Homologation specials hold a special place in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts. These are the same cars that you watched tearing down tracks at warp speed, but for the road. Okay, maybe not exactly the same, as road-legal cars are subjected to different rules, but there is a connection.
Homologation rules brought us legends like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Lancia Delta HF Integrale, and most recently the excellent Toyota GR Yaris, a hot hatch we wish was sold in the U.S. However, though all of those cars are definitely remarkable, they are not nearly as intense as the models you are about to see here.
Homologation specials have become a sort of a dying breed today — partly because racing organizers don't require exact street-legal versions, but also because of the quest for ever higher profits from automakers. Homologation cars once sprouted from all sides of the globe. Seemingly, every automaker had one.
In today's world, low-volume production cars simply don't make much sense. In this feature, we will focus only on the most intense ones. These models had the closest connection to the race breeds, with bonkers numbers even by today's standards.
So, buckle up because, on this homologation journey, you'll see everything from mid-engine European hot hatches to one-off Le Mans giants! Think about the notorious Group B rally, which hosted some of the most intense motorsport in automotive history, and the Audi Sport Quattro will probably be the f.