In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class".
This contrasts with the Group A all-out competition production-derived vehicles. In relation to Motorsport governed by the FIA, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition Group N cars are limited in terms of modifications made from standard specification. Group N was introduced by the FIA in 1982 to replace the outgoing Group 1 as "standard touring cars". Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar)
To qualify for homologation, a minimum of 2500 cars of the competing model have to be built in one year, out of 25,000 for the entire range of the model (eg: 2500 Subaru Impreza WRX, out of 25,000 Subaru Impreza). Homologation is a technical term derived from the Greek homologeo (ὁμολογέω for "to agree" which is generally used in English to signify The Subaru Impreza WRX, is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an All-wheel drive automobile The Subaru Impreza' is a Compact car that was first introduced by Subaru in 1993
Road racing
While Group A became the standard category for international touring car racing, Group N found a home as a more economic class in national touring car racing. Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct Auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars In many countries, there would often be two touring car championships, one for Group A and one for Group N. The category had some brief success with the demise of the Supertouring class in the late 1990s, when a few national regulations were relaxed to allow a greater number of modifications, in the guise of "Superproduction". Supertouring, Class 2 or Class II Touring Cars were the rules laid out by the FIA for national Touring car racing in 1994 based on the 2
The category is still used in circuit racing all over the world, notably in Japan who has the long running Super Taikyu (スーパー耐久 Suupaa Taikyu?, translated as Super Endurance), as well as in the Italian ETCS endurance series run by Peroni Promotion, but was once again relegated to a secondary status with the introduction of Super 2000, the class of cars currently run in the World Touring Car Championship. The European Train Control System ( ETCS) is a signalling, control and train protection system designed to replace the many incompatible safety systems currently Super 2000, also known as S2000, is an FIA specification and classification for production based race cars The World Touring Car Championship ( WTCC) is an international Touring Car championship organized by the FIA. The WTCC cars are based on "Superproduction" Group N, but have a greater degree of modification and are closer in spirit to Supertouring.
Rally racing
In Rallying, the Production World Rally Championship is run under Group N rules. Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars The FIA Production World Rally Championship, or PWRC, is a companion Rally series to the World Rally Championship, and is driven on the same The cars used were modified road cars, often based on turbocharged, four wheel drive versions of standard small cars such as the Subaru Impreza WRX and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, although a wide range of vehicles is homologated by the FIA for use in Group N. A turbocharger, or turbo, is an air Compressor used for forced-induction of an Internal combustion engine. Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4x4 ("four by four" is a four-wheeled Vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four Wheels to The Subaru Impreza WRX, is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an All-wheel drive automobile The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo, or Evo, is a car manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors.
The range of modifications allowed is quite narrow - few mechanical engine modifications are allowed (save for lightening within set limits and baffled sumps) although the choice of ECU is free, and this can liberate some extra power itself, and most of the modifications allowed are to promote longevity rather than increased performance, although the boundaries of these two areas are blurring. An engine control unit (ECU is an Electronic control unit which controls various aspects of an Internal combustion engine 's operation
Originally, Group N meant that all the interior trim had to be present (including the rear seat), whereas this has now changed to allow removal of the trim aside from the dashboard and replacement of the door trim. The springs and dampers are free, as are the internals of the gearbox, providing that the homologated gear ratios and gearchange pattern are respected. This allows the use of 'dog' engagement gearboxes, providing quicker gearchanges and longer gearbox life. There is provision for strengthening of the suspension components and bodyshell, providing this doesn't alter the operating principle.
The FIA and many national motorsport associations are moving towards making rallying championships based in Group N, in an attempt to reduce costs, reinforce the link between motorsport and the car that the member of the public drives, and to reduce the environmental impact of motorsport.
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