The 10 Best Rally Cars of All Time in the EASCR

Looking back over the last 43 years of Rally competition, several cars have emerged and taken to the stages. While some of these cars are statistically the greatest, others have just had such a great impact on the world of rallying that we just couldn’t include them.

Triumph TR7

The Triumph TR7 sports car was manufactured in the United Kingdom from September 1974 to October 1981 by British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), which changed its name to British Leyland (BL) in 1975.

The car comes with an engine capacity of 1,998 cc (2.0 l) I4; 3,528 cc (3.5 l) V8 and Kerb weight of 1,101 kg and a transmission of 4-speed manual; 5-speed manual.

At 4.06 meters (160 inches), it is a relatively short vehicle, so only a four-cylinder engine is available.

The 2.0-liter eight-valve unit is mounted inline at the front sending 105 horsepower (78 kilowatts) to the rear wheels through, initially, a four-speed gearbox, replaced by an optional five-speed transmission, or a three-speed automatic.

Frank Tundo, and Speedy Tundo, are racing in this car at the East Africa Classic Safari Rally.

Porsche 911

With a simple configuration of rear-wheel drive and rear engine, is quite a challenge for drivers, especially when having the larger engines providing up to 125 hp.

Being air-cooled, it is started minutes before racing without necessarily warming up long moments before racing since the temperature rises rapidly and could overheat.

It also competed in the WRC with less success but managed to score points under the talented driving.

A wide range of drivers who took this car to the championship are Baldev Chager, co-driver, while American Ken Block, and Italian co-driver Alex Gelsomino, Swedish driver Patrick Sandell with his countryman Henrik Bolinder.

Others are Belgium Joost Van Cauwenbergh and Jacques Castelein, American David Danglard and Kenyan co-driver Gavin Laurence and Australian Kris Rosenberger, with a German co-driver Nicole Bleicher.

Rover Vitesse

Also known as the SD1, this five-door, RWD fastback are more than just an executive car designed to top Rover's developed by the brand's performance division (SD stands for Specialist Division). Inline-six engines, Rover also offered a 3.5-liter V8. 

 The V8-powered Vitesse produced up to 190 horsepower and also designed a race-spec motor for Group A racing thanks to revised aero and a beefed-up V8 good for up to 340 horsepower, the race-spec SD1 won both the British Touring Car Championship (1984) and the German DTM championship (1986).

 The Rover Vitesse came close to winning the European Touring Car Championship in 1985 and 1986.

 Ian Duncan, co-driver Anthony Neilson, are using this machine for racing.

Ford Escort RS 1,800

First came into existence in 1975, as the Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk2 replacing the successful first generation, the Escort RS1600 and Cortina Lotus that supported Ford’s rally involvement.

Timo Makinen and Henry Liddon in an Escort claimed the victory, and in second was Roger Clark and Tony Mason also in an Escort. The Escort experienced a successful debut in the WRC.

 Lee Rose, with her co-driver Douglas McNeil, are in a Ford Escort RS 1,800. 

Datsun 240Z 

The Fairlady 240Z, also known as the export model name “Datsun 240Z”, participated in the famous “Rally Monte-Carlo” mainly on snowy and icy roads finishing third.

The car adopted the FR (front engine / rear wheel drive) system with the engine mounted in front. The FR system was thought to be disadvantageous on snow and ice. As a result, more and more drivers began driving Z-car at domestic rallies.

 In 1972, it finished third at the 41st Rally Monte-Carlo under Rauno Aaltonen and Jean Todt.

In the EASCR, Ravi Soni, South Africa’s Geoff Bell, with Kenya’s co-driver Tim Challen and Stefano Rocca with Piers Daykin, have taken the challenge of this machine.

Datsun 280Z 

Zs proved themselves on many a rally when new, so they make a good base for a safari build, and this one should be even more capable when it leaves the pavement thanks to a modest lift, strut tower braces, and a reinforced chassis.

 Andrew Siddail, Gary McEihinney, are in this machine.

Ford Escort MK 2

The cabin features two seats upholstered in black vinyl along with a matching dashboard, door panels, center console, and carpets.

Gauges for oil pressure, coolant temperature, fuel level, and amperage are mounted in the central dashboard with the underside reinforced for off-road use and features powder-coated skid plates. A 3″ exhaust system and a turbo muffler have been added. Kenyan Jonathan Somen, with co-driver Richard Hechie, in a Ford Escort MK 2.

Datsun Violet GT

The maximum power output from the GT engine is about 230bhp at 7500rpm, which makes the car only about 20bhp more powerful than the old.

Apart from that the transmission system is not standard, using a Datsun built, five-speed gearbox. Two sets of gear ratios have been developed by Team Datsun Europe for both gravel and tarmac stages. There is a separate set for use on the Safari Rally. A heavy duty lower axle link is one of a number of heavy duty parts designed with the Safari Rally in mind. John Rose and Mike Borissow, are in this car.

Ford Escort RS 2000

A relatively small car manufactured in 1968 as a family car by the Ford family which was frequently the best selling car in Britain during the 1980s and 1990s. Briton Richard Arrowsmith and a Kenyan Tej Sehmi, in a Ford Escort RS 2000.?