Abarth Grande Punto S2000 v Hyundai i20 N Rally2 in first ERC Greatest Car vote

Unleashed to chase ERC success in 2006, the Abarth Grande Punto was the first car of the Super 2000 era to triumph on a round of the European championship when Paolo Andreucci and Anna Andreussi won the season-opening Rally 1000 Miglia in Italy that year. A further 24 wins and four overall titles followed for the Turin-built machine.

Hyundai’s i20 N Rally2, the replacement for the i20 R5 in 2021, was the first car from the manufacturer to claim an ERC victory, a feat Hayden Paddon and John Kennard achieved when they won the 2023 Rally Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Boticas, Vieira do Minho e Cabeceiras de Basto in Portugal. The i20 N Rally2 also powered Paddon and Kennard to back-to-back ERC titles.

Abarth Grande Punto Super 2000
Active years: 2006-2011
ERC rally wins: 25
ERC podiums: 49
ERC titles: 4   

Hyundai i20 N Rally2
Active years: 2021-present
ERC rally wins: 2
ERC podiums: 10
ERC titles: 2  

ERC Greatest Car of the modern era explained
It’s not just the drivers who have starred since the FIA European Rally Championship calendar was streamlined into the format recognisable today.  

Following that landmark moment in 2004, some of the greatest rally cars ever built have battled for glory in the various categories that continue to ensure the ERC remains as popular as it is relevant.  

From today (Monday 4 November), fans can vote from a shortlist of 16 great ERC cars prepared by our team of experts. Employing bracketology, voting is available through the ERC’s social media channels with a 24-hour window to vote for each pairing. The winner will be announced on 4 December.  

Included on the shortlist are the Peugeot 207 S2000, the Škoda Fabia R5, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and many more.  

Up next (5 November): Peugeot 207 S2000 v Peugeot 208 T16