It would appear that pleasure and discomfort can coexist. Having threaded your way past the rollcage, fallen into the race seat and wrestled the harness into submission, it's time to fire up. It's steamily hot in here, your forehead beading with sweat as you pump the throttle and turn the key. And nothing. And again. And nothing. Finally, reluctantly, the very first car ever homologated for Group B rallying coughs into life. It's loud, naturally, and each flex of the accelerator ushers in more fanfare. It sounds startlingly exuberant, if only to the onlookers who had stopped to take in the scenic vistas of the Iberian Peninsula but now have their backs to them. Smile for the cameras.
Righty-ho, slot the lever into gear. Okay, try again because it's a mite gristly... And we're in. Ease off the clutch, give it some gas and off we go, off-piste, kicking up dust between the trees. There's some residual compliance in the suspension - but then it is a Citroën, with all that entails. Even so, it's getting busy in here, but boy is it fun. The Visa Trophée is communicative beyond merely being vocal, although 'fidgety' is perhaps closer to the truth. What is conspicuously absent is the sort of speed normally associated with Group B. In the mind's eye, this was the knife-fight-rules era of rallying, the mere mention of it conjuring images of bestial, mid-engined monsters teetering on the brink of oblivion.
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Classic & Sports Car.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2024 edition of Classic & Sports Car.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
