Group 4 (racing)

The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.

A Ford GT40 contesting the Group 4 Sports Car category at the 1969 1000 km Nürburgring

Production requirements

Prior to 1966, the FIA’s Group 4 classification applied to Sports Cars which were in compliance with FIA Appendix C regulations. It also included recognised Series Touring Cars, Improved Touring Cars and Grand Touring Cars which had been modified beyond the respective Group 1, Group 2 or Group 3 regulations under which they had been homologated.[1][2] In 1966, an overhaul of FIA categories saw Group 4 Sports Cars redefined such that they were now subject to a minimum production requirement of 50 units in 12 consecutive months and had to be fitted with all equipment necessary for use on public roads. A 5000cc engine capacity limit was applied for 1968 and the minimum production requirement was reduced to 25 units for the 1969 season.[3]

For 1969, Appendix J of the FIA International Sporting Code defined groups for Touring cars, Grand Touring cars and Sports cars as follows: (numbers between brackets are required minimum production in 12 consecutive months).[4]

  • Group 1: series-production touring cars (5,000)
  • Group 2: touring cars (1,000)
  • Group 3: grand touring cars (500)
  • Group 4: sports cars (25)
  • Group 5: special touring cars
  • Group 6: prototype-sports cars

For 1970, the limited production sports car category was renamed from Group 4 to Group 5 [5] and, in the same year,[6] Group 4 became the class for special grand touring cars with minimum production of 500 in 12 consecutive months [7]

For 1971, the relevant FIA classifications were as follows:[7]

  • Group 1: series-production touring cars (5,000)
  • Group 2: touring cars (1,000)
  • Group 3: series-production grand touring cars (1,000)
  • Group 4: special grand touring cars (500)
  • Group 5: sports cars (25)
  • Group 6: prototype-sports cars

In 1976, the Group 4 production requirement was reduced to 400 in 24 months.[8]

Sports car racing
A Porsche 911 competing in the Group 4 Special Grand Touring Car category at the 1970 1000 km Nürburgring

In 1966 and 1967 the Group 4 Sports Cars played a supporting role to the Group 6 prototypes. While prototypes like the 7.0L Ford GT40 Mk II & Mk IV raced for outright victories, the 4.7L GT40 Mk I entries were competing for Group 4 class wins.[9] Indeed, competitors in the two categories were competing for two different championships, the Group 6 cars for the International Championship for Sports-Prototypes and the Group 4 cars for the International Championship for Sports Cars. In 1968, the rules were changed, so that prototypes were limited to 3.0L, but Sports cars of up to 5.0L could still be entered. It was also announced that the minimum production figure for the Group 4 sports cars would be reduced to 25 cars for 1969. With larger engines than the prototypes, the Group 4 cars were now in contention for outright race wins. The Ford GT40 was the winner at Le Mans in both 1968 and 1969. Porsche began work on a production run of 25 cars for the Porsche 917. Ferrari, with some financial help from Fiat, produced the similar Ferrari 512.[10]

For the 1970 season, the Group 4 Sports car category was renamed and became Group 5 Sports Cars and Group 4 designation was applied to a new Special Grand Touring category. The new Group 4 was contested by production based cars such as the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, Porsche 911 Carrera RS and the De Tomaso Pantera.

The Group 4 GT category was replaced by a new Group B GT class for 1983.[11]

Rallying
Group 4 Lancia Stratos HF. The Stratos helped Lancia win the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

The Group 4 regulations were also used as the basis for the World Rally Championships until they were replaced by the Group B regulations. In mid 1970s to early 1980s rallying, it was necessary to produce 400 identical cars for homologation as a Group 4 rally car. Notable cars included the Ford Escort RS1800, Fiat 131 Abarth, Lancia Stratos HF and the Audi Quattro.

