THERE'S A NEW VERSUS MOVIE COMING, AND IT'S ABOUT THE ICONIC AUDI VS LANCIA GROUP B RALLY BATTLE.
In the world of rally racing, one of the most amazing eras was in the 80s with the Group B rally class. It was the most competitive time in rally, and also the most dangerous. Group B was introduced in 1982 and it was designed to redefine the landscape of rally racing by pushing the limits of technology, speed, and performance to unprecedented levels. The cars created during this era are legendary, and they offer insane performance, even by today’s standards. Group B regulations allowed manufacturers to create highly advanced and powerful rally cars, with minimal restrictions on technology, design, and materials. This led not only to the development of some of the most technologically advanced cars but also some of the most amazing-looking cars. They cost millions back then, and manufacturers put silly money into creating competitive cars. Audi had the S1 Quattro, Ford had the RS200, Lancia had the Delta S4 and 037, and Peugeot the 205 T16 and these were the ones to beat, and the rivalry between them was as legendary as the race series itself. Many of the cars had more than 500 hp in race mode, and the competition was so fierce it was responsible for Audi’s now well-known Quattro all-wheel drive system. While the cars were the stars of the show, the series also gave birth to some of the best drivers on the planet, these drivers reached superstar level and were celebrities in their home countries. With ridiculously fast cars came an element of danger, and fatalities in a race became too common, which eventually caused the demise of Group B. Back in 1997 a documentary on Group B was released, and any true motorsport fan will have seen it, it was called Too Fast to Race.
That documentary went viral before viral was a thing. The internet wasn’t the same as it is today, there were no social media platforms or places to watch videos, but pirated VHS video tapes and burned CDs were a big thing. That’s how I saw the documentary, on a CD that was ripped from a VHS tape in the UK and brought over to SA in a friend’s luggage. There wasn’t a single person in my circle of friends that didn’t get to see it. You can find some of it online if you search around, but luckily for fans of that era, there’s a new movie coming out that highlights the battle for supremacy between Audi and Lancia, and it’s now on my list of must-see movies for 2024. The trailer shows an amazing production, and my only hope is that the whole movie is as good as what’s seen in the trailer. Race for Glory: Audi vs Lancia is the title, and it highlights the 1983 race season. The filming looks amazing, and stars Riccardo Scamarcio as Cesare Fiorio, Volker Bruch as Walter Röhl, Daniel Brühl as Roland Gumpert, Katie Clarikson-Hill as Jane McCoy and Esther Garrel as Michele Mouton. The movie is set to release on 5 January 2024, and our calendars are set with reminders already. There’s a saying that goes: “WRC is for boys, Group B is for men”, and that definitely ruffles a few feathers, especially since Michele Mouton can outdrive most guys out there with her eyes closed. In 1986, she joined the Peugeot team and won the German Rally Championship as the first female driver ever to win a major rally championship. She retired from racing soon after when Group B was banned, but started up again in the 90s, and even today. Even now, Mouton is still the only woman to win a rally championship, which is why she’s referred to as the Queen of Speed.
Take a look at the YouTube video that previews the upcoming movie set in the early-to-mid 80s that shows the battle for supremacy in the best racing class ever created, Group B rally, between Audi with its iconic Sport Quattro S1 and Lancia's equally legendary 037: RACE FOR GLORY Official Trailer (2024) Audi vs Lancia | Movie Trailers Source
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