Six Racing-Inspired ‘80s and ‘90s Cars at the New York Auto Show

The 2022 New York auto show saw the debut of fresh new products such as the assertive 2023 Hyundai Palisade and the colossal Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, but we found ourselves drawn toward a slightly different exhibit. Tucked among all of the tech-laden, LED-adorned crossovers of the current moment was a collection of 1980s and 1990s machines curated by Radwood, which hosts events for cars of that era, and The Cultivated Collector, a classic-car dealer based in Connecticut. Join us for a tour of six motorsport-inspired icons from that bygone era.

The Nissan Pulsar GTI-R is a legendary car on its own, created to homologate the Pulsar for racing in the World Rally Championship’s Group A category. This example, however, is one of 21 tinkered with by Nismo, Nissan’s in-house tuner. Nismo redesigned the suspension; fitted a roll cage, limited-slip differentials, and strengthening plates to the strut towers; and decked the car out in red, black, and blue livery. These 21 cars also received Nismo-specific VINs.

Nismo, however, left the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four untouched. The SR20DET—also found in the S13, S14, and S15 Silvias—already produced 227 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque in the GTI-R, plenty in such a compact car. With a protruding hood bulge and mud flaps at all four wheels, the Pulsar GTI-R certainly looked the part of a rally car. This particular example was formerly owned by the CEO of Nismo and has less than 2800 miles on the odometer.

The Citroen BX 4TC was another rally homologation special, created for the Group B series that was banned after 1986 for being too dangerous. The 4TC was a drastic departure from the original BX family car, with the 2.1-liter turbocharged inline-four flipped from its transverse position in the standard car to be mounted longitudinally, forcing Citroen to extend the front end. That engine was good for 200 horsepower in the 4TC, routed through a five-speed manual from the Citroen SM to all four wheels. The 4TC also borrowed the SM’s complicated hydropneumatic suspension.

The 4TC only got to compete in three rallies before Group B’s demise, and just 62 of the planned 200 homologation units were sold. The BX 4TC’s boxy dimensions really stood out on the show floor, even among the collection of 1980s metal on hand. We drooled over the chunky, flared wheel arches with cutouts for the rear door handles and the row of four yellow rally lights stuffed into the grille. We were also particularly enamored of the BX 4TC graphics on the rear.

Like the BX 4TC, the Ford RS200 was created for Group B, but instead of using a family sedan bodyshell, Ford crafted a mid-engine, four-wheel-drive sports car for its rallying needs. Ford managed to build all 200 homologation specials, and 24 of these, including the RS200 seen here, were later converted into Evolution models. This upgrade saw the inclusion of a larger, 2.1-liter Cosworth-built turbocharged inline-four with approximately 600 horsepower. Longitudinally-mounted amidships, the engine sent that stupendous power to all four wheels via a five-speed manual and three limited-slip differentials. The Evolution also received stronger brakes and a revised suspension.

The RS200’s compact dimensions pack in plenty of visual drama. There’s a gaggle of spotlights affixed to the front of the car, while a wide air intake peeks out above the roof. The short wheelbase and steeply angled rear wing give the RS200 an aggressive stance. The RS200 had us daydreaming of hooning around rally stages at top speed.

Venturi is the least well-known brand here—the French marque built a series of stunning sports cars from 1984 until 2000 before switching focus to electric powertrains and competing in Formula E. The Venturi 400—nicknamed the “French F40” for its Ferrari-like wedge shape and vertical rear wing—is a rare beast, with around 100 made. Of those, 73 units, including this Trophy model, were designated for racing, and the cars competed at endurance events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 4 Hours of Spa.

The mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive Venturi 400 got just over 400 horsepower from its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine. This engine was derived from a unit developed by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo and used in everything from the Alpine GTA and DeLorean DMC-12 to the Renault Espace and Eagle Premier. The example at the New York auto show looked particularly fetching with its combination of deep blue paint and gold wheels.

The 212-mph XJ220 wasn’t the only Jaguar supercar from the 1990s—the British marque also partnered with Tom Walkinshaw Racing to create the voluptuous Jaguar Sport XJR-15, built for a short-lived, one-make racing series. The XJR-15 was the first fully carbon fiber road-car, and featured a chassis related to the one found under the Le Mans-winning Jaguar XJR-9. A 6.0-liter V-12 pumped out 450 horses and 420 pound-feet of torque.

The low-slung XJR-15 looks incredibly smooth and curvy, especially sat next to the Venturi 400 Trophy and Citroen BX 4TC. The cabin tapers severely inward, giving it a single-seater look, and a large, flat wing stretches across the rear. Only 28 road-going XJR-15s were built, and this example is one of three painted yellow.

With beefy wheel arches, the Renault 5 Turbo 2 looks almost as wide as it is long. The 5 Turbo was created so that Renault could race in rallies and turned the dorky-looking Renault 5 hatchback into a performance beast. The 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four engine was moved to a rear-mid mounting position and sent 158 horsepower through a five-speed manual to the rear wheels. With just 2130 pounds to move, the Turbo 2 could hustle to 60 mph in under seven seconds.

The Turbo 2 was a slightly toned-down version of the original Renault 5 Turbo, using more stock Renault 5 parts and dropping the price, although performance was still similar to the earlier versions. We especially like the TURBO 2 graphic running along the doors and the Renault Elf Formula 1 sticker on this example’s rear window.