BMW 635, Jaguar XJS, Rover SD1 and more to wow in 75MM Group A high speed demo

Devotees of the discipline will know that touring car racing is big business – always was (even with the slightly more humdrum title of ‘saloon car’), always will be. Take a production car, modify it for racing and send it out into battle against rivals competing for brand awareness and sales cash.

Since it first took hold, in the 1950s, tin-top motorsport has been a best-seller. Crowds have packed into circuits in the UK, Europe and further afield to cheer on ‘their’ car.

Everyone has a favourite era, but for many the Group A movement was the most exciting. When, in 1982, the touring-car racing police signed off a new breed of street racers, under the title of Group A, manufacturers salivated at the freedom the new rules granted them. Limited numbers of race-bred road rockets, dubbed ‘homologation specials’, sprung up – and they were louder, faster and more dramatic than before. Crack preparation teams had carte blanche to build new weapons for whichever manufacturer they were representing.

And at the 75^th Members’ Meeting in March, Goodwood will celebrate that Group A movement and the near-decade-long impression it made on touring car racing in the 1980s with a high-speed demonstration on each day. Split into two groups – one for older cars, one for later racers – an exotic assortment of well-loved Group A machines will take to the Motor Circuit.

Early pioneers, including BMW’s slippery 635 CSi, Ford’s grunty Mustang GT, Jaguar’s V12 XJS, MG’s giant-killing Metro Turbo, Rover’s seminal SD1 Vitesse and Volvo’s ‘flying brick’ 240 Turbo, will charge round in true period style for an appreciative audience, while the later BMW M3s – bouncing off their high-revving, injected four-pot limiters – and Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500s – all wooshing, popping and flame-spitting – will bring the story up to the late-1980s and the advent of the inaugural World Touring Car Championship of 30 years ago.

Whether you remember these Group A greats from their heyday or are set for an indoctrination in one of touring car racing’s finest eras, it’ll be another unmissable treat sandwiched into the 75^th Members’ Meeting race programme.

Tickets for the 75th Members' Meeting are on sale now, for more information click here!