List of FIA Group 4 homologated cars
No.MarqueModelTypeStartEnd
220 ShelbyCobraRoadster 427January 2, 1966January 2, 1966
221 MatraDjet5S MB 8SJanuary 1, 1965January 1, 1965
222 AlpineA1101300February 1, 1966February 1, 1966
223 Panhard24BAFebruary 1, 1966February 1, 1966
224 FordGT40February 2, 1966February 2, 1966
225 Ferrari250 LMBerlinettaFebruary 1, 1966February 1, 1966
227 FordTaunusP5 HardtopApril 15, 1966April 15, 1966
228 TunexDivaGTApril 16, 1966April 16, 1966
229 Abarth1300OTApril 15, 1966April 15, 1966
230 Abarth1000OTR CoupéApril 30, 1966April 30, 1966
231 SaabSonettII
234 Ferrari275GTB 4April 1, 1967April 1, 1967
235 Lamborghini350GTApril 1, 1967April 1, 1967
236 Lamborghini400GT 2+2April 1, 1967April 1, 1967
237 TVR MkIV1800SJuly 1, 1967July 1, 1967
238 LotusMark 47January 1, 1969January 1, 1969
239 Ferrari308GTB 4April 1, 1967April 1, 1967
240 LolaT70Mk IIIFebruary 1, 1968February 1, 1968
241 Abarth1000SPMarch 1, 1969March 1, 1969
242 Marcos1300 GTMarch 1, 1968March 1, 1968
242 LamborghiniUrraco P250July 1, 1975December 31, 1981
244 ChevronGTMay 1, 1968May 1, 1968
245 LamborghiniP400MiuraJune 1, 1968June 1, 1968
246 Alfa Romeo33SpiderJanuary 1, 1969January 1, 1969
247 Ferrari206GTJanuary 1, 1969January 1, 1969
248 McLarenM6GTAugust 20, 1968
249 Porsche910January 1, 1969January 1, 1969
250 Porsche917May 1, 1969May 1, 1969
251 De TomasoMangustaApril 1, 1969April 1, 1969
252 Abarth2000April 1, 1969April 1, 1969
253 Ferrari365GTB 4 DaytonaJune 1, 1969June 1, 1969
254 Ferrari512SJuly 1, 1969April 1, 1970
255 ChevronB16CosworthJanuary 2, 1970January 2, 1970
624 AlpineA1101600January 1, 1970December 31, 1970
625 Alfa RomeoGTASprintJanuary 1, 1970December 31, 1977
626 Porsche914/6March 1, 1970October 1, 1971
627 Ferrari246GTJanuary 1, 1971February 1, 1973
628 CitroënSMType SBApril 1, 1971July 1, 1971
629 Range RoverClassicApril 1, 1971January 1, 1972
630 Renault12Gordini R1173October 1, 1971January 1, 1972
632 De TomasoPanteraJanuary 1, 1972July 1, 1972
633 Ferrari365GTB 4January 1, 1972December 31, 1979
634 LotusEuropaTwin CamApril 1, 1972July 1, 1972
637 PorscheCarreraRSMarch 1, 1973July 1, 1973
638 Renault17TSApril 1, 1974October 1, 1974
639 MaseratiAM122MerakMay 1, 1974December 31, 1981
646 Aston MartinV8April 1, 1976December 31, 1981
631 Alfa RomeoMontrealJanuary 1, 1972April 1, 1972
640 LanciaStratosHFOctober 1, 1974December 31, 1981
644 OpelKadettC GT/EOctober 1, 1975February 1, 1976
645 Porsche911TurboJanuary 1, 1976January 1, 1977
647 Abarth131RallyApril 1, 1976December 31, 1981
648 Ferrari308GTBNovember 1, 1976December 31, 1981
649 VauxhallChevetteHS2300November 1, 1976December 31, 1981
650 FordEscortRSApril 2, 1977January 1, 1982
651 AlpineA310V6April 1, 1977January 1, 1978
652 Saab99Turbo Combi CoupéJanuary 1, 1978October 1, 1978
653 LotusEspritApril 1, 1978December 31, 1981
654 B.L. TriumphTR8April 1, 1978December 31, 1981
655 PantherLimaOctober 1, 1978December 31, 1981
656 FSOPolonez125 PNJanuary 1, 1979April 1, 1980
657 FSOPolonezJanuary 1, 1979April 1, 1980
658 Saab99Turbo SedanFebruary 1, 1979April 1, 1979
659 Audi801600February 1, 1979December 31, 1981
660 Porsche924TurboFebruary 1, 1979April 1, 1979
661 Daimler-Benz450SLC 5.0April 1, 1979December 31, 1981
662 ChryslerSunbeamLotusApril 1, 1979January 1, 1980
663 ToyotaCelica2000GT Rally RA45June 1, 1979December 31, 1981
664 Renault Argentina12AlpineJuly 1, 1979December 31, 1981
665 MorganPlus 8July 1, 1979December 31, 1981
666 OpelAscona400November 1, 1979December 31, 1981
668 Alfa RomeoAlfettaTurbodeltaFebruary 1, 1980December 31, 1981
669 Renault5TurboSeptember 1, 1980April 1, 1981
670 BMWM1December 1, 1980December 31, 1981
671 AudiQuattro2145January 2, 1981January 1, 1982
672 Porsche924Carrera GTJanuary 1, 1981December 31, 1981
673 Daimler-Benz500SLJanuary 1, 1980December 31, 1981
674 Alfa RomeoAlfettaGT 6 2.5January 1, 1981October 1, 1981
675 MitsubishiLancer2000 Turbo A176AApril 1, 1981December 31, 1981
676 Talbot MatraMurena2.2August 1, 1981December 31, 1981
677 VolkswagenGolf Mk I16SDecember 1, 1981December 31, 1981
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See also

References
  1. Article 252 of the FIA’s Appendix J regulations, 1962 Archived 2006-03-14 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from www.fia.com on 11 February 2009
  2. Article 252 of the FIA’s Appendix J regulations, 1965 Archived 2009-07-11 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from www.fia.com on 11 February 2009
  3. M.L. Twite, The World's Racing Cars, 1971, page 109
  4. Appendix J 1969, Art. 251, Art. 252 Archived 2006-10-17 at the Wayback Machine on www.fia.com
  5. János L Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, page 710
  6. M.L. Twite, The World's Racing Cars, 1971, page 99
  7. Appendix J 1971, Art. 251, Art. 252 Archived 2005-03-02 at the Wayback Machine on www.fia.com
  8. Appendix J 1976, Art. 251, Art. 252 Archived 2006-03-14 at the Wayback Machine on www.fia.com
  9. Ford GT40 MkI 289 Archived 2007-01-02 at the Wayback Machine on QV500.com
  10. 1970 Ferrari 512 S Archived 2006-12-29 at the Wayback Machine on QV500.com
  11. János L Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, page 1347
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