GROUP A S12

Nissan entered a number of Group A S12 rally cars into the WRC from ’87 to ’89, following the dissolution of Group B. It wasn’t uncommon for rear-wheel-drive cars to find success alongside all-wheel-drive competitors. However, almost all were motivated by turbo four-cylinders — not the S12 though, which ran a NA VG30E.

Although Nissan would have happily used the FJ20ET instead, FIA’s Group A homologation requirements dictated that 5000 production cars fitted with the same chassis and engine architecture must be sold to be eligible. In Japan, FJ sales weren’t enough to qualify, but, thanks to the success of the VG30E 200SX in ’Murica, Nissan could still go rallying — picking up a second and third in the Safari Rally, and winning the Rallye Côte d’Ivoire outright in 1988.