Magnificent machines line up for ERC Greatest Car quarter-finals

Quarter-final 1: Abarth Grande Punto S2000 v Peugeot 207 S2000
Two cars that set the standard during the early years of the FIA European Rally Championship’s Super 2000 era will lock horns for a place in the ERC Greatest Car semi-finals when they go for the public vote on Monday 18 November. The Abarth Grande Punto progressed to the quarter-final stage after seeing off the double ERC title-winning Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Peugeot’s 207 S2000 beat its replacement, the 208 T16, to progress from the first round.  

Quarter-final 2: Škoda Fabia S2000 v Ford Fiesta R5
Late to the ERC Super 2000 party compared to the Abarth Grande Punto and Peugeot 207, the Škoda Fabia S2000 was no less successful and beat its successor, the Fabia R5, to secure an ERC Greatest Car quarter-final place on Tuesday 19 November. It will take on the Ford Fiesta R5, the first R5 car to win in the FIA European Rally Championship (pictured below). M-Sport’s Fiesta knocked out Citroën’s C3 Rally2 to reach the quarter-final following a tight public vote.

Quarter-final 3: Renault Clio S1600 v Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
Next Wednesday’s third quarter-final (20 November) is a little versus large contest with the Renault Clio Super 1600 taking on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Renault’s pocket secured its quarter-final berth by defeating the Citroën C2 Super 1600 in the first round. Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution IX triumphed in a battle of the Group N greats to reach the quarter-final, taking 63% of the fan vote compared to the 37% managed by the Subaru Impreza STI N12.  

Quarter-final 4: Peugeot 208 Rally4 v Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo
The car that helped to make Norbert Maior a Junior ERC star (pictured below) will battle the car that powered Andreas Mikkelsen and Efrén Llarena to back-to-back overall ERC titles when the Peugeot 208 Rally4 takes on the Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo in next Thursday’s final ERC Greatest Car quarter-final. The Peugeot 208 Rally4 out-fought the Opel Adam R2 in an all-Junior ERC first round counter with 54% of the fan vote, while the Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo got the better of Volkswagen’s Polo GTI R5 in the first round by pooling 73% of the fan vote.

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.  

Fans have been able to 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.  

The ERC Greatest Car quarter-finals begin on Monday 18 November. Follow the ERC’s social media channels to vote.