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1990 BTCC: FWD and RWD versions of the same car racing together


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#1 Teapot

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Posted 06 February 2011 - 20:01

I've just learnt that in the 1990 BTCC Vauxhall fielded a rear wheel drive Cavalier for Chris Hodgetts to race at Oulton Park, alongside the usual front wheel drive version for team leader John Cleland. Since I'm not great expert of touring car racing (and Vauxhall in general) I wonder under which omologation rules that was possible: did Vauxhall have on the market two differently driven version of the same car, at the time? And, on the other hand, had such a thing happened before?

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#2 JockinSA

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Posted 06 February 2011 - 20:16

They did this through the use of the fact that Vauxhall made a 4WD version of the Cavalier. Ergo RWD with the front disconnected. Dave Brodie had a go at trying to use a 4WD Sapphire as well. The Trakstar Sapphire also originally had a rather strange transmission aseembly, but I think they reverted to more normal arrangements after a while.

#3 Kevan

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Posted 06 February 2011 - 20:32

Ford planned to run a RWD version of the Mondeo in the BTCC in 1993, but never raced it- when the car finally appeared mid-season, they'd given up on the RWD idea and ran it as a conventional FWD car



#4 D-Type

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Posted 06 February 2011 - 20:40

Was the Triumph Dolomite FWD or RWD? At the time Triumph were making very similar FWD and RWD cars, They might even have used the same body shell.

In Australia or somewhere they probably raced RWD and FWD Toyota Corollas at the time of the change over.

At Indianapolis in the 1930's FWD and RWD Millers definitely raced against each other.

#5 JockinSA

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Posted 06 February 2011 - 21:01

Was the Triumph Dolomite FWD or RWD? At the time Triumph were making very similar FWD and RWD cars, They might even have used the same body shell.

In Australia or somewhere they probably raced RWD and FWD Toyota Corollas at the time of the change over.

At Indianapolis in the 1930's FWD and RWD Millers definitely raced against each other.


The Dolomite as named was only RWD. The FWD was called the 1500, and the little one was called the Toledo. All of them sprung out of the Triumph 1300 which was also FWD.

I actually road rallied a 1300, and after the initial hoots of laughter when I first appeared with it, it proved suitable to take the clubs championship away from the hot Mini and Escort brigade. My 50 quid purchase did me proud for two years, and incredibly strong when you hit things.

#6 Kevan

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Posted 06 February 2011 - 21:41

In Australia or somewhere they probably raced RWD and FWD Toyota Corollas at the time of the change over.


FWD and RWD Corollas were certainly raced against each other in Group A touring car races in the UK, Australia, Europe and Japan in the mid/late 80's, though the FWD and RWD versions used completely different bodyshells:
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