Rally entries/rumours that never happened

Difficult to immediately think of some that never ran in an event, given that the "free  formula" format of UK non-International events and some European events allowed prototypes to run.

I can't recall the 4wd Manta 400 ever running in an event (and the cold war BRIXMIS Senators with essentially the same FF transmission is an interesting background to it).

The Fiesta with Mk2 Escort mechanicals is probably another (but the aborted Mk3 Escort equivalent went on to a significant number of rallies in South Africa). 

It's a difficult one.  The very nature of rallying, even at the highest levels until fairly recently, allowed people to use car models even if the manufacturer wasn't interested or was actively opposed.  As long as the particular car was homologated, you or I could brew one up in our home garage.  And in lesser status events that didn't demand homologated cars, you had complete freedom subject to the basic safety rules.  Hence on the Suffolk Stages one year, we found ourselves sandwiched in the queue between a Morgan Plus 8 and the just-released Range Rover.  Now, XX years later, Morgan have just started to make an off-road version!

Did the Astra Group S car ever compete on rallies?  Rallycross, yes.

Edited by BRG, 23 December 2021 - 16:22.

 

Did the Astra Group S car ever compete on rallies?  Rallycross, yes.

Andrew Wood/Mike Nicholson 1986 Audi National: https://youtu.be/-IRuawBAi4E

Ari Vatanen demonstrated the 4WD Manta 400 Prototype to the press before the '83 Swedish: https://rallygroupbs...-4x4-prototype/

Edited by Myhinpaa, 29 December 2021 - 16:32.

I recall, I think, a 4WD Vauxhall Corsa, built by Syndey Meeke,(Kris' dad) with a 2ltr Touring Car engine demonstrated by Richard Young, possibly at a Kirkistown single venue rally, or Nutts Corner.

There was the Citroen BX 4TC Group B car.  I bet Citroen wish that had never happened...

i think the 4wd Starion ran first car on the "national" event tacked on to the second leg of an RAC.

The BX4TC ran on a couple of International events at least with J-C Andruet, including a Monte. Intriguingly a biography of cyclist Robert Millar (now Pippa York) refers to "the Citroen rally car in the garage" of then French home. The French Forum Auto had a thread on the subject of "where are all the BX4TCs" but didn't clarify that rumour. 

Still struggling to think of other works rally cars that never competed in an event. There will be plenty of home built club cars that  were prepared to a unique spec but were never used in anger.

Edited by RS2000, 27 December 2021 - 18:48.

I recall, I think, a 4WD Vauxhall Corsa, built by Syndey Meeke,(Kris' dad) with a 2ltr Touring Car engine demonstrated by Richard Young, possibly at a Kirkistown single venue rally, or Nutts Corner.

An article on some of these mentioned cars, not too bad actually: https://drivetribe.c...uSGWfl4xg3yCGsw

No mention of the the Talbot UK project with Lotus, the Gp.B Talbot Horizon with mid engine. They made two prototypes, one N/A and one with turbo. (Like the RS1700(T)

Stig Blomqvist did some testing in late '81. Possibly only one of them survives? At least there's one in a museum in France, the CAAPY in Poissy

No mention of the the Talbot UK project with Lotus, the Gp.B Talbot Horizon with mid engine. They made two prototypes, one N/A and one with turbo. (Like the RS1700(T)

Stig Blomqvist did some testing in late '81. Possibly only one of them survives? At least there's one in a museum in France, the CAAPY in Poissy

 

I was walking past the Talbot service point in a large lay by on the 81 RAC and slowed as I overheard Des tell a concerned Stig "We'll get you a car for next year". I think I also heard a reference to testing, which presumably was the Horizon.

A club member who went to Paris specially to go to the Citroen Museum (well, we all have our foibles) brought back a photo of it.