Snow, gravel, tarmac: today’s rally car has to be capable of coping with a huge variety of terrain. Where racecars are engineered to exploit the billiard table smooth surfaces of today’s racetracks, the rally car has to be far more versatile. It has to cope with some of the most demanding environments in motorsport and to endure not hours but days of gruelling competition. Rally Race Technology opens up this fascinating world of engineering for a global sport that makes demands like no other. Never has the rally car been more deeply analysed as we provide a unique insight into a world where the engineering is nothing if not radical.
Volume 1 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - The appeal of rallying
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - The latest news from the stages
- Profile: FIESTA WRC - Designed and run by M-Sport, the Fiesta WRC is a truly effective World Rally Car with an interesting development, as Martin Sharp reports
- Focus: TRANSMISSIONS - Lawrence Butcher examines the demands facing rally transmission designers, from materials and construction to operational and packaging requirements
- Insight: DESIGNING A RALLY CAR - Lawrence Butcher examines the unique requirements for a competitive rally car and how they translate into its design
- Focus: SUSPENSION - Martin Sharp considers the wide and varied functions rallying suspension must perform, and how component designs have developed
- Profile: MINI WRC - Despite a history of problems the Mini John Cooper Works World Rally Car has proven to be an effective machine, as Martin Sharp explains
- TECH REVIEW - Lawrence Butcher gives a round-up of some of the latest technology developments to hit the stages
- DIRECTORY - The rally competitors resource
- PS - A look at the car that revolutionised rallying
Volume 2 Contents Include:
- Intro: The Editor - Despite tight technical regulations, rallying is still a hotbed of innovation
- Grid - The latest technical news from the world of rallying
- Insight: Brakes - Lawrence Butcher looks at the specific requirements rallying presents brake manufacturers.
- Dossier: Fiesta R5 - Lawrence Butcher looks at the development of the M-Sport/Ford Fiesta R5, which is taking the rally market by storm
- Dossier: Polo WRC - The Polo R’s tally of WRC wins in 2013 took everyone by surprise – not least the VW Motorsport team that built it. Martin Sharp explains how the car was developed
- Racecar Digest: Chevy Sonic - Lawrence Butcher checks out the Chevy Sonic, the latest contender in the Global Rallycross Championship
- Racecar Digest: Escort Mk2 - Jon Scoltock reports on how one example of this rallying icon has now been developed to challenge its more modern rivals
- Insight: Aerodynamics - While not a major factor in a rally car’s performance, close attention still needs to be paid to aero performance, as Lawrence Butcher explains
- Tech review: Powertrain - FIA regulations have limited rally engine development recently to little more than fine-tuning, but there are gains to be made. Jon Scoltok spoke to Citroen about its ongoing engine program.
- Focus: Chassis - How does a modern rally chassis fulfil its dual role of providing crew safety and car driveability? Jon Scoltock explains
- Focus: Data systems - Lawrence Butcher investigates rally car data logging systems and the ways teams use the information they gather from them
- Paddock - A roundup of the regulatory changes in rallying
- PS - Is there a place for hybrid technology in rallying?
Volume 3 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Rally technology is in rude health
- Grid - The latest news from the world of rally
- Dossier: HYUNDAI I20 WRC - Lawrence Butcher talks to Michel Nandan about Hyundai’s rookie WRC racer
- In-conversation: FX DEMAISON - VW’s WRC project manager on the challenges of the WRC
- Profile: LDM CITROEN DS3 WRX - UK racer Liam Doran’s DS3 rallycross machine examined
- Focus: CORNERS - Jon Scoltock investigates the state of the art in rally car suspension and brakes
- Digest: TOYOTA GT86 CS-R3 - Toyota coupe sees a welcome return of RWD to rallying
- Digest: JRM GROUP N IMPREZA - What goes into creating a modern Group N racer
- Digest: PRODRIVE GOLF SCRC - How did Prodrive develop an all-new rally car in only four months?
