Opel Ascona 400

The “wild ones” are back

The Red Bull Ring Classics brings the veterans of yesteryear back to Austria’s one and only Grand Prix circuit. Rally cars from the 1980s are always guaranteed to arouse a strong sense of nostalgia, with the Group B PS cars in particular making die-hard fans go weak at the knees. These legendary vehicles, driven by internationally acclaimed stars of the race track such as Walter Röhrl, are still revered around the world today. They are reminiscent of a time when the art of engineering was still given free rein.

Björn Waldegard, the first world rally driver champion, once said of the Group B cars: “Handling is non-existent. They are only good for accelerating and braking.” Because they became too fast and too dangerous, Group B cars were even banned in 1986. Some of these historic rally cars, such as the Opel Ascona 400 (Group 4, 1982), will be on parade at the Red Bull Ring Classics.

In 1982, Walter Röhrl (Opel Ascona 400) and Michèle Mouton (Audi Quattro) fought a thrilling contest for the world championship title. With a reputation as a plain speaker, Röhrl vindicated his boast of “being able to win in any car” with an impressive track record in the Opel Ascona 400.

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Magnificent specimens …

… which will be exhibited in the paddock and/or making show runs at the Red Bull Ring Classics are:
Opel Ascona 400 RA50 Group B 1983 (original)
RA50 is the last Ascona 400 built by the Opel rally team. Rauno Aaltonen entered it in the Safari Rally and was on course to win before his oil pump failed on the last stage.
Opel Ascona 400
Audi Quattro A2 Group B 1984 (replica)
Walter Röhrl competed in the original vehicle at the New Zealand Rally but had to retire with electrical problems. Despite its turbo coefficient of 1.4, the 2109cc engine fell into the weight class of less than 3l displacement.
Audi Quattro 80
Nissan 240RS Group B 1983 (original)
The Chassis number 006 comes from a pool of three 240RS. Nissan entered the Type 240RS in the 1st Group B Safari Rally. All three cars were forced to retire due to engine failure. 1984, the 240RS was used as a ‘chase car’.
Nissan 240RS
Audi Quattro A2 Group B 1984 (replica)
Hannu Mikkola won the Rally Portugal as a result of Audi’s ‘time stamp trick’. Röhrl clocked in too early, which allowed his Audi team-mate Mikkola to pass and gave him the chance to prevail against Markku Alen (Nissan).
Audi Quattro A2 Group B

Other vehicles:

These historic rally cars are also taking part at the Red Bull Ring Classics:

Alpine A310 V6 Group 4 (1977)

  • Replica of Guy Fréquelin’s 1977 championship car
  • V6 engine was tuned and the following was installed: roll cage, bucket seats, limited slip differential, hydraulic handbrake, wider fenders

Renault 5 Turbo Group B (1984)

  • Contested the French Rally Championship
  • Jean Ragnotti and Pierre Thimonier won the Critérium Alpin, the Rallye du Mont-Blanc and the Tour de France Automobile in a similar model

Audi 80 Quattro Group A (1985)

  • Group A car modelled on Mikael Ericsson’s car (1985 Sweden Rally)
  • Group A was regarded as a talent factory for up-and-coming young rally drivers

Lancia Delta Integrale 16 V Group A (1991)

  • The technical specification of the 16V Lancia Delta (engine, gearbox, chassis, wiring, on-board computer etc) reflects the state of development in the early 1990s
  • The car originally belonged to Franz Wittmann’s fleet and became the property of Ernst Georg Harrach in 1990
  • The car competed in the 1991 WRC races in Portugal and Argentina as well as the Costa Esmeralda Rally

Renault Clio 16S Group A (1992)

  • Replica of the car that Jean Ragnotti drove in the 1992 Tour de Corse
  • The Renault Clio was ultra-fast on tarmac because it was small, light and front-wheel drive (no turbocharger)