To encourage manufacturers to enter rallies, often reluctant for costs reasons, in 1993 the FIA decided to add a more flexible and permissive variant to the Group A cars: the F2 Kit Car class. This class for two-wheel drive cars is divided into 4 groups (K0, K9, K10 and K11), which are basically extensions of the A0, A5, A6 and A7 classes. Kit-Cars can mount larger brakes, individual throttle bodies, instead of the mandatory single intake body for Group A cars, and they can have a widenend bodykit compared to the model from which they derive (in Group Ad the bodywork must remain the same as the road car they used for homologation).
K11s were the main ones. They had a minimum empty weight of 960 kg (subsequently raised to 1,000 kg) and powered by 2.0-liters, naturally-aspirated engines that were able to produce around 280 hp in their final evolutions and rev up to 10,000 rpm but still be pretty reliable in order to took part in a full rally weekend. The most famous K11s were the Peugeot 306 Maxi, the Renault Megane Maxi, the Citroën Xsara Maxi, the Seat Ibiza and the Renault Clio Maxi. While the K10s were powered by 1.6-litre, naturally-aspirated engines with powers around the 220-230hp mark, whose most famous were the Citroën Saxo, the Peugeot 106 Maxi and the Fiat Punto.
For the first two years, during which the championship was called FIA Cup for Manufacturers of Touring Cars (2-Litre) and then renamed FIA 2-Litre World Rally Cup from 1994, the cars were mainly modified from the ones already used in the various Group-A ramifications. It's in 1995 that the purposely built Kit Cars appear in the championship. The Renault Clio Maxi was the first one, followed by the Peugeot 306 Maxi a couple of months after the beginning of the season.
As the 1990s progressed, K11 cars proved to be exceptional tarmac rally cars. With more engine freedoms and lighter weights they could match and even beat the turbo 4WD Group A and WRC cars. This wasn't actually a big problem in national and local rallies but it started to be when in 1997 the F2 Cup start running together with the World Rally Championship and some of the Kit Car drivers became proper contenders for the overall win of tarmac rallies. The need to revise and replace the Kit Cars class regulations was emphasised in 1999 when Philippe Bugalski took his tarmac optimised Citroën Xsara Kit Car to victory in Rallye Catalunya and three weeks later at the Tour de Corse beating all the WRC cars. In addition to this, the increased development costs and the lack of manufactures for the last season led to the end of this class. It was replaced by the Super-2000 (and Super-1600) class.
Enjoy this big compilation I made using almost all the material I produced in the last 7 years about the Renault Clio Maxi!
#RenaultClioMaxi #ClioMaxi #KitCar
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to thank my friends and youtubers ‪@Italiansupercarvideo‬ and ‪@MattyB727‬ for the great collaboration done during some of these events. Don't forget to subscribe to their channels!!
-- Subscribe to my 2nd channel here: / @19bozzy92ndchannel
You can also find and follow me on:
- Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/19bozzy92/
- Facebook: / 19bozzy92yt
- Instagram: / ste19bozzy92
- Camcorder: Canon Legria HF G30 & GX10 + Canon DM-100 Microphone
- Events: Rally Legend 2013-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19 / Ronde Gomitolo di Lana 2013 / Ronde Città dei Mille 2013 / Special Rally Circuit by Vedovati 2015-2016
- Where: San Marino / Biella, Italy / Selvino, Italy / Monza Circuit, Italy
Link To My Channel: / 19bozzy92
THANKS FOR WATCHING AND SUBSCRIBE!!!