So far as motorsport disciplines go, that is area of interest. Perhaps not as area of interest as Dutch DAF reverse racing or the Macau ‘Movie star GP’, however I’d be shocked if a lot of you outdoors of the UK have heard of Tremendous Saloons earlier than.
Even inside the UK, it takes an fanatic of a sure… classic to be accustomed to Tremendous Saloon racing. However as I discovered on the latest 2024 Retro Rides Weekender, there’s a lot to like about this outrageous silhouette racer class.
I’ll try and summarise the cloudy historical past of Particular Saloon racing, armed with data gained from conversations with drivers and a deep analysis dive into British touring automobile racing historical past.
Again within the Sixties, touring automobile racing was large within the UK. Not solely was it implausible motion with intense battles between all the pieces from traditional Minis and Hillman Imps to Ford Falcons and Chevrolet Camaros, but it surely was accessible, too. I’ll delve into historic touring automobiles in additional element in an article quickly.
The ‘Win on Sunday, Promote on Monday’ philosophy was well-known at this level, and it was plain to see producers starting to put money into the game as Group 2 FIA rules got here onto the scene. Quicker, particular version fashions had been being produced, and a few groups even attracted manufacturing facility backing and sponsorship.
Naturally, prices spiralled as rules developed to maintain the game getting sooner and sooner. Group 5 automobiles got here into the image within the early Seventies. These automobiles nonetheless needed to appear to be their street automobile counterparts, however there was immense scope for modification beneath the pores and skin.
Group 1 was round as an entry-level class, with minimal modifications to just about customary street automobiles. However as is the way in which, this additionally developed into the Membership Saloons, Particular Saloons and Modsports. The rules at this level, in contrast to Group 5 automobiles, had been very relaxed.
So long as automobiles had the tough silhouette and wheelbase of the manufacturing mannequin they had been based mostly upon, any modification was just about truthful recreation.
OEM metal chassis became tubular entrance and rear sections, then full area frames with fibreglass physique panels. Powertrains had been free, too, resulting in videogame-esque engine swaps.
Take this Austin A30, of which the one recognisable options are the roofline, headlights and grille. The place as soon as lived an 803cc/49ci four-cylinder toaster now resides a 4,900cc/302ci V8.
The ‘John Pope Particular’ Vauxhall Magnum is one other prime instance. I can’t even say that it nonetheless seems like a Magnum – it merely doesn’t – however beneath the white bodywork is a Seventies Aston Martin DBS, full with a 5.3-litre V8 and twin turbochargers.
I used to be instructed this beast makes as much as 900 horsepower, which doesn’t shock me in any respect.
Different automobiles, corresponding to this C3 Chevrolet Corvette, are far more modest builds that truly resemble their road-going counterparts.
In the meantime, you have got the likes of this Škoda 1300 RS and MG Metro ‘6R4′, which appear to be somebody has described the bottom automobile to a different over the telephone and requested them to attract it. That being stated, I feel even a official Group B Metro 6R4 would wrestle to maintain up with this practice creation round a circuit.
Take a look at the central driving place!
I feel Group B rallying (or Group S, which by no means obtained the possibility to suceed it) is the closest mainstream type of motorsport to which I can evaluate Particular Saloons and Modsports.
It’s actually not like-for-like, with nowhere close to the know-how, finances or producer assist that Group B rallying noticed. However in spirit, the 2 appear similar to me.
They’re each examples of motorsport that simply obtained out of hand, going all out within the pursuit of sheer velocity. Hazard performs an element in it, and when you concentrate on it, what’s the true distinction between a Ford RS200 and the Skoda 1300 RS except for thousands and thousands of {dollars} of developmental finances?
It’s simple to see why Particular Saloons are remembered so fondly by older generations of automobile lovers. All it took was one afternoon of observe motion – I’m hooked.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn
mariochristou.world
