'To go rallying is madness. This was refined madness' - John Davenport

Featuring world champaions Ari Vatanen, Walter Rohrl, Stig Blomqvist, plus Michel Mouton, Cesar Fiorio, Jean Todt and many many more.

corradoboy

Will be watching

I was stood in Dalby Forest on several freezing cold nights at just 12 years old waiting for the fire-breathing dragons. It's one of the many reasons I find most modern motorsport boring these days, they were the glory years, the golden years.

dsemuk

!980 it was Gp 4 Escorts, Chevettes, Sunbeams & Mantas

1981 the Quattro appeared in international rallying, (until 1979 4WD had been banned in International rallying)

1982 Gp B replaced Gp 4 and rally car designers were only limited by their imagination (and a few rules)

!986 it all got out of hand, or rather crowd control did and Gp B super cars were finished.

The rest is history.

corradoboy I also remember standing in the cold Yorkshire forests watching the likes of Walter Rohrl, Michele Mouton, Stig Blomqvist, Markku Alén, Ari Vatanen et al peddling racing cars at 10/10ths through the trees. Always amazed me after dark in the Dalby woodyard how many people gathered miles from anywhere to watch a few seconds of a rally car.

The original Quattro was fast in a straight line, but tight corners it literally crawled around, but the acceleration was stunning.

Happy days.

yellowevo

iTrader: (25)

Excellent

craigo

iTrader: (1)

i ll be watching

davyboy

Good call!