- In-conversation: CHRIS WILLIAMS - Lawrence Butcher talks to M-Sport’s Chris Williams about the company’s latest developments
- Insight: TYRES - Rally tyre technology explained
- Digest: 911 GT3 RGT - Jon Scoltock looks at the development of the latest Tuthill developed Porsche 911 to hit the rally stages
- Tech review: DRIVER AIDS - How technology is revolutionising the driver/co-driver environment
- PS: THE LAST HURRAH - Lancia’s divine 037 remembered
Volume 4 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Rallying remains the sternest of tests
- Grid - Technical insights from across the world of rallying
- Dossier: JRM MINI RALLYCROSS - Lawrence Butcher investigates the work undertaken to transform a WRC contender into a rallycross monster
- Tech Review: WRC - On the surface, 2015 was a quiet year for development in the WRC, but under the skin, some manufacturers made significant changes
- Focus: ELECTRONICS - Rallying presents electronics engineers with an exceptionally challenging operating environment, Stewart Mitchell investigates
- Insight: ACTIVE DIFFS - Jon Scoltock investigates the current state of play with active differential technology in rallying
- Profile: MARSHALL METRO 4M4 - Jon Scoltock uncovers this new take on a Group B classic that is terrorising the UK’s tarmac stages
- Focus: BRAKES - Rallying requires drivers to have deftness of touch and fast reactions, how does one design a brake system to match these needs?
- Profile: RX RACING FIESTA SUPERCAR - Hal Ridge looks into the development of a Fiesta rallycross Supercar for racer Ollie O’Donovan
- P.S: ELECTRIC DREAMS - Despite reluctance in the WRC, electric and hybrid rally cars are starting to make their mar
Volume 5 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - VW’s departure from the WRC, coupled with new and more potent cars, heralds a new era for the series
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - BMW unveils its latest Mini for the Dakar Rally, growing popularity of rallycross prompts rule and technology changes, and more…
- In Conversation: SIMON CARRIER - For its return to WRC, Toyota opted to build its contender in Finland, and as the project’s lead designer tells Lawrence Butcher, time was short
- Dossier: SKODA FABIA R5 - Skoda had to start from scratch with its Fabia R5 project but has still produced a championship-winning car. Lawrence Butcher reports
- In Detail: SUSPENSION STRUT LOCATION - The rules in R5 constrain the suspension layouts allowed, writes Lawrence Butcher, leading to variety and of course compromise
- Technical Review: WRC - Lawrence Butcher caught up with some of the key WRC technical personnel at Rally GB in September 2016 to get their take on rallying’s new direction
- Digest: HYUNDAI I20 R5 - Lawrence Butcher finds out what it took to enter this customer rally car in the R5 class for the first time
- Special Investigation: R5 TRANSMISSION - A leading R5 transmission system builder takes Lawrence Butcher through its design and development process
- Digest: SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI - Hal Ridge looks at how the team that develops this rallying icon exploits the regulatory freedom in Rally America’s Open class
- APPENDIX - We explain the various classes in rallying and what they stipulate in terms of the cars that can be fielded
- DIRECTORY - Our listing of the companies providing products and services to the rally community
- PS: GROUP S - We look back on this abortive replacement for the old Group B, and some of the technological wonders it could have spawned
Volume 6 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - For 2017 at least, the FIA got the WRC rules balance right, which gave the entrants scope to pursue their own design solutions
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - Interest grows in fielding R5 machinery, roundup of new or revised cars in the 2017 WRC, and more…
- In Conversation: MALCOLM WILSON - M-Sport’s founder and owner tells Lawrence Butcher how an independent team can take on the might of the global OEMs – and win
- Dossier: VW POLO GTI SUPERCAR - Lawrence Butcher gets the low-down from VW Motorsport’s technical director Francois-Xavier Demaison on the development of this potent, short-track specialist
- WRC TECHNICAL REVIEW - The technical freedoms in the 2017 WRC allowed teams to take a range of approaches to the same problems, as Lawrence Butcher explains
