A World Rally Car is a racing automobile built to the specific regulations set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and designed for competition in the World Rally Championship (WRC). The cars were introduced in 1997 as a replacement for Group A regulations used in the manufacturers' championship, and were replaced by Group Rally1 in 2022.

Regulations

1997–2010

thumb|left|A [[Subaru Impreza WRC|Subaru Impreza WRC2006 being prepared by Prodrive]]

Between 1997 and 2010, the regulations mandated that World Rally Cars must have been built upon a production car with a minimum production run of 2500 units. A number of modifications could be made including increasing the engine displacement up to 2.0L, forced induction (including an anti-lag system), addition of four wheel drive, fitment of a sequential gearbox, modified suspension layout and attachment points, aerodynamic body modifications, weight reduction to a minimum of 1230 kg and chassis strengthening for greater rigidity. The maximum width was set at 1770 mm while front and rear tracks shouldn't exceed 1550 mm.

Unlike the requirements for the preceding Group A cars, manufacturers were no longer required to build "homologation specials" in order to meet approval. The base model did not need to have all the characteristics of the WRC car, as evidenced from cars such the Peugeot 206, 307, Citroën Xsara, and Škoda Fabia, which during this period had no road car variant with a turbocharged petrol engine or four-wheel-drive.

To limit power, all forced induction cars were fitted with a 34 mm diameter air restrictor before the turbocharger inlet, limiting the airflow to about 10 cubic meters per minute. The restriction was intended to limit power output to although some WRC engines were believed to produce around . Engine development did not focus on peak power output but towards producing a very wide powerband (or power curve). Typically, power output in excess of was available from 3000 rpm to the 7500 rpm maximum, with a peak of at around 5500 rpm. At 2000 rpm (the engine idle speed in "stage" mode) power output was slightly above .

By 2004, the best cars had ABS, electronic clutch control, paddle-shift, traction control, three active differentials, ride height control with GPS, electronic dampers and active suspension.

For 2005 the maximum width of the WRC cars was increased from 1770 mm to 1800 mm.

In an attempt to cut costs, since 2006 new regulations required mechanical front and rear differentials, while the central differential remained active. Active suspension and water injections were also prohibited. Cars entered by a manufacturer had to be equipped with the same engine for two rallies; further limitations were imposed on the changing of some parts, including suspension, steering, turbochargers, and gearboxes.

2011–2016

Starting in 2011, rules for WRC cars changed to be more restrictive. New regulations were derived from Super 2000 cars with a different aerodynamic kit. The cars could be smaller models (there was no longer a minimum 4&nbsp;m length) and include a custom-build or production 1600&nbsp;cm<sup>3</sup> direct injection turbo-charged global race engine with a diameter air restrictor and a maximum boost pressure of absolute. This limited torque to about or less).

Exotic materials (titanium, magnesium, ceramics and composite) were forbidden except when present in the base model.).

The minimum weight was 1200&nbsp;kg empty and 1350&nbsp;kg (1360&nbsp;kg from 2013) with driver and co-driver (in both cases when measured with only one spare wheel).

2017–2021

The 1.6 L turbo-charged global race engine was retained in the 2017 World Rally Car regulations, but the turbo restrictor diameter was increased from 33&nbsp;mm to 36&nbsp;mm, increasing the engine's power output from . The minimum empty vehicle weight was decreased by 10&nbsp;kg but the combined vehicle, crew and spare wheel weight remained at 1360&nbsp;kg.

Manufacturers were given more freedom to maximise aerodynamic performance, including large brake cooling ducts in fairings forming enlarged wheel arches. Electronically controlled active centre differentials were permitted, while the front and rear differentials remain mechanical.

