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21-582: Group N was introduced by the FIA in 1982 to replace the outgoing Group 1 as "standard touring cars". At this time there were not specific formulae for production racing cars in competition. The World Rally Championship (WRC), for example, only permitted groups A, B and N cars to compete (Group B was banned from 1987). It was not until 1997 that the World Rally Car formula was introduced and other specific formulae were introduced in later years. Both group N and A, and

42-474: A 12 month period. The two categories had up to six groups in this time era, but not consistently or retaining the same definitions. In 1966 the FIA categories were restructured and Group 1 were placed in Category A, Production Cars, with Category B and C used for Sports and Racing cars respectively. Group 1 essentially remained the same in character but with a heightened production requirement of 5000 cars. In 1982

63-521: A WRC rally once, a Renault 5 driven by Alain Oreille at the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire in 1989. Group N had four classes based on engine displacement cylinder capacity. N1 was for cars up to 1400 cc, N2 was 1401-1600 cc, N3 was 1601-2000 cc and N4 was over 2000cc. Cars fitted with a turbo had their displacement capacity multiplied by 1.7 to determine class. Only N4 class cars remain homologated as of November 2021 as

84-493: A character of being unmodified or not specifically prepared for racing. The class was introduced in the then new Appendix J of the International Sporting Code in 1954 and was replaced by Group N in 1982. From its inception in 1954 until 1965, Group 1, officially documented at first as the first group , was included in Category I (or A), Touring Cars, with a production requirement of between 600 and 1000 cars in

105-474: The fuel injection and ignition systems. The earliest ECUs (used by aircraft engines in the late 1930s) were mechanical-hydraulic units; however, most 21st-century ECUs operate using digital electronics . The main functions of the ECU are typically: The sensors used by the ECU include: Other functions include: In a camless piston engine (an experimental design not currently used in any production vehicles),

126-570: The 6 controls used to initiate hard acceleration with one control, however the system could cause surging and stalling problems. In the early 1970s, the Japanese electronics industry began producing integrated circuits and microcontrollers used for controlling engines. The Ford EEC (Electronic Engine Control) system, which utilized the Toshiba TLCS-12 microprocessor, went into mass production in 1975. The first Bosch engine management system

147-530: The ECU has continuous control of when each of the intake and exhaust valves are opened and by how much. One of the earliest attempts to use such a unitized and automated device to manage multiple engine control functions simultaneously was the created by BMW in 1939 Kommandogerät system used by the BMW 801 14-cylinder radial engine which powered the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V5 fighter aircraft. This device replaced

168-446: The FIA regional rally championships continue to allow N4 cars. Away from FIA sanctioned events, many rallies at national level are run under Group N. Some local variants of Group N have been created to allow other marques to compete where Group N is the national formula. The range of modifications allowed was quite narrow - few mechanical engine modifications were allowed (save for lightening within set limits and baffled sumps) although

189-432: The choice of ECU was free, and this could liberate some extra power itself, and most of the modifications allowed were to promote longevity rather than increased performance, although the boundaries of these two areas were blurring towards the end of the group's lifespan. Furthermore, cars with forced induction engines were fitted with a restrictor in front of the charger to limit power. Originally, Group N meant that all

210-551: The details of their differences, are described in the FIAs International Sporting Code and several of its appendices. To qualify for homologation a minimum of 2500 cars of the competing model have to be produced in the 12 months prior to homologation. The homologation period runs for seven years after every consecutive year of qualifying production of the model, with production of the model considered stopped when less than 10% (250) are made in one year. Before 1993

231-466: The interior trim had to be present (including the rear seat), but it later changed to allow removal of the trim aside from the dashboard and replacement of the door trim. The springs and dampers were free, as are the internals of the gearbox and the final-drive ratio, providing that the homologated gear ratios and gear change pattern were respected. This allowed the use of dog-engagement gearboxes, providing quicker gearchanges and longer gearbox life. There

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252-614: The introduction of Group R the FIA created the R4 class intending it to be the "new Group N" and existing N4 cars could also be re-homologated in the new group. This was abandoned in 2015 and a new sporting class, NR4, was added where four-wheel drive Group N cars over 2000 cc could continue to compete within the Group R format. R4 cars were then not allowed in FIA-sanctioned rallies in Europe, but since R4

273-518: The late 1990s, when a few national regulations were relaxed to allow a greater number of modifications, in the guise of Super Production . The category is still used in circuit racing all over the world, especially in Japan, which has the long running Super Taikyu ( スーパー耐久 , Super Taikyu , translated as 'Super Endurance') , as well as in the Italian ETCS endurance series run by Peroni Promotion, but

294-400: The numbered groups were replaced by Groups N, A, B, C, D and E. This motorsport-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Engine Control Unit An engine control unit ( ECU ), also called an engine control module ( ECM ), is a device that controls various subsystems of an internal combustion engine . Systems commonly controlled by an ECU include

315-668: The other classes had been phased out in FIA competition. The Production World Rally Championship was run under Group N rules between 1987 and 2012. Popular cars used were often based on turbocharged , four wheel drive versions of standard consumer production cars such as the Subaru Impreza WRX and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution , although a wide range of vehicles were homologated by the FIA including small two wheel drive hatchbacks. Group N regulations were intended to be phased out from rally competition in 2013. With

336-456: The production requirement was 5000. While Group A became the standard category for international level touring car racing , Group N found a home as a more economic class in national level touring car racing. In many countries, there would often be two touring car championships, one for Group A and one for Group N. The category had some brief success with the demise of the Supertouring class in

357-607: Was basically a transition group for old homologated Group N, many of those could be run in NR4. In the reform of the support championships in the 2013 season , the Group N4's cars were some of the eligible cars in WRC-2, considering their competitiveness to the other types like Super 2000 and Group R cars in the category, there was also a FIA Production Car Cup among N4 cars in WRC-2. Group N cars have not been eligible for WRC rallies since 2019 but

378-501: Was once again relegated to a secondary status with the introduction of Super 2000 , the class of cars currently run in the World Touring Car Championship . In rallying , Group N could be entered into the open WRC driver and co-driver championships and the manufacturers championship until 1997. Due to the nature of Group A cars being more suitable and tuned race cars they tended to dominate results. A Group N car has won

399-406: Was provision for strengthening of the suspension components and bodyshell, provided this didn't alter the operating principle. Group 1 (motorsport) In international motorsport , Group 1 referred to FIA regulations for cars in touring car racing and rallying . Throughout its existence the group retained a definition of being standard, series production touring cars , and of having

420-452: Was the Motronic 1.0 , which was introduced in the 1979 BMW 7 Series (E23) This system was based on the existing Bosch Jetronic fuel injection system, to which control of the ignition system was added. In 1981, a Delco Electronics ECU was used by several Chevrolet and Buick engines to control their fuel system (a closed-loop carburetor) and ignition system. By 1988, Delco Electronics

441-416: Was the leading producer of engine management systems, producing over 28,000 ECUs per day. Such systems are used for many internal combustion engines in other applications. In aeronautical applications, the systems are known as " FADECs " (Full Authority Digital Engine Controls). This kind of electronic control is less common in piston-engined light fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters than in automobiles. This

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