Renault

The little Renault R5 Turbo was originally designed to compete in the Group 4 class, the predecessor to Group B, and it had rear-wheel-drive and a mid-engine layout, a complete reversal of the road car's original design. The first R5 Turbo appeared in 1980, where it attracted a lot of attention; the car was almost as wide as it was long, and it had a lot of horsepower for such a small car, due to its turbocharged engine borrowed (albeit detuned) from Renault's Formula 1 program.

While the car wasn't a major success in international rally competition, it accomplished what every French rally team dreams of winning: it won both the Monte-Carlo and Tour de Corse rallies. A second generation appeared in 1984, and won the 1985 Tour de Corse in the hands of Jean Ragnotti - quite a feat considering it was up against more powerful competition. The R5 Turbo is still very popular among enthusiasts. Its low weight, nimble handling and excellent acceleration make the car very enjoyable to drive.