The introduction of the new 'Group A' regulations at the start of the 1982 European Touring Car Championship prompted BMW to reconsider their effort. The German manufacturer strongly believed that the 635 CSi previously used, could not be homologated, mainly due to the 5,000-car production (over a single year) homologation requirements. So instead, the 528i Group A was created together with specialists Eggenberger. The four-door saloon complied with both the letter and the spirit of the regulations, unlike the quicker Jaguar XJ-S, Tom Walkinshaw Racing had cleverly managed to get homologated. Mainly due to its reliability, the 528i nevertheless dominated the 1982 season, scoring six wins, including in the all-important Spa 24 Hours. Our feature car was one of the works back BMW Italia machines, which finished second on three occasions.
Taking no chances, BMW had figured out a way to also homologate the 635 CSi as a Group A car for 1983. The racing cars were a collaboration between Alpina, who supplied the engines and Schnitzer, who assembled the cars and also ran the works team. It proved sufficient to stave off the Jaguars for another season, and the ever striking 635 CSi Group A would go on to win the Spa 24 Hours on three different occasions. Our 59-shot gallery includes four different examples, pictured at tracks all around Europe.
American go-fast specialist Hennessey has taken the upcoming Cadillac CTS-V to a new level by creating the HPE1000. As the name suggests, it is powered by a 1,000 bhp version of the Cadillac's V8, which boasts twin turbos instead of a supercharger. Hennessey plans to produce just 24 examples as a 2016 model.
Citroen has reached the production milestone of 50 million vehicles and will celebrate the occasion by introducing the Aircross Concept at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show. The compact SUV features a hybrid drivetrain, good for a combined 308 bhp.
Enjoy the links:
1983 - 1984 BMW 635 CSi Group A - Images, Specifications and Information
1982 BMW 528i Group A - Images, Specifications and Information
2015 Citron Aircross Concept - Images, Specifications and Information
2016 Hennessey CTS-V HPE1000 - Images, Specifications and Information