Autoblog

If your inner rally driver lusts for something different than the run of the mill Subaru or Mitsubishi, there's a tasty new Gallic morsel to spice things up. Citroen is taking their C2 to the FIA Junior World Rally Championship this year, and the C2-R2 Max Rally kit is their ticket to homologation. The kit keeps the price down, but doesn't skimp on serious pieces. The 1.6-liter engine belts out 190 horsepower, and there's larger brakes and a hydraulic steering rack to keep that power in check and make sure it's properly directed. There's also an adjustable rear suspension to help fend off competitors on the track. All of our puppy-dog enthusiasm is for naught; we can't get this un-subtle killer hatch in the United States. C'est la vie.

[Source: Inside Line]

BMW's performance division has made such a name for itself that the letter M has become synonymous with high-performance German sedans and coupes. But the vehicle that started it all was about as Italian as any Teutonic sports car could ever be: a low-slung, mid-engined machine designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro's ItalDesign and built in cooperation with Lamborghini as a homologation special.

The only mid-engine BMW ever made, the roadgoing M1 featured the naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter 279hp twin-cam six later used in the 635CSi and M5. Like a great many short-lived supercars, we have homologation regulations to thank for the M1's existence: 456 examples were built between 1978 and 1981 in order to qualify for Group 5 competition.

Although the turbocharged 850-horsepower version was never a great success in Group 5 racing, it was later entered in the Procar series in support of Formula One races in the late seventies, in which a Marlboro-sponsored Niki Lauda took the title in 1979. The M1 went on to win the IMSA GTO title in 1981.

Follow the jump to check out the video action.

[Source: Carscoop]

If a Porsche 959 is just too commonplace or not quite raw enough to satisfy your primal rally-car lust, how about a Ford RS 200 Evolution? Where as the German vehicle was much like a well-dressed triathlete with social skills, Ford's entry into the Group B madness of the 1980s had a personality more along the lines of a serial killer.

Cosworth was put in charge of squeezing serious power from the turbocharged 2.1L four-banger, and it succeeded to the tune of something in the neighborhood of 650 HP in the Evolution models. Combine that with the weight distribution afforded by a front-mounted transmission (odd for a mid-engined AWD car), and the RS 200 Evo could supposedly scratch its way to 60 MPH in just over two seconds. The distinctive bodywork was designed by Ghia, while a significant number of parts came from the Ford of Europe parts bin.

200 of the vehicles were originally built, with 24 later receiving the conversion to Evolution status. In other words, if something like this strikes your fancy, we'd suggest not passing up the chance.

[Source: Autoweek Classifieds]