1985 Lombard RAC Rally (day one - late) 

The S1 PDK sounded amazing. I love the scene where Walter has to straighten the car up after a turn and then boots it on the straight. I remember reading Rally Sport magazine back in the day (where all my pocket money went! Read it, then cut out the pictures and put them on my wall, school folders, school books....everywhere!) and seeing the button on top of the audi gearstick that when it was depressed the clutch engaged so the driver could left foot brake all the time if they wanted. I think this was a precursor for PDK / DSG. Love the idea of the delta being twin charged also. And the T16 with the F1 turbo, and the dual shock Rs200 suspension.....it was just amazing tech for the time. Hearing about the S4 in tarmac spec being able to qualify 7th on the grid of an F1 race really brought home to me how quick these cars were. But to see them in the flesh, on tarmac Irish roads, as a kid, with the Williams developed 6R4 and older manta 400s, 240 Rs and a variety of Mk2 escorts.....man, I felt like the luckiest kid in the world 😊😊

When you look at what the Beeb did back then, it really puts modern coverage to shame, simply brillaint and amazing times, so odd I was at Weston the other day, and the rally was all chicances and bales, lol

My favourite rally of all time. I can still remember being blown away by the speedtrap on stage one; Henri was a god in my eyes. This is one of my most vivid memories as a young teen. This actual programme, this episode, made me totally and utterly fall in love with rallying. And the stars!!! Tomi, Markuu, Henri, Juha, Walter, Hannu, Jimmy, Tony, Russell, Malcolm, Bjorn, Stig, Per.......they're like childhood friends to me now. The mere mention of their names makes me smile, make S1 E2 sounds in my head and drive my invisible rally car around my home. How lucky was I to live through this? An age of heros driving monsters that roared with the fury of pride of angry lions and belched the flames of dragons. I'm so grateful that you're saving all of this footage for future generations of petrol heads. My 8 year old son is starting to love the sport now too thanks, in part, to your videos. Thank you!!

Happy memories .. this was my first full week of RAC rally ... spent Sunday in chatsworth marshaling... then drove down to catch the forest of Dean.. which we missed .. instead picked up a service area in South Wales... stood behind Ceaser Fiorio ( the lancia boss) at the chippy ... fantastic days

"We do listen to what the more intelligent drivers do say". No wonder Group b got banned. Thanks for upload. 👍

That lancias speed trap at 104mph was really out of this world. Frightening

Amazing, what an era! What a fantastic event, legendary cars and drivers.

First footage I've ever seen of the dual clutch S1. Awesome.

Compare this to the super rushed more orless exclusive to youtube Rally coverage we get today. Now TV channels will not even pay to have a presenter to cover a rally. Instead we get coverage that consists 70% of onboard footage because the WRC are to cheap to have camera's down the stages and some helicopter footage squeezed into 3 minutes which is supposed to cover 1 days rallying

Remember watching this live and subsequently watching the video time and time again. Wonderful.

Amazing footage. Oh to go back to see & hear these cars in person. Group B cars look so ponderous at low speed compared to a modern WRC cars-but boy did they ever go well in a straight line! Still hugely impressive 35years later!!

Amazing times of RAC, so fast for this times and very different technologys !

I remember how we would try to get back from the forest stages to wherever we were staying to catch the last BBC update for the day. And if we couldn't get to the rally at all you could rely on the BBC to cover it for you. One time I blagged my way into the restricted areas at the Harewood House hill climb stage near Leeds - borrowed a fairly hefty portable camera from work (Yorkshire TV) and told them I was press :) - that wouldn't work these days. Still have the footage somewhere on betacam tape - remember that ?

An interesting comment from Sue Barker about Wilson's bonnet pin failing and letting the bonnet fly up obscuring his view. I have a photo of the same thing happening to a John Price Rallying 6R4 in the Trelowarren stage of the Tour of Cornwall in I think 1993. That bought some great memories back

I used to love when this came on Telly and always loved the Quattro ... I used to emulate them or so I thought when driving my Dads car ..... oh dear what a Pratt ..... 😀

Just close your eyes and listen to that Audi..... Once heard never forgotten...

Thanks very much for converting and uploading all these old vids. Have a kiss and a hug. ♥♥ It's great to know that this classic (and historically significant) action will live on digitally long after all forms of motorsport have been banned for being s-l-l-lightly silly... ;-)

Wow! Takes me back to my teenage days tape this on betamax been still in loft of my old house...cheers for sticking this stuff on...magic

Willy Woollard pressing home the point about the length of the route to Nick Brittain, and Nick denying there is even a problem and suggesting subterfuge on behalf of the drivers! 1980's PR rocks!

Rohrl in the PDK equipped quattro borrowed from Porsche you can really see the difference in power delivery. Shame Audi Sport did'nt run one of the cars with it on the 86 Monte.

cool video, I was born in 1990 so too young to have seen Group B so great to see old rallies on youtube

Another superb upload. Thank you vhs rallies for providing excellent entertainment during this difficult time.

6R4 What a sound.

Henkka trying to move a log with front bumper….. what a character🙏🙏😎😎

Fantastic footage. Superb stuff

Thanks.

Thankyou

Cool stuff! I love the Rx-7, if i remember right it has a peripheral ported engine.

Great era...

Speed trap based on 6R4 readout was straight off the previous bend. Seems very conservative imo.

Now that's what I call presenting >1

With hindsight, the interview with Brittain is quite appalling. Were the drivers supposed to sleep during the transfers? I'd guess sitting in a Delta S4 isn't the most sleep-friendly environment to rest... Unthinkable to plan a rally with 10 hours of off time in three days.

No pace notes, but still very fast what a group of drivers.

Russel Brookes and that “Andrews for Hire” livery ✊👍👍👍👍👍👍 I wonder if these guys (the ones still with us) know that there are fans out here who watch all these old rally’s on RU-vid? I’d rather watch any of these older 1970’s -1980’s- 1990’s rallies than ANY modern racing. The cars are more interesting, the drivers more heroic, and the driving more exciting.

13:54 we will never see this again

i think Henri forgot his English when Neil Wilson told him “tight left...” on the opening stage

in interviews Tony Pond is the way rallying was, Malcolm Wilson how rallying will be in the future.

Was this after Ari's crash since he is not piloting the Peugeot? I thought that happened in 86 unless I got my timeline mixed up. It's mind boggling to see Willy press on points and knucklehead going well its an excuse for service. Facepalm.

Tony Pond, so glad he was presented with a speed bike xd

If anyone from the FIA /Rally GB organisation is watching this and wondering what them strange looking objects are in the background?. well I'm hear to tell you it's called a crowd..yes many yrs ago right up until 2003 one wkend in November thousands use to get up at stupid a'clock (me and my brother included) and go and stand at some stately home in the rain and watch this once great event..why oh why did you think it would be a good idea then to shift this whole event to Wales?..have you any idea the revenue and more so the enjoyment these Sunday stage's use to bring.well whoever you are I'd just like say thanks for alienating thousand's of rally fans in this criminal decision to move it. 200k turned out for this day alone!and it use to be like it every yr sometimes 7/8 deep. I doubt rally GB gets anywhere near that on the overall event.

Great coverage. Levels apart from today's scam

What a spectacle those Mickey Mouse stages were for the fans. Todays 'Super Specials' are rubbish in comparison !

Grunt monsters 👍

This Was Rallying at its Best and Most interesting,Unlike the Boring Hybrid Junk We Have to Put up With in 2023,Why Can We Not Have Propper Sounding Engines Again instead of EV Hybrid Junk.

4wd f1 cars with 2 seats

UFOs