Glossary

Rally language is a mix of French, English and Italian. Here are the terms you will come across on this site.

Anti-lag / air-recirculation system
A system that keeps the turbocharger spinning when the driver lifts off, so that power is available the instant the throttle is reopened. It explains the bangs and pops of cars such as the Audi S1.
Co-driver
Reads the pace notes, keeps track of the time schedule and handles the regulations. See co-drivers.
European Rally Championship (ERC)
FISA’s European drivers’ series, run alongside the World Championship. In the Group B years it had around fifty rounds a season, each with a points coefficient from 1 to 4. See European Rally Championship.
Evolution car
A further-developed version of a homologated car. In Group B just twenty examples were enough to homologate an evolution — the Peugeot 205 T16 E2 and the Audi S1 E2, for example.
FISA
Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile, the sporting arm of the FIA in the 1980s. Its president was Jean-Marie Balestre.
Four-wheel drive (4WD, quattro)
Drive to all four wheels. Audi made the breakthrough in rallying in 1981; from 1985 every winning car had it.
Group 4
Group B’s predecessor (400 cars required for homologation). Still permitted in 1982.
Group A
Regulations for production cars built in large numbers. The top class of the World Championship from 1987.
Group B
Regulations for sports and GT cars (1982–1986) that required only 200 road cars. See regulations.
Group S
Group B’s planned successor, with a 300 hp limit and ten cars required for homologation. Never introduced. See the end of Group B.
Homologation
Official approval of a car by the FIA for a given class, based on a minimum number of examples built.
Kevlar and carbon fibre
Lightweight composite materials used for bodywork and chassis. Very light — but the fires of 1985 and 1986 raised hard questions about composite bodies and fuel tanks.
Mid-engine
An engine mounted behind the seats and ahead of the rear axle. It gave the 205 T16, Delta S4, RS200 and Metro 6R4 better weight distribution than the front-engined Quattro.
National championship
A series run by a country’s motor-sport authority, such as the British Open, French or German (DRM) championship. Many of its rounds also counted for the ERC. See European and national championships.
Pace notes
Shorthand describing corners, distances and hazards, written during the recce.
Skirts
Flexible side panels beneath the bodywork. The reason for Peugeot’s exclusion from the 1986 Rallye Sanremo.
Special stage
A closed section of road driven against the clock. The sum of all stage times decides the result.
Stradale
The road-going version of a rally car, built for homologation.
Supercharger
A mechanically driven compressor. The Lancia 037 had one; the Delta S4 combined a supercharger with a turbocharger.
Time control
Every rally consists of special stages and road sections linked by time controls. Checking in too early or too late brings a penalty — as Vatanen found out on the 1985 Monte Carlo Rally.
Turbo lag
The delay between pressing the throttle and the turbo building boost.

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Sources

  1. Wikipedia (EN), Group B — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_B
  2. Wikipedia (EN), Group B (including the planned Group S) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_B
  3. Wikipedia (EN), Audi Quattro (including the Sport Quattro) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_Quattro

All text is original writing for Grouve Sports Management Group, based on the sources above. Facts checked on 21 October 2026.

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Thumbnail photos on this page: Anthospace (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Bahnfrend (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Calreyn88 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Mr.choppers (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); Ermell (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).