World Sports Car 1985
1985 was full stride into the Group C era and teams were desperately pushing to find ways to dethrone the emerging super power that is Porsche. Lancia had the power but not the reliability while Jaguar was scratching their heads, searching for the 956's Achille's heal. Meanwhile, privateers and custom shops like March and Spice were finding great opportunities to rise above their rivals, launder some cash or possibly smuggle drugs...
One trademark of the 80's sportscar scene was fuel efficiency. With petrol at a premium due to FIA guidelines (a car couldn't run more than 500L per event), teams had to find ways to optimize aerodynamics through ground effects and reduced weight thanks to some aluminum and carbon fiber composites, among other, fancy materials.
As popularity was rapidly growing, every city and every track wanted to feature these iconic cars of the era. Between IMSA, WEC (yes, it was temporarily the World Endurance Championship in the 80's) and other regional series, these cars ran almost every circuit imaginable from permanent road courses to some intriguing street circuits that only ever existed for these cars.
Storm Gang Simulation (SGS), in cooperation with Old Drivers Spirit (ODS) and Virtua_LM Junior Team, is proud to present a solid pack of cars that represent the C1 class of the era for rFactor 2. Big thanks to: Physics: George Angelidis Sound: George Angelidis, Scar Pope R&D: George Angelidis, Stephen Miller, Ben Boorman Testing: Jon Uyan, Jerry Chen, Wouter de Bruijn, John Maher, Adam Gray, Ben Boorman, Daniel Kirby 3D, Graphics and Technical Assistance: Ross Smith, Hably Rizqi, Don Fryman, Scar Pope Liveries: Vasilis Katerinakis, Ozerdogan Design, Alec King, Ben Boorman, Stephen Miller, ODS, VLMJT. Storm Gang testing and development team: Jon Uyan, Jerry Chen, Wouter de Bruijn, John Maher, Adam Gray, Ben Boorman, Daniel Kirby. And ESPECIALLY to our patrons, partners and collaborators. Because of you, we're able to keep producing excellent content.
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rFactor 2 mod available on the Steam Workshop end of 2025
Group C C1
The top performing category of the era and the only one represented in WSC1985
EMKA C84 – Aston Martin
​Also known as the EMKA Aston Martin, the C84 was developed and ran from 1983-85 using the Aston Martin Tickford 5340cc V8. This power plant was specially designed to allow large ground effects via the underbody. Combined with a low curb weight of 890kg, it had great power and handling.
While Michael Cane Racing managed to assemble a star team of talent with Steve O'Rourke, Tiff Needell and Nick Faure, the car was not terribly successful. Its career highlight was in 1985 Le Mans when the bright cyan paint job led the opening laps.
Jaguar XJR-6
Another strong British entry, the XJR-6 was developed to win Group C. While Jaguar would later refine the design with the iconic XJR-9 and later models, The -6 and -7 (developed in parallel for IMSA and other markets) were still adolescents in the program.
One hinderance was the massive 6.2L V12 that Tom Walkinshaw Racing was required to cram into the car, making it heavy. But they were able to introduce a carbon fiber monocoque to help curb the weight, along with some clever design for ground effects. Sadly, 1985 was mostly a development year for the XJR-6 so performance was sporadic, though a 5th and 2nd were well earned followed by more podiums in 1986.
Lancia LC2
Also called the Lancia-Ferrari owing to its Ferrari 308C 2599cc Twin Turbocharged V8, the LC2 was a focal point within the early years of Group C. They were some of the most powerful cars on the grid, securing several podiums over rival, Porsche, under the factory backed sponsor, Martini.
Despite their speed, mechanical issues plagued the team nearly all 3 years of running. While they managed several wins and podiums, much like in the 1970’s, their strong performances just weren’t enough to overcome their German rivals.
March 84G
The F1 manufacturer, March Engineering, had a hand in several racing programs as a provider of top-end equipment. They naturally entered the Group C arena, and while they were more invested in Formula 1, the program was rather successful. The most interesting part of the 84G was its versatility.
Across several different championships, it housed several engines including a Chevy small block, Buick V6, Mazda 13B rotary and a Porsche flat six turbo which is represented in the mod. Dubbed, “The Lobster Claw” for its interesting nose construction, the Adrian Newey design was considered one of the most compliant cars to drive on the grid and was highly modifiable for teams. It was so versatile that it was used in competition in 119+ races and scored several wins and podiums around the world.
Porsche 956
The King of Group C’s premier. The car succeeded the successful 936 with an all-aluminum monocoque chassis and turbo charged Flat-6 (originally developed as an Indycar engine). Fuel efficient and very sleek, it was the first Porsche designed to have ground effects and later on the first to feature a dual clutch transmission. The 956 was a staple of the era, winning more races than any other car.
The Rothman’s factory Porsches were often seen at the front but there were numerous privateers that were also very successful. While the car was a hit with teams and drivers, it had to be redesigned a la the 962, due to the front axle being behind the driver’s feet. An unfortunate characteristic that contributed to the death of Stefan Bellof, who had set several lap records in the car and was ironically spun by Jacky Ickx in the newer 962. The dominance of Porsche in the Group C era was led by the 956 which lives as one of the most iconic racing sportscars today.