Last year's RAC

Last year’s RAC winners Stig Blomqvist and Arne Hertz (above) were the main challengers to Roger Clark’s supremacy. Driving a works Saab 96 V4 they eventually finished second overall after hitting a sheep and later straddling a park bench. Both time-consuming incidents resulted in radiator changes. Saab appeared set for the team prize until the similar car of Per Eklund/Bo Reinicke retired after leaving the road.

No less than four Swedish-entered Opel Asconas finished in the top ten of the RAC Rally, the highest placed being the Group 2 example of Anders KuIreng/Donald Karlsson (below, left) which was third overall. Opel of course took the team prize. Making its rallying debut on the RAC was the attractive 1,588-c.c. twin-cam-engined Toyota Celica (below, right). Entered by the Japanese company and crewed by Ove Andersson and Geraint Phillips the Toyota finished a creditable ninth overall.