![]() ![]() In contrast, a front mid-ship engine position allowed for a reassuring polar moment which would be easier for lesser skilled drivers to adapt to varying rally conditions, hence making the car a more attractive proposition to the national-level clientele. In Goldstein’s opinion, such a layout only favoured predictable handling conditions such as on a race track and was more demanding on the driver. Opel Motorsport’s engineering team, then under the lead of newly appointed Karl-Heinz Goldstein, highly debated the actual need for a mid-engine layout. The roof remained steel but the rest of the bodywork was done in lightweight Kevlar composite. Similarly to other Group B creations, most of the original monocoque was retained but with the addition of a front tubular spaceframe for the engine, drivetrain and suspension. The normal production “E” generation of the Opel Kadett / Vauxhall Astra was a front-wheel drive platform but would only share its exterior appearance with the new “4S” ( 4wd / Supercharged) rally car: what lies underneath would be totally foreign to the base model. In 1984, Opel Motorsport manager Tony Fall ordered the Kadett D 400 study as a stepping stone for his last push to the GM executives – an ultimate attempt to give Opel a competitive Group B rally car: the Kadett E 4S. With the arrival of the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, it was evident that the Group B winning formula was to use a small and lightweight car built from scratch to win rallies. Clinging to traditional designs, the humble Opels quickly fell out of contention in the World Rally Championship. In 1983, GM’s motorsport effort in Group B international rallying was with the classic rear-wheel drive Opel Manta B 400: a slightly upgraded version of its sister car, the Group 4 Ascona B 400. Notice: Any form of duplication methods (including but not limited to copy/paste of text and screen capture) of the website's content is strictly forbidden. Originally Published in: 2015 (old website) (C) Jay Auger - website owner & author ![]()
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