Super 1600
Encyclopedia
Super 1600 is a rally car
formula that is primarily used in the Junior World Rally Championship
, as well as various national rally championships. Any automobile manufacturer that has a suitable road-going production model in its range may develop a specification for use in this formula. It was devised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
(the international governing body of motorsport) in 2000 and first saw competitive use in 2001. Super 1600 is intended to provide a young driver's entry point into international rallying, and the World Rally Championship
in particular.
in which a suitable production road car design is modified within the limits of a formula's technical regulations. Such changes may include modified or entirely new parts in the engine, gearbox, suspension, bodywork and so on. In the Super 1600 formula, "suitable" is defined as a passenger car that has one driven axle (two-wheel drive
) and a 4-cylinder
engine that is of naturally aspirated configuration with a maximum volume of 1640cc. At the time of homologation, the car must currently or have previously been in serial production.
The direct involvement of manufacturers is not necessary for homologation to be granted; in most forms of production-based motorsport, it is quite common for cars to be developed by independent
constructors and specialist teams. Even official factory-supported development programs are often outsourced
to an experienced third party. The Citroën C2
is an example of in-house development; the Ford Fiesta
was developed by a contracted specialist (M-Sport
); and the Opel Corsa
was developed independently without assistance from GM
.
with a maximum of six forward ratios. The engine may be modified (with the exception of the cylinder block and head) to produce a maximum power output of 230hp
and the exhaust is subject to a noise restriction of 100dB
at 4500rpm
.
As with the World Rally Car
specification, Super 1600 requires a production-standard bodyshell that is made safe for competition with the addition of a roll cage
. Certain other modifications can be made to increase the width of the bodywork and improve its aerodynamic
efficiency. The weight of the competition car is reduced to a minimum of 980kg
, with a lower minimum weight of 920 kg if an engine with only two valves per cylinder is employed. In most cases, this is approximately 50 to 100 kg less than the weight of the production car version; the 1.6ltr Citroën C2
, for example, weighs 1084 kg.
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
formula that is primarily used in the Junior World Rally Championship
Junior World Rally Championship
The FIA Junior World Rally Championship is a complementary series to the World Rally Championship as is the Production World Rally Championship , and the Super 2000 World Rally Championship . As JWRC was originally envisioned as a series for developing drivers, it is limited to drivers below the...
, as well as various national rally championships. Any automobile manufacturer that has a suitable road-going production model in its range may develop a specification for use in this formula. It was devised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
(the international governing body of motorsport) in 2000 and first saw competitive use in 2001. Super 1600 is intended to provide a young driver's entry point into international rallying, and the World Rally Championship
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
in particular.
Eligibility
Most FIA-approved rally car formulae are in some way production-based, from Super 1600 to World Rally car specification. This necessitates a process of homologationHomologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
in which a suitable production road car design is modified within the limits of a formula's technical regulations. Such changes may include modified or entirely new parts in the engine, gearbox, suspension, bodywork and so on. In the Super 1600 formula, "suitable" is defined as a passenger car that has one driven axle (two-wheel drive
Two-wheel drive
Two wheel drive or 2WD describes vehicles with a drivetrain that allows two wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously.-Four wheeled vehicles:...
) and a 4-cylinder
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
engine that is of naturally aspirated configuration with a maximum volume of 1640cc. At the time of homologation, the car must currently or have previously been in serial production.
The direct involvement of manufacturers is not necessary for homologation to be granted; in most forms of production-based motorsport, it is quite common for cars to be developed by independent
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
constructors and specialist teams. Even official factory-supported development programs are often outsourced
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
to an experienced third party. The Citroën C2
Citroën C2
The Citroën C2 is a supermini-class car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since autumn of 2003, replacing the Citroën Saxo, it was built at the Aulnay plant on the outskirts of Paris. A different model, based on the Peugeot 206, is sold in China as the C2...
is an example of in-house development; the Ford Fiesta
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa...
was developed by a contracted specialist (M-Sport
M-Sport
M-Sport is a large and successful motorsport team based in Cockermouth, Cumbria in England. Formed in 1979 by former WRC driver Malcolm Wilson, and originally known as Malcolm Wilson Motorsport, the team has had varying success running cars in several rally championships...
