Group B vs. WRC

Category	Lancia Delta S4	Ford Focus WRC
Engine
Construction	Aluminum block and head; longitudinally mounted; gear-driven camshafts	Aluminum block and head; transversally mounted; belt-driven camshafts
Displacement	1759cc	1998cc
Layout	Inline-4; 16 valves; twin camshafts	Inline-4; 16 valves; twin camshafts
Bore and Stroke	88.5mm x 71.5mm	84.8mm x 88mm
Location	Centre	Front
Artificial Aspiration	Abarth supercharger; KKK turbo; two intercoolers	Garrett water cooled turbo; one intercooler
Engine Management	IAW Weber Marelli integrated ignition and injection	Ford/Pectel integrated ignition and injection
Power (hp/kW)	480/360@8400rpm *	300/225@6500rpm **
Torque (NM)	490@5000rpm *	550@4000rpm **
Compression Ratio	7.5:1	N/A
Drivetrain
Transmission	5-speed manual	6-speed sequential
Differentials	Self-locking front & rear; Ferguson adjustable viscous coupling centre	Front, centre, and rear active (hydro-electronically controlled)
Clutch	N/A	Dual-disc power assisted
Chassis & Dimensions
Construction	Steel-tube space frame with stress panels; kevlar & fiberglass bodywork	Steel monocoque and bodywork
Suspension	Four-wheel independant; adjustable coil-over shocks (dual shocks in the rear); adjustable antiroll bars	Four-wheel independant; McPherson struts (front); multi-link layout (rear); adjustable antiroll bars
Brakes	Four vented Brembo discs; hydraulic hand brake	Front vented Brembo discs; rear Brembo discs
Steering	Power assisted rack and pinion	Power assisted high-ratio rack and pinion
Overall Length	4008mm	4152mm
Overall Width	1801mm	1770mm
Overall Height	1501mm	1420mm
Weight	970kg	1330kg
Track (f/r)	1501mm/1521mm	1550mm/1550mm
Acceleration (0-100km/h)	2.3s	3.2s

* = Official; actual figure is probably higher than stated
** = With 34mm restrictor

What surprised me most was how much smaller and lighter the Lancia is when compared to the Focus. Other interesting facts are the amount of torque the Focus puts out; the vastly superior suspension, steering, and drivetrain of the Focus; and the number of features the Lancia shares with a car almost 15 years newer.

This is the question many people want to know the answer to. Well, it depends. On a racetrack, up Pikes Peak, or on fast, sweeping roads like those used in the 1980s, the Group B car would win. On tight, winding stages like those run today (due to the maximum allowable average speed of 120km/h), the WRC car would be quicker. The Lancia's significant power and weight advantages would give it the edge on faster roads, while the Focus' chassis and handling are worlds better than any Group B car, giving it the nod for any modern rally.

In short, the development of the Group B cars was mainly focused on getting as much power as possible out of the engine, while the designers of the current crop of rally cars pay much more attention to the chassis. It's a classic case of brute force versus finesse.