Editing Rallying (section)

=== Groups 1–4 ===
In 1954 the FIA introduced [[Appendix J]] of the [[International Sporting Code]], classifying touring and sports production cars for use in its competitions, including the new European Rally Championship, and cars had to be [[Homologation (motorsport)|homologated]] in order to compete.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Regulations - Period Appendix J |url=https://historicdb.fia.com/regulations/period-appendix-j |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=FIA Historic Database}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=International Sporting Code 1954 |url=https://historicdb.fia.com/sites/default/files/regulations/1626099603/1954_fia_international_sporting_code.pdf}}</ref> The Groups 1–9 within Appendix J changed frequently though [[Group 1 (motorsport)|Group 1]], [[Group 2 (motorsport)|Group 2]], [[Group 3 (motorsport)|Group 3]] and [[Group 4 (motorsport)|Group 4]] generally held the forms of unmodified or modified, series production touring and grand touring cars used in rallying.
[[File:Paris_-_Bonhams_2017_-_Lancia_Stratos_Groupe_4_coupé_-_1976_-_001.jpg|left|thumb|[[Group 4 (motorsport)|Group 4]] [[Lancia Stratos HF]] helped [[Lancia]] win the World Rally Championship in [[1974 World Rally Championship season|1974]], [[1975 World Rally Championship season|1975]] and [[1976 World Rally Championship season|1976]].]]
As rallying grew in popularity, [[Automotive industry|car companies]] started to introduce special models or variants for rallying, such as the [[British Motor Corporation]]'s [[Mini Cooper]], introduced in Group 2 in 1962, and its successor the Mini Cooper S (1963), developed by the [[Cooper Car Company]]. Shortly after, [[Ford of Britain]] first hired [[Lotus Cars|Lotus]] to create a high-performance version of their [[Ford Cortina|Cortina]] family car, then in 1968 launched the [[Ford Escort (Europe)|Escort Twin Cam]], one of the most successful rally cars of its era. Similarly, [[Abarth]] developed high performance versions of [[Fiat|Fiats]] [[Fiat 124|124]] roadster and [[Fiat 131|131]] saloon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIA Historic Database |url=https://historicdb.fia.com/cars/ |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=historicdb.fia.com}}</ref>

Other manufacturers were not content with modifying their 'bread-and-butter' cars. [[Renault]] bankrolled the small volume sports-car maker [[Alpine (car)|Alpine]] to transform their little [[Alpine A110|A110 Berlinette coupé]] into a world-beating rally car, and hired a skilled team of drivers to pilot it. In 1974 the [[Lancia Stratos]] became the first car designed from scratch to win rallies.<ref name="sportscarmarket.com2">{{cite web |title=1975 Lancia Stratos |url=http://www.sportscarmarket.com/profiles/1995/January/Etceterini/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509085841/http://www.sportscarmarket.com/profiles/1995/January/Etceterini/index.html |archive-date=9 May 2006 |access-date=24 June 2007 |website=sportscarmarket.com}}</ref> These makers overcame the rules of FISA (as the FIA was called at the time) by building the requisite number of these models for the road, somewhat inventing the 'homologation special'.