World Rally Car

World Rally Car refers to the racing automobiles built to the specification, set by the FIA and used to compete in the outright class of the World Rally Championship (WRC).

Related Topics:
FIA - World Rally Championship

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In the WRC, the cars used are modified road cars, often based on turbocharged, four wheel drive versions of standard small family cars or compacts, such as the Subaru Impreza WRX and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Technical regulations mandate that World Rally Cars must be built in a minimum of 2500 units, based on a pre-existing Group A model, to which a number of modifications may be added, including increasing engine size to 2.0L, adding a turbocharger and four wheel drive, a sequential gearbox and aerodynamic apendages. The base model doesn't need to have these characteristics, as evidenced from cars such the Peugeot 206, 307 or the Skoda Fabia, which have no road car with a turbocharged petrol engine or with four wheel drive.

Related Topics:
Subaru - Impreza WRX - Mitsubishi - Lancer Evolution - Group A - Peugeot 206 - 307 - Skoda Fabia

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To limit power, all supercharged (turbo) cars are fitted with a restrictor. The restrictor is a cylinder with a diameter of 34 mm placed in the inlet before the turbo. Although the restrictor is intend to limit the power to 300 bhp, most works cars (vehicles on a racing team supported directly by the vehicle manufacturer) are believed to have around 400 bhp. The cars are further modified for greater power and torque, and fitted with suspension and tyres specifically suited to the conditions of the specific rally, which may take place entirely on bitumen roads, different consistencies of gravel and dirt roads, and even snow-covered roads on some rallies held in northern Europe.

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