6 March 2025

The term “homologation special” has an important place in the hearts of motoring fanatics around the world. Racing series’ often get criticised for certain rules it implements, or those they don’t, but homogation rules can create some of the finest cars to ever hit the road.

Put simply, if a manufacturer wants to gain an advantage in a racing event with its new car, there’s a chance – depending on the series – that it will need to build a certain number for sale to the public. And that means customers can literally get their hands on a “racing car for the road” – so often a road test cliché, but in these cases, the literal truth. Here are some of the best from over the years.

Lancia Stratos

We have a lot to be thankful for to the World Rally Championship, not least some of the frankly mad cars that have resulted from its homologation rules over the decades. And the Lancia Stratos is one such model. Designed by Bertone, and powered by a Ferrari V6 engine, this short-wheelbase coupe won three World Rally Championships in a row. With almost 200hp in road trim, and weighing in at less than a tonne, it’s still quick today.

 

Plymouth Superbird

Not a big thing over here, but NASCAR is huge Stateside, and in the Sixties, manufacturers started to really work on their ‘stock’ models. So enter Plymouth, matching big V8 power to a pointy front end and HUGE wing at some attempt in aerodynamics.

Porsche 911 GT1

The GT1 regulations for endurance car racing brought us the following two models. And when I say ‘us’ I mean a very few of us. The Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion was a 600+ hp racing car, with mildly fettled suspension to make it drivable on anything other than perfectly smooth tarmac.

Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR

Challenging Porsche in the same era was Mercedes-Benz. It’s CLK GTR may have become more famous for doing backflips along the Mulsanne straight in Le Mans thanks to a glitch in the aerodynamic calculations, but there were also road-going versions produced… on a car that cost around £1.5 million when new. Still, with a 6.9-litre V12 engine, exceptionally low weight, and more road presence than just about anything else every produced, few buyers will have complained at a lack of value for money

Peugeot 205 T16

Back to rallying, and after the Stratos came a bunch of Group B heroes. Peugeot’s version was turbocharged, mid-engined, 4WD 205, that gave the term ‘hot hatch’ new meaning. Built with race-spec parts, it was designed specifically to win a world championship, and did so in the mid-1980s.

Ford RS200

Unlike Peugeot, Ford didn’t even pretend its Group B racer was based on an existing road car, and instead went all out on a racing spec chassis. Also mid-engined and 4WD, the RS200 looked sensational, and boasted more than 400hp in rally specification.

Ford Sierra Cosworth

Ford followed up the specialist RS200 with the Sierra Cosworth – a versatile racer that covered touring car championships in a number of countries around the world. As well as competing in endurance racing races such as the Spa 24 hours, and even rallied. As well as creating an iconic homologation special, which paved the way for the legendary Escort Cosworth when Ford looked to repeat the same success later on.

 

BMW M3 (E30)

BMW had a good go-anywhere homologation special too, with the first M3. Again, born out of a desire to win touring car series, it competed around the globe, and also at endurance events. But the first M3 has proven the most long-serving homologation special ever, with the badge still used, having created a family of fast saloons that spawned rivals to do the same.

Audi Sport Quattro S1

Back to rallying, and Audi’s dominance of the Group B era was down in no small part to its continued development of the QR Quattro on which it became increasingly loosely based. Revolutionising the sport with the introduction of four-wheel drive, Audi took the world titles in 1983 and 84. Peugeot’s nimble 205 T16 came along and took them away, so Audi went away and responded in kind, with a homologation special of its own – the Sport Quattro S1. A shorter wheelbase, more power, less weight thanks to carbon-fibre and Kevlar… and all while requiring a limited production run to allow Audi to compete in the championship. Thank you FIA.

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale

Surely the most beautiful car on this list, Alfa’s 33 Stradale started off as a prototype racing car, and was reverse-engineered so it could compete in production car racing. Thanks to an all-aluminium, 2.0 V8 there was more than 200hp on hand in a small and lightweight racer to make it fast on the track or on the road.

Toyota GR Yaris

Homologation isn’t just an old fashioned subject, thankfully. And it’s down to Toyota that it continues, with its WRC-focused GR Yaris. There is very little shared with the conventional Yaris for this four wheel drive hot hatch, with knocking on for 300hp from a 1.6-litre three cylinder unit. And the public love it. So Toyota keeps slightly tweaking the formula so that it has to make more.