1981 Audi S1 Rally Group B 1981 - 1989 review

Audi S1 Rally Group B 1981 - 1989 review:

Back in 1981, Audi stunned the world with the introduction of the first all-conquering Quattro, a car that introduced the supercar world to the merits of four-wheel drive. It won its second rally and development was swift - four years later the company arrived at this car, the 600bhp S1. This car, and the rivals it inspired, proved to be so rapid that it was banned a year later.

Since the mid '80s, the S1 has rarely been driven in anger but today, to mark the twentieth anniversary of its introduction, the original works car has been rolled out of the Audi museum and onto the slopes of the Col de Turini - the most famous stage in the Monte Carlo rally and the roads on which the Quattro legend was born. Roland Gumpert, the team manager from the old days, is here, and so is Stig Blomqvist, who claimed the 1984 World Rally Championship for Audi. Today, I am to accompany Stig on one last blast.

It's early afternoon and it's starting to snow. This priceless artefact is still on the tyres it wore in '85 and only last week, this very stretch of tarmac claimed two of the leaders in this year's Monte Carlo Rally - the blue paint from Petter Solberg's Subaru is still visible on one of the walls. The 'Col' boasts no fewer than sixteen hairpins and is framed by vertical rock faces on one side, and sheer drops on the other. And they don't think I should bother with a helmet...

It's early afternoon and it's starting to snow. This priceless artefact is still on the tyres it wore in '85 and only last week, this very stretch of tarmac claimed two of the leaders in this year's Monte Carlo Rally - the blue paint from Petter Solberg's Subaru is still visible on one of the walls. The 'Col' boasts no fewer than sixteen hairpins and is framed by vertical rock faces on one side, and sheer drops on the other. And they don't think I should bother with a helmet...

Thankfully, Audi has managed to close the road for our entertainment. "We talked to the Police and offered them tea and cake at the nearby hotel," says one of the mechanics. "They said it was OK if we shut the road for ten minutes at a time. You have to remember that this is France, not Germany or Britain."

Blomqvist and I are now safety strapped in and the Audi's engine is growling menacingly just millimetres in front of my toes. At its peak, this turbocharged 2.1-litre monster was developing over 600bhp. That's roughly double the output of today's heavily-regulated rally cars. The S1 weighs less too. Even now, this priceless artefact is developing something in the region of 450bhp. "It was a lot," says Blomqvist, "but you still wanted more. If the other drivers can cope with the horsepower, then you always want more."

Thankfully, Audi has managed to close the road for our entertainment. "We talked to the Police and offered them tea and cake at the nearby hotel," says one of the mechanics. "They said it was OK if we shut the road for ten minutes at a time. You have to remember that this is France, not Germany or Britain."

Blomqvist and I are now safety strapped in and the Audi's engine is growling menacingly just millimetres in front of my toes. At its peak, this turbocharged 2.1-litre monster was developing over 600bhp. That's roughly double the output of today's heavily-regulated rally cars. The S1 weighs less too. Even now, this priceless artefact is developing something in the region of 450bhp. "It was a lot," says Blomqvist, "but you still wanted more. If the other drivers can cope with the horsepower, then you always want more."

The thrust arrives in a mighty dollop the moment the rev needle hits 4000rpm. It's like being hit by a short-arm jab and on these snowy roads, it's enough to send the rear of the Audi squirming out of line. This car belongs to the famous Group B era, when the power of the engine was out of kilter with the sophistication of the chassis. Put simply, they had too much power for their own good.

We arrive at a hairpin and Blomqvist tugs at the handbrake as the Audi pirouettes about its nose. It's fascinating to watch him in action. There is no sense of drama, just a calm authority and a method of movement. Out of the hairpin, he pumps the clutch to keep the engine spinning near its power band. It's a boy's own anti-lag system, to replace the original system that's no longer connected to this museum piece.

That original system was one of the most brutally effective pieces of engineering ever employed in professional motorsport. Audi knew that they needed to keep the turbo spinning but they lacked the electronic trickery of today, so they developed a way of injecting fuel into the exhaust system, creating a secondary explosion. That's why an S1 at flat chat could be seen throwing six-foot flames out of its exhaust pipes. It wasn't excess fuel being burned, it was the anti-lag system.

The thrust arrives in a mighty dollop the moment the rev needle hits 4000rpm. It's like being hit by a short-arm jab and on these snowy roads, it's enough to send the rear of the Audi squirming out of line. This car belongs to the famous Group B era, when the power of the engine was out of kilter with the sophistication of the chassis. Put simply, they had too much power for their own good.

We arrive at a hairpin and Blomqvist tugs at the handbrake as the Audi pirouettes about its nose. It's fascinating to watch him in action. There is no sense of drama, just a calm authority and a method of movement. Out of the hairpin, he pumps the clutch to keep the engine spinning near its power band. It's a boy's own anti-lag system, to replace the original system that's no longer connected to this museum piece.

That original system was one of the most brutally effective pieces of engineering ever employed in professional motorsport. Audi knew that they needed to keep the turbo spinning but they lacked the electronic trickery of today, so they developed a way of injecting fuel into the exhaust system, creating a secondary explosion. That's why an S1 at flat chat could be seen throwing six-foot flames out of its exhaust pipes. It wasn't excess fuel being burned, it was the anti-lag system.

The ferocity of these vehicles made crashes inevitable and the Group B era came to an abrupt end when the cars were banned after two serious accidents, the second of which killed Lancia legend Henri Toivonen and his co-driver. "It was really bad luck that the accidents happened," reckons Blomqvist. "I wasn't concerned for my safety and I don't think it was necessary to ban the cars. Today, corner speeds are much higher so the accidents are even bigger."

The ferocity of these vehicles made crashes inevitable and the Group B era came to an abrupt end when the cars were banned after two serious accidents, the second of which killed Lancia legend Henri Toivonen and his co-driver. "It was really bad luck that the accidents happened," reckons Blomqvist. "I wasn't concerned for my safety and I don't think it was necessary to ban the cars. Today, corner speeds are much higher so the accidents are even bigger."

Audi has now sold over two million quattro cars worldwide and quattro models now account for 30 percent of the company's UK sales. Quattro is critical to Audi's brand image and the S1, as the most extreme expression of the concept, is crucial to its history. There will probably never be another rally car that's as barking mad as the S1, which made a ride in it even more special.

by: Alistair Weaver - http://www.channel4.com/

Audi S1 Rally Group B is the first 4-wheel drive car in the Group B era. Not the best handling but a fire spitting, tire shredding monster. Surpassed by the outrageous S1 evolution in 1986.

"Accelerating from 180-200mph is like 30-40mph in a normal road car..." -- Walter Rohrl

Engine: Five cylinder, turbo-charged, 600+ bhp

Transmission: Four wheel drive - 4WD -, six speed

World Champions (Makes): 1982 and 1984

Top Drivers: Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, Walter Rohrl, Michele Mouton

Base in: Audi Sport Quattro

Audi S1 0-100 kmh / 0-60 mph: 2.3 sec.

Sources: http://www.channel4.com/ and http://tehomylly.com/audi/S1_rallye.htm

End of Audi S1 Rally Group B 1981 - 1989 review.