Cars

{|class="wikitable"

! Manufacturer

! Car

! From

!

|-

|rowspan=4| Citroën

| Citroën Xsara WRC

|align=center| 2001

|align=center| 2006

|-

| Citroën C4 WRC

|align=center| 2007

|align=center| 2010

|-

| Citroën DS3 WRC

|align=center| 2011

|align=center| 2016

|-

| Citroën C3 WRC

|align=center| 2017

|align=center| 2019

|-

|rowspan=4| Ford Motor Company

| Ford Escort WRC

|align=center| 1997

|align=center| 1998

|-

| Ford Focus RS WRC

|align=center| 1999

|align=center| 2010

|-

| Ford Fiesta RS WRC

|align=center| 2011

|align=center| 2016

|-

| Ford Fiesta WRC

|align=center| 2017

|align=center| 2021

|-

|rowspan=3| Hyundai Motor Company

| Hyundai Accent WRC

|align=center| 2000

|align=center| 2003

|-

| Hyundai i20 WRC

|align=center| 2014

|align=center| 2016

|-

| Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

|align=center| 2017

|align=center| 2021

|-

| BMW

|

|align=center| 2011

|align=center| 2012

|-

|rowspan=2| Mitsubishi Motors

| Mitsubishi Lancer WRC

|align=center| 2001

|align=center| 2002

|-

| Mitsubishi Lancer WRC

|align=center| 2004

|align=center| 2005

|-

|rowspan=2| Peugeot

| Peugeot 206 WRC

|align=center| 1999

|align=center| 2003

|-

| Peugeot 307 WRC

|align=center| 2004

|align=center| 2005

|-

| SEAT

| SEAT Córdoba WRC

|align=center| 1998

|align=center| 2000

|-

|rowspan=2| Škoda Auto

| Škoda Octavia WRC

|align=center| 1999

|align=center| 2003

|-

| Škoda Fabia WRC

|align=center| 2003

|align=center| 2005

|-

| Fuji Heavy Industries

| Subaru Impreza WRC

|align=center| 1997

|align=center| 2008

|-

| Suzuki

| Suzuki SX4 WRC

|align=center| 2007

|align=center| 2008

|-

| rowspan=2 | Toyota

| Toyota Corolla WRC

|align=center| 1997

|align=center| 1999

|-

| Toyota Yaris WRC

|align=center| 2017

|align=center| 2021

|-

| Volkswagen

| Volkswagen Polo R WRC

|align=center| 2013

|align=center| 2016

|-

!colspan=4|Sources: Homologations Lists (various years) published by FIA; eWRC-results.com

|}

<gallery mode="packed" perrow="4" heights="100">

File:Xavier Pons.jpg|Citroën Xsara WRC

File:Petter Solberg (4785583959).jpg|Citroën C4 WRC

File:Al Qassami Baiao Rally de portugal 2016.jpg|Citroën DS3 WRC

File:C3 WRC in Monte Carlo - fotocredd Citroën Racing.jpg|Citroën C3 WRC

File:Ford Escort WRC (28505581320).jpg|Ford Escort WRC

File:Neste Oil Rally 2010 - Jari-Matti Latvala in shakedown.jpg|Ford Focus RS WRC

File:Mads Osberg 2 Baiao Rally de portugal 2016.jpg|Ford Fiesta RS WRC

File:Sábado 19, Rally de Portugal 2018 - 4.jpg|Ford Fiesta WRC

File:Ke hyundai.jpg|Hyundai Accent WRC

File:Chris Atkinson Rally Mexico 2014 002.jpg|Hyundai i20 WRC

File:2017 Rally Portugal - 5.jpg|Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC

File:Acr2011 336.jpg|Mini John Cooper Works WRC

File:Delecour, Rally Germany 2002.jpg|Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRC

File:Gilles Panizzi.jpg|Mitsubishi Lancer WRC

File:2003 Acropolis Rally 24.jpg|Peugeot 206 WRC

File:Marcus Grönholm - 2004 Monte Carlo Rally.jpg|Peugeot 307 WRC

File:SEAT Cordoba WRC.jpg|SEAT Córdoba WRC

File:Sb skoda.jpg|Škoda Octavia WRC

File:Jan Kopecký-2007 Wales Rally GB 001.jpg|Škoda Fabia WRC

File:Jari Ketomaa - Rally Finland 2009.JPG|Subaru Impreza WRC

File:Toni Gardemeister - 2008 Rallye Deutschland 3.jpg|Suzuki SX4 WRC

File:2015 Rally Bohemia - Jirovec, Toyota Corolla WRC.JPG|Toyota Corolla WRC

File:Ott Tänak in Toyota Yaris WRC of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Rallye Deutschland 2018.jpg|Toyota Yaris WRC

File:Sebastien Ogier Baiao Rally de portugal 2016.jpg|Volkswagen Polo R WRC

</gallery>

References

  • Storie di Rally
  • World Rally Car story