Tag Archives: Burns

Drive By Wire Safari – Subaru Impreza WRC99

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In 1997 World Rally Car regulations were introduced for the World Rally Championship that were more liberal than the Group A regulations that had been mandated since 1986.

Subaru Impreza WRC99, Prodrive, Banbury,

Subaru with their partner Prodrive in the UK built for WRC evolutions of the 2 door Impreza before the model was replaced by the all new 4 door Impreza GD in 2001.

Subaru Impreza WRC99, Prodrive, Banbury,

The 1999 WRC evolution of the Impreza known as the WRC99 was the first rally car to compete on a World Rally with drive by wire throttle and steering wheel mounted paddle shift for the hydraulically actuated semi automatic transmission, technology that was imported from contemporary Formula One practice.

Subaru Impreza WRC99, Prodrive, Banbury,

Richard Burns was the only Subaru works driver to compete in all rounds of the 1999 World Rally Championship with a Impreza WRC99 and he recorded wins in Greece, Australian and Britain on his way to a second place finish in the 1999 WRC championship.

Subaru Impreza WRC99, Prodrive, Banbury,

Juha Kankkunen recorded two more wins in Argentina and Finland with the Impreza WRC99 to help Subaru finish second, just four points adrift of Toyota, in the 1999 World Rally Manufacturers championship.

Subaru Impreza WRC99, Prodrive, Banbury,

Richard Burns and Juha Kankkunen both used the Impreza WRC99 in the first three rounds of the 2000 World Rally Championship and signed the model off with a 1-2 finish on the Safari Rally Kenya with Richard and co driver Robert Reid ahead of Juha and his co driver Juha Repo.

Subaru Impreza WRC99, Prodrive, Banbury,

Richard scored 3 more victories with the newer Impreza WRC2000 and finished 2nd again in the World Rally Championship while Subaru with no additional victories dropped to third in the manufacturers championship.

Richards #3 Safari winning WRC99 is seen in these photographs at Prodrives Head Office in Banbury.

Thanks for joining me on this “Drive By Wire Safari” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a BRM Formula One car. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Light Rally History – Race Retro

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Today’s blog features some of the tremendously storied rally cars that appeared at the recent Race Retro exhibition.

Austin Healey 3000 Mk1, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

From 1960 comes this ex BMC works Austin Healey 3000 Mk 1 among it’s achievement’s was a 17th place overall and first in class driven by Pat Moss, Stirling’s younger sister, and Ann Wisdom on the 1961 Tour Of Corsica.

FIAT 131 Abarth, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

When FIAT introduced the 131 Miafiori Abarth in 1977 the company went on a rampage of the World Rally Championship winning the titles in 1977, with the Olio Fiat colours seen here, 1978 and 1980 winning 20 World Championship Rallies over that period, I am not entirely sure of the history of this car registered in Jersey it appears in 1977 colours but with a 1980 head light and grill arrangement.

Ford Escort RS1800, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

The original STW201R a works Ford Escort RS1800 was driven to victory in the 1977 East African Safari Rally by Björn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius, the car was subsequently handed to Ford Heritage only to loose it’s identity original works colour scheme and be crashed at the hands of a TV Journalist. This car appears to be a replacement painted in the Rothmans Rally Team colours as worn by Ari Vatanen’s cars when he won the World Rally Drivers Championship with Dave Richards in 1981.

Toyota Celica TC, Race Retro, Stoneleigh

Björn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius won the Safari Rally again in 1984 and with Fred Gallagher in 1986 driving the Toyota Celica TC models like the 1986 winner seen here, Finlands Juha Kankkunen with Fred Gallagher in the passenger seat won the Safari Rally in 1985 to make it a hat trick for the rear wheel drive Celica TC model.

Peugeot 309 Gti, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Englands only World Rally Champion Richard Burns drove this Group A front wheel drive Peugeot 309Gti to a 16th place finish with Robert Reid on his second Lombard RAC Rally start in 1991.

Ford Focus WRC, Race Retro, Stoneleigh,

Finally this 2001 all wheel drive Ford Focus WRC has won four Rallies outright, with Colin McRae winning the 2001 Cyprus and 2002 Acropolis Rallies with Nicky Grist, Jari Matti Latvala the 2003 Tempest Rally with Miikka Anttila and Nejat Avci winning the Pirelli Turkey Rally in 2005 with co driver Memisyazici Batuhan, today this car is owned by Steve Rockingham.

Thanks for joining me on this “Light Rally History” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for Oldsmobile Thursday. Don’t forget to come back now !

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