- Digest: M-SPORT FIESTA R2 - Lawrence Butcher finds out where performance and value have been added in this cost-conscious package
- Insight: RALLY SUSPENSION - Lawrence Butcher reports on developments in rally suspension technology, particularly dampers, that have led to better road-holding ability
- Digest: PEUGEOT 3008 DAKAR - Lawrence Butcher examines why Peugeot decided to buck the trend and run this Dakar winner with only two-wheel drive
- Insight: RALLY CAR SIMULATION - Chassis engineering expert Damien Harty explains to Andrea Quinitarelli why rallying has its own particular simulation issues
- Digest: JRD MODULAR AWD CHASSIS KIT - Lawrence Butcher reports on an intriguing concept for converting any roadcar for rallying in the US
- APPENDIX - We explain the make-up of the various classes in rallying and how a typical rally is run
- SUPPLIER DIRECTORY - Our listing of the companies providing products and services to the offroad racing community
- PS: HYBRIDS IN THE WRC - Despite their range limitations, hybrid and EV offroad racers are showing they can stand on a level footing with conventional rallycross machines
Volume 7 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Rallying’s unpredictable nature, and its scope for innovation, make this a superb time for engineers in the sport
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - We look in detail at developments in inerters, and more…
- In Conversation: DAVID LAPWORTH - Prodrive’s technical director tells Lawrence Butcher that while some approaches to rally car engineering have changed over the years, the basics remain the same
- Dossier: PRODRIVE MEGANE WRX - Lawrence Butcher reports on the approach to developing this innovative, clean-sheet rallycross contender for privateers
- 2018 WRC TECHNICAL REVIEW - The technical directors of Citroen, Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport tell Lawrence Butcher about their development priorities during 2018
- Digest: POLO GTI R5 - Lawrence Butcher finds out how VW Motorsport grappled with the regulations to develop an R5 version of its Polo
- Insight: COMPOSITES IN RALLYING - How do rally car builders choose which composite materials to use?Lawrence Butcher explains
- Focus: CHASSIS DESIGN - Peter Donaldson gets the low-down on the stages of designing and developing a rally car chassis
- Insight: SENSOR TECHNOLOGY - Lawrence Butcher explains some of the sensor technologies used in a few key areas of a modern rally car
- Appendix - We explain the make-up of the various rallying and rallycross classes and how a typical rally is run
- Supplier directory - Our listing of the companies providing products and services to the offroad racing community
- PS: THE SOVIET PORSCHE - Although the Porsche 959 was never seriously campaigned in the WRC its DNA lived on – in a Lada
Volume 8 Contents Include:
- Intro: THE EDITOR - Although the WRC is likely to set cost caps from 2022, the R5 class shows that technical freedom and tight budgets can still coexist
- Grid: IN THE NEWS - Hybrid engines and tube frame chassis heralded for the new WRC regulations in 2022, how Hyundai and Skoda updated their R5 cars, and more…
- In Conversation: MICHEL NANDAN - Being in the right place at the right time belies this multiple WRC winner’s talent and passion for motorsport, Leigh O’Gorman finds
- Dossier: M-SPORT FIESTA R5 MKII - Lawrence Butcher reports from M-Sport’s headquarters with details about its new rally car
- Insight: RALLY AERO - Automated analysis provider AirShaper gives Lawrence Butcher a glimpse into the aero performance of a modern R5 car
- Technical Review: WRC 2019 - Grey areas in the WRC regulations allowed teams to bring in some major updates for 2019. Lawrence Butcher reports
- Digest: PROTON IRIZ R5 - Various design features made this supermini a perfect platform for developing an R5 version. Lawrence Butcher reports
- Focus: DIFFERENTIALS - Lawrence Butcher explains the common types of differential used in rallying, and the key design features for tailoring their operation
- Digest: PADDON RALLYSPORT HYUNDAI I20 AP4 - Leigh O’Gorman reports on how this Group AP4 animal was developed with a New Zealand slant
- Appendix - We explain the make-up of the various rallying and rallycross classes and how a typical rally is run
- Supplier directory - Our listing of the companies providing products and services to the off-road racing community
- PS: THE JULES II PROTO - We look back at this gloriously outlandish six-wheel Paris-Dakar contender