The crazy Group B regulations of the World Rally Championship started in 1982 proved a turbulent point in the history of the discipline, but led to a revolution in the most unlikeliness of events.
The Dakar Rally has during the past decade moved from its original route to be hosted first in South America before recently moving to Saudi Arabia, but it used to leave Paris and head through Africa’s north west to the Senegal capital, which is named after.
Founded by Thierry Sabine, the rally proved a challenging adventure contested in a variety of models, though four-wheel-drives won the event held through the desert dunes providing spectacular vistas.
There had been factory efforts in the Dakars preceding 1983, but nothing like Porsche was going to unleash. Originally developed to take on the outrageous Group B class, racing legend Jacky Ickx viewed the prototype and immediately wanted to enter the Dakar in the all-wheel-drive 911.
Ickx had previously won the event for Mercedes-Benz and now led a three-entry Porsche factory effort supported by Rothmans. French ace Rene Metge and co-driver Dominique Lemoyne took the win for Porsche.
Now with the 959 built for Group B, the 1984 event proved a disaster for Porsche as it came back the next year in three 911s to return to the winner’s circle.
When Group B regulations were ended in 1986, manufacturers led by Peugeot elected to race what were now obsolete models in the Dakar.
Peugeot dominated the rally from its first entry in 1987 in the 205 T16 when Ari Vatanen took victory, then Juha Kankkunen the next edition in controversial circumstances. Vatanen was in contention to go back-to-back in the new 405 T16, but had his stolen in Bamako thus ending his chances.
The next year, Peugeot Talbot Sport team manager Jean Todt decided the result by flipping a coin to end the rivalry between Vatanen and Kankkunen due to its potential dangerous implications. It was Vatanen securing his second win.
It was Vatanen again in 1990 concluding Peugeot’s run in the Dakar with his second consecutive and third victory in four years. On the other hand the French manufacturer enjoyed an unbeaten four wins in a row.
Group B technology was used throughout courtesy of the turbocharged, four-cylinder, 1.8-litre XU8T engine producing 320bhp mid-mounted, the suspension package and five-speed transmission in addition to the composite panels.
After Peugeot was done, it was time for sister brand Citroen to take on the task and it won four between 1991-1996.