Rally car racing blends all the best elements of racing into one wild, spectacular package. Windy roads, mixed terrain, narrow lanes—rally racing has all the action, but how much power is under the hood of these metal machines?
Rally cars can hit 380 BHP at 6000 RPM, powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylider engine. With a maximum torque above 425 Nm, rally cars can reach top speeds above 125 mph.
The power of a rally car is pretty substantial, but a lot of that power is built to withstand lots of impact—jumps, dips, rocks, terrain changes—that comes with the territory in a rally car race. The rest of this article will discuss how powerful rally cars actually are.
Through the years, rally cars have gone through several phases, but modern rally racecars must meet standards set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. On average, they can pump out up to 380 horsepower, reaching speeds of 6000 RPM and a max torque of 450 Nm.
Rally race cars are not allowed to supersede these restrictions for several reasons. First, to level the playing field, manufacturers are required to stay within certain parameters. The main reason that these restrictions exist, however, is mainly for the safety of the driver.
Ever since the trio of terrible deaths in the Group B rally races (1984-1988), safety requirements have been much more stringent. At the time of the Group B rally races, there were very minimal requirements put in place by the FIA. Manufacturers essentially had a carte blanche to design their cars as powerfully—and as recklessly—as they saw fit.
Cars at this time could pump out 600+ HP, making them some of the most powerful rally cars of their day and perhaps even some of the most powerful cars of all time.
These vehicles were also incredibly lightweight, and essential safety components were removed, such as the gravel guard which was meant to protect the alloy tank from being punctured and exploding, making them all the more powerful—and all the more dangerous.
A mighty engine propels these death-defying machines onward through intense technical stretches of tracks, jumps, and dips in the road. The engines are 1.6 liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylider gas engines. As per specifications, they rely on direct fuel injects and have a bore x stroke size of 83.0 mm/73.9 mm.
All of the vehicles are 4-wheel drive to maximize power output on varied terrain and a 6-speed hydraulic shift gearbox utilizes the torque need to handle the vehicle on a variety of road conditions. On paper, these engines would be able to pump out over 500 hp, but due to air restrictors, the raw power of a rally car is mitigated.
Air restrictors limit the amount of air that reaches the engine, reducing the combustion rate as well as the power produced by the engine. Every car in the WRC must abide by this limitation to have an air restrictor with a diameter of 36 mm. Designed to reduce power and even the playing field, air restrictors play a vital role in keeping rally racers safe.
To some people, it may seem like a disappointment that the raw power of a rally racecar engine can’t be used to its full potential, but modern rally racing might have something coming in the 2022 season that will excite diehard fans and newcomers alike.
In the 2022 season, rally cars are allowed to use hybrid engines, allowing for the addition of an electronic motor to the vehicle.
This motor alone can pump out over 130 hp in addition to the 380 hp from the combustion engine. Of course, there will be limitations on when this boost can be used. Similarly, the FIA will probably limit the amount of power that the drivers can output from this engine. To date, the specs for the engines have not changed.
They are still turbocharged, inline 4-cylinder, 1.6 liter, engines, so the power of rally racing cars across the board won’t change too much.
Rally racing cars aren’t as fast as NASCAR vehicles at 200 mph or anywhere near Formula One cars, which can reach top speeds of 230 mph. What distinguishes rally racing cars from other cars is that they have to be designed with incredible suspension systems, powerful torque, and carbon fiber wings.
Rally cars have to handle different weather conditions, muddy roads, and gravelly paths. The tires of a rally car vary depending on the track and weather, between super soft, soft, medium, and hard tires. Soft tires provide a better grip, but wear faster, while hard tires last longer, but don’t grip as well.
If the temperature is hot, racers will use harder tires. If it’s cold, softer ones are more ideal for better grip. Unlike rally racers, NASCAR drivers can only use Goodyear Eagle tires that are specifically designed for NASCAR tracks and are built to handle high speeds.
As such, the true power of a rally car comes from its durable reinforced body shell and hearty suspension system.
Rally racing has changed a lot over the years, with Group B rally racing in 1984 producing some of the most powerful cars ever seen. When it comes down to it, the raw power of a rally racing car is impressive, but its power isn’t comparable to NASCAR or Formula One cars.
In fact, rally racing cars generally average 70-80 mph on the course, only hitting a top speed of 130 mph. No, the true strength of a rally racing car comes from its versatility.
Designed to handle anything that the race track can throw at it, rally racecars are durable and adaptable on the racetrack, making rally racing a truly unique experience that racing fans all over the world pile into stadiums to see every year.
