Classic Rally Seems Like A Mirage To Me

On March 29, 2009 · 5 Comments

Keith called me this afternoon to see if wanted to go along with him to check out a beat up, broke down Mitsubishi Mirage he’d found on Craigslist. It was a sad little tin can that had seen better days, but if Keith ends up getting it, it will likely see better days still in the future, as it would end up being the USDM equivalent to the venerable Lancer Evo III which was never offered for sale in the United States. 

After we checked out the one-day Evo, we grabbed some dinner and went back to the shop to watch a video on VHS. That’s right, we dusted off the VCR and watched “The Evolution of Rally.” This had to be one of the best rally movies I’ve ever seen and I’m definitely going to try to find a copy on DVD somewhere in the states here pretty quick.  (If you watched my favorite online video “All About Rallying” previously, imagine that video going on for over an hour with proper narration and interviews with drivers going back fifty years.  Absolutely incredible.)

In the early years, rally meant endurance racing across long stretches of rough roads in all kinds of inclement weather, day or night. Today, it’s become highly technical, exorbitantly priced, sprint racing that we just don’t get to see over here in the States. It’s still good, but watching that movie tonight really gave me an appreciation for the awe-inspiring, epic nature of rally as it once was. Here’s a preview from YouTube. If you find this on DVD in the States (NTSC format, of course), please let me know!

In the glovebox:

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  • http://love-driving.com David Hamer

    That video brought back a lot of memories from my teenage days! Those Short Wheelbase Quattros were ugly – but boy they were quick – and what about the sound!

    Watch the clip at 45 seconds in – that demonstrates the power they had – apart from acceleration – look at tyre marks left on the road!! Also the driver realistically was struggling to keep it in a straight line.

    I understand why they had to ban them – but it was a shame. I actually stopped watching Rallying after that for years – purely because the Group A cars were so slow and unexciting after the Group B era. The latest cars are pretty exciting though – it took a while to catch up – but they're definitely quick again!

    Thanks for posting video!

    Dave

  • http://dr1665.com DR1665

    It was said in the full movie that the Group B, monster rally cars were too fast for any human to fully control. These drivers were simply the best at hanging on! Watching these 500hp+ beasts scratch and claw for traction every which way but straight is incredible. I can only imagine what it might be like to stand along a stage and witness such dominance.

    Fatalities aside, could Group B have been outlawed simply because the spectacle was approaching that of Formula 1?

  • http://love-driving.com David Hamer

    That video brought back a lot of memories from my teenage days! Those Short Wheelbase Quattros were ugly – but boy they were quick – and what about the sound!

    Watch the clip at 45 seconds in – that demonstrates the power they had – apart from acceleration – look at tyre marks left on the road!! Also the driver realistically was struggling to keep it in a straight line.

    I understand why they had to ban them – but it was a shame. I actually stopped watching Rallying after that for years – purely because the Group A cars were so slow and unexciting after the Group B era. The latest cars are pretty exciting though – it took a while to catch up – but they're definitely quick again!

    Thanks for posting video!

    Dave

  • http://dr1665.com Brian Driggs

    It was said in the full movie that the Group B, monster rally cars were too fast for any human to fully control. These drivers were simply the best at hanging on! Watching these 500hp+ beasts scratch and claw for traction every which way but straight is incredible. I can only imagine what it might be like to stand along a stage and witness such dominance.

    Fatalities aside, could Group B have been outlawed simply because the spectacle was approaching that of Formula 1?

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