); and the Opel Corsa
Opel Corsa
The front-wheel drive Opel Corsa was first launched in September 1982 to replace the Opel Kadett C City, and to fill the gap vacated as the Kadett grew in size and price. Built in Zaragoza, Spain, the first Corsas were three-door hatchback and two-door saloon models, with four-door and five-door...
was developed independently without assistance from GM
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
.
Modifications
The production car's standard gearbox is replaced by a sequential manual gearboxManual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
with a maximum of six forward ratios. The engine may be modified (with the exception of the cylinder block and head) to produce a maximum power output of 230hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
and the exhaust is subject to a noise restriction of 100dB
Decibel
The decibel is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities...
at 4500rpm
Revolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
.
As with the World Rally Car
World Rally Car
World Rally Car is a term used to describe racing automobiles built to the specification set by the FIA, the international motorsports governing body, and used to compete in the outright class of the World Rally Championship...
specification, Super 1600 requires a production-standard bodyshell that is made safe for competition with the addition of a roll cage
Roll cage
A roll cage is a specially constructed frame built in the cab of a vehicle to protect its occupants from being injured in an accident, particularly in the event of a roll-over. Roll cages are used in nearly all purpose-built racecars, and in most cars modified for racing...
. Certain other modifications can be made to increase the width of the bodywork and improve its aerodynamic
Automotive aerodynamics
Automotive aerodynamics is the study of the aerodynamics of road vehicles. The main concerns of automotive aerodynamics are reducing drag , reducing wind noise, minimizing noise emission, and preventing undesired lift forces and other causes of aerodynamic instability at high speeds...
efficiency. The weight of the competition car is reduced to a minimum of 980kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
, with a lower minimum weight of 920 kg if an engine with only two valves per cylinder is employed. In most cases, this is approximately 50 to 100 kg less than the weight of the production car version; the 1.6ltr Citroën C2
Citroën C2
The Citroën C2 is a supermini-class car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since autumn of 2003, replacing the Citroën Saxo, it was built at the Aulnay plant on the outskirts of Paris. A different model, based on the Peugeot 206, is sold in China as the C2...
, for example, weighs 1084 kg.
S1600 homologations
This table shows the most notable S1600 cars that have competed at international level.Make | Model | JWRC Junior World Rally Championship The FIA Junior World Rally Championship is a complementary series to the World Rally Championship as is the Production World Rally Championship , and the Super 2000 World Rally Championship . As JWRC was originally envisioned as a series for developing drivers, it is limited to drivers below the... wins |
---|---|---|
Citroën Citroën Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that... |
C2 Citroën C2 The Citroën C2 is a supermini-class car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since autumn of 2003, replacing the Citroën Saxo, it was built at the Aulnay plant on the outskirts of Paris. A different model, based on the Peugeot 206, is sold in China as the C2... |
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Suzuki Suzuki is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines... |
Swift Suzuki Swift The Suzuki Swift is a subcompact car produced by Suzuki in Japan since 2000. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been applied to the Suzuki Cultus in export markets such as Australasia, Europe, India and North America.- Predecessor :... |
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Citroën Citroën Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that... |
Saxo Citroën Saxo The Citroën Saxo is a supermini produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1996 to 2003. It was also sold in Japan as the Citroën Chanson. It shares many engine and body parts with the Peugeot 106 , the major difference being interiors and body panels... |
10 |
Renault Renault Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker... |
Clio Renault Clio The Renault Clio is a supermini car produced by the French automobile manufacturer Renault. Originally launched in 1990, it is currently in its third generation... |
10 |
Suzuki Suzuki is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines... |
Ignis Suzuki Ignis The Suzuki Ignis is a subcompact car that was produced by Suzuki between 2000 and 2008, replacing the Suzuki Cultus. The Cultus retailed under various names globally, notably as the Suzuki Swift... |
9 |
Fiat Fiat FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli... |
Punto Fiat Punto The Fiat Punto is a supermini produced by the Italian manufacturer, Fiat, since 1993.-1st generation :Internally codenamed Project 176, the Punto was announced in September 1993 and launched in late 1993 as a replacement for the ageing Fiat Uno. The Fiat Punto was voted European Car of the Year... |
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Ford | Puma Ford Puma The Ford Puma was a small sports coupé produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1997 to 2001 http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/owners-reviews/search.aspx?range=438#fuel=P&Body=Coupe&transmission=M, for sale in Europe... |
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Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is... |
Polo Volkswagen Polo The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, coupé and estate variants.... |
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