Masters Of Mayhem
Rally racing has produced machines that defied logic and dominated competition for decades. Engineers pushed boundaries that nobody thought possible, and drivers experienced performance that was unprecedented. These 20 rally cars became cultural icons of motorsport, and their legacy lives in every turbocharged beast today. Wondering what they are? Let's dive in.
1. Audi Quattro
That distinctive five-cylinder growl tells you an Audi Quattro is coming—a sound created by its mighty 476bhp turbo engine that powered this revolutionary machine to 23 WRC wins. The game-changing car made history as WRC's first all-wheel-drive challenger.
2. Lancia Rally 037
At a time when all-wheel drive was becoming rallying's new standard, the Lancia 037 proved rear-wheel drive could still dominate. This engineering marvel, limited to just 200 road-legal versions, silenced skeptics by capturing the 1983 constructors' championship.
3. Subaru Impreza WRX
With a staggering 46 WRC victories and three manufacturers' crowns under its belt, the Subaru Impreza WRX turned rally racing on its head between 1993 and 2008. Fifteen years of dominance were highlighted by Colin McRae's 1995 drivers' title.
Michael Gil from Calgary, AB, Canada on Wikimedia
4. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO
Four consecutive WRC drivers' titles, a 280bhp turbocharged powerhouse, and countless technical evolutions. Well, the numbers tell only half the story of the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. Behind those impressive stats stood the perfect partnership between car and driver.
100yen 04:07, 7 October 2006 (UTC) on Wikimedia
5. Volkswagen Polo R WRC
Talk about making an entrance. The Polo R WRC burst onto the rally scene in 2013 as Volkswagen's first full manufacturer entry and simply couldn't stop winning, snagging an incredible 43 victories from just 53 starts. Its win rate was 82.7%.
Bildagentur Kräling on Wikimedia
6. Lancia Delta HF Integrale
No rally car in history can match the status of the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, which dominated the WRC with six consecutive manufacturer titles from 1987 to 1992. A formidable turbocharged inline-four and brilliant AWD system powered its reign.
Norbert Aepli, Switzerland (User:Noebu) on Wikimedia
7. Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600
When Ford launched the original Mk1 in 1968, they were already plotting its evolution into something extraordinary. By 1970, that vision materialized in the RS1600, which paired a 1.6-liter Cosworth BDA engine with an agile rear-wheel-drive setup.
8. Lancia Stratos HF
Bertone's revolutionary wedge-shaped layout for the Lancia Stratos HF wasn't just about turning heads; it represented a complete rethinking of rally car architecture. By combining this purposeful shape with Ferrari's potent V6 engine, Lancia crafted the first true purpose-built rally machine.
uploaded by user:Diego440 on Wikimedia
9. Toyota Celica GT-Four (ST185)
Starting with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and a capable full-time AWD system, the Celica GT-Four made its mark when the ST165 carried Carlos Sainz to the 1990 drivers' crown. Toyota then dominated manufacturer titles in the early '90s, with the evolved ST185.
10. Peugeot 205 T16
The brutal demands of Group B rallying forced Peugeot to reimagine its 205 hatchback, spawning the legendary T16 altogether. While the bodywork maintained a familiar silhouette, competition necessity dictated a radical change underneath—a purpose-built chassis, mid-engine configuration, and all-wheel-drive system.
Steven Straiton from UK on Wikimedia
11. MG Metro 6R4
In the fiercely competitive arena of Group B rallying, every element of the MG Metro 6R4 was engineered for a competitive advantage. Its naturally aspirated V6 engine delivered reliable power through a four-wheel-drive system, hence the '6R4' designation.
12. Ford RS200
Few cars have achieved the cult following of the Ford RS200, whose futuristic design continues to turn heads decades later. Built specifically for Group B rallying, this mid-engine, turbocharged marvel showcased Ford's racing ambitions with its advanced all-wheel-drive system.
13. Citroën C4 WRC
How did such a clean, understated design become one of rally racing's most unstoppable forces? The secret lay in the Citroën C4 WRC's deceptively practical engineering, which helped rule over the late 2000s while other teams chased aggressive styling.
14. Fiat 131 Abarth
Picture your neighbor's sensible Fiat family sedan. Now imagine it converted into a fire-breathing rally champion. That's exactly what the 131 Abarth accomplished, taking a four-door and engineering it into a rear-wheel-drive competition beast that picked three WRC manufacturers' titles.
Tony Harrison from Farnborough, UK on Wikimedia
15. Subaru Impreza WRX STI
The Subaru Impreza 555 is a Group A rally car from the early 1990s, marking Subaru's serious entry into the World Rally Championship. It was developed by Subaru in partnership with Prodrive and Subaru Tecnica International (STi) to meet rally homologation rules.
16. Toyota Celica
Toyota's strategic development of the Celica GT-Four, their pioneering turbocharged AWD rally car, proved a masterclass in motorsport marketing. After ruling the 1990s WRC competition and securing multiple manufacturer titles, Toyota leveraged this racing prestige to launch high-performance road versions of the Celica.
17. Peugeot 205 T16 Evo 2
When Peugeot flipped the rulebook by moving the engine to the middle of its 205 T16, it was just getting started. The Evo 2 version pushed boundaries even further, pairing that superb layout with aerodynamics, four-wheel drive, and a lightweight spaceframe chassis.
18. Ford Escort RS Cosworth
That dramatic "whale tail" spoiler jutting from its rear helped make the RS Cosworth a serious WRC competitor during the 1990s. Beyond the racetrack, this turbocharged rally machine's distinctive aerodynamic signature turned it into a motorsport icon and a cherished favorite.
19. Citroën Xsara WRC
Sometimes the most significant impact comes from the smallest package. The Citroën Xsara WRC's compact dimensions proved perfect for threading through tight rally stages. With Sébastien Loeb at the wheel, this nimble machine collected multiple titles and established Citroën's rallying supremacy.
20. Renault 5 Turbo
Those dramatic wheel arches and muscular wide-body styling might fool you, but this Group B monster started life as a humble city ride. The Renault 5 Turbo's radical shift went far beyond skin-deep, with engineers tucking a turbocharged engine behind the seats.
