So...Group 5, Group C, or LMP?

[isynge]

LMP gets it, possibly by a nose.

Why?

Group C I think benefits from rosy tinted glasses - there was often less diversity than might have been desired, it ran basically through a series of Porsche-Jaguar-Mercedes domination, and the fuel consumption formula often caused races to be hamstrung. Don't get me wrong - it was Group C that really fired my imagination about sportscars in the way that Porsche 935s etc didn't quite, and if 1982 could have been repeated throughout the series lifetime the result might be different, but of course things didn't quite pan out that way.

Group 5 was too shortlived, and while reading about it and seeing footage from the era does make it seem fantastic, not having lived through it makes it a bit harder.

LMP - it's produced some great races, the mix of open and closed cars fundamentally works for me, and with the way Peugeot and Audi in Europe and Audi and Porsche in the US are going eyeball to eyeball makes for some real drama.

Omissions from the poll?

Group 6 i.e. Ferrari 312, Alfa 33, Porsche 936, Mirage etc?
Group 5 i.e. Porsche 935, BMW 635 etc?
3.5 litre Group C?

Don't think any of these would have changed my mind, but still worth a thought.

[minimangler]

I think group 6 certainly crossed my mind, i do love the ferrari 312.

i'm not sure later group 5 was as good, and though the later group c imo looked better, the diversity had gone.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by isynge

LMP gets it, possibly by a nose.

Why?

Group C I think benefits from rosy tinted glasses - there was often less diversity than might have been desired, it ran basically through a series of Porsche-Jaguar-Mercedes domination, and the fuel consumption formula often caused races to be hamstrung. Don't get me wrong - it was Group C that really fired my imagination about sportscars in the way that Porsche 935s etc didn't quite, and if 1982 could have been repeated throughout the series lifetime the result might be different, but of course things didn't quite pan out that way.

Group 5 was too shortlived, and while reading about it and seeing footage from the era does make it seem fantastic, not having lived through it makes it a bit harder.

LMP - it's produced some great races, the mix of open and closed cars fundamentally works for me, and with the way Peugeot and Audi in Europe and Audi and Porsche in the US are going eyeball to eyeball makes for some real drama.

Omissions from the poll?

Group 6 i.e. Ferrari 312, Alfa 33, Porsche 936, Mirage etc?
Group 5 i.e. Porsche 935, BMW 635 etc?
3.5 litre Group C?

Don't think any of these would have changed my mind, but still worth a thought.

When you think of the original grp.5 you should include all the p cars that came before it, which is why those who were around then have affection for it.

AAGT/ grp.5/gtx ourside of Europe had a good deal of variety.
Variety of cars that showed up, not just won races was a reason many went to races, what make would win was not really a surprise.

What ever classes one speaks of, what they prefer often is divided by age and location. IT is hard to have affecton for something one could not see, or even read about, except as history.
Bob

[T600]

When I first saw this thread I thought it was simple - Group C. But then I started thinking...
I used to love turning up on race day for the Silverstone 6 Hours (remember them) and seeing G5 & G6 cars I'd never seen before, plus if someone turned up with something not complying with the regs, they just invented a new category! Remember this was the annual 'LM warm-up' and anything could turn up. I agree you had a fairly good idea who was going to win but mechanical reliability was a lot less than it is now!
I also love the Group C cars which always provided a great spectacle and some great memories, but I voted for LMP because these cars are awesome!

We might be spoilt with so much information available about who going to be where etc but the cars and the racing is better than ever.

[mattcat]

Group C from the list, but GTP overall. Nissan put forth some awesome machinery in GTP...

[Tim the Grey]

Group 4 please. Seeing as THAT is what a 917 ran in!
Then group 5 gave us the 935, and the group 6 regs gave us a 936...

Happy days.

8^)

[minimangler]

No, group 5 gave us the 917!!!

[minimangler]

Actually, we're kinda both right:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

For the 1970 season, the FIA renamed the Group 4 category which was now to be known as Group 5. The minimum production requirement remained at 25 and the engine capacity limit remained at 5 litres.

[ss_collins]

ok not so popular this but - group C / GTP's just don't do it for me - with I guess the exception of the Allard J2X which is really the first of the LMP's but they just didn't realise it at the time.

Nope Anything post SR1/GT1 does it for me Bentleys, Audis, Courage's, Pescas, Porsches, Hondas, Lavaggis, WR's, Zulltecs (hmm maybe not), Lola's, Embassys, and the rest - loads of the things... and mmmmmmm Domes... love em.

Take off your rose tinted specs, give yourself a kick in the Hind and get the Hoff on RLM! We have never had it so good - this is the golden age of sportscar racing!!!

[Tim the Grey]

I know. I was there at the time, and as obsessed then, as you are now...

[minimangler]

doesn't stop you being wrong for repeatedly criticsing my choice of term...

[Dario911]

How don't remember 917LH Martini Racing Team of the 1970? The Hippy car! It was a dream, more than a car!

[Aysedasi]

There's an inevitable tendency to vote according to what you've experienced. I first got 'into' sportscars in about 1985 and went to Le Mans for the first time in 1986. So it's Group C for me, without hesitation. Although the Group 5 cars must have been awesome.....

LMP? What those open roller-skates..........?

[Nordic]

Grp C for me as well. The mid to late 80s were a great time to be a sports car fan.

Somehow the LMP cars don't hit the right spot for me, still way better than F1 but just not GrpC. Too clinical and lacking soul maybe.

The Grp 5 935's, Ferrari 512 and BMW M1 were amazing Ayse, the smell of the cars on the run from the esses's to terte rouge when you could almost lean out and touch the cars will live with me forever.

Rose tinted spec's? sure, but unless you saw them for real you just wont get it.

[dxk1]

Really enjoyed the Group 5 battles between the Porsches and Ferraris. Problem was, the 512 was fast but soooooo unreliable! Only won one race as far as I remember, Sebring where Mario Andretti had to be dragged out for the last hour to run down an old 908 driven by the Actor Steve McQueen & Peter Revson.

DK

[minimangler]

Hmmm...

someone voted f1.

can we hunt them out, kill them, and send them to max? (he'd enjoy it, likely as not).

please?

[Aysedasi]

I must admit, I was wondering who that was with the joke answer............

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Nordic

Somehow the LMP cars don't hit the right spot for me, still way better than F1 but just not GrpC. Too clinical and lacking soul maybe.

Exactly. I couldn't have put it better. How about if Red Bull gives you wings, a roof gives you soul..........

Originally Posted by Nordic

The Grp 5 935's, Ferrari 512 and BMW M1 were amazing Ayse, the smell of the cars on the run from the esses's to terte rouge when you could almost lean out and touch the cars will live with me forever.

Evocative stuff - lovely

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

There's an inevitable tendency to vote according to what you've experienced. I first got 'into' sportscars in about 1985 and went to Le Mans for the first time in 1986. So it's Group C for me, without hesitation. Although the Group 5 cars must have been awesome.....

LMP? What those open roller-skates..........?

I'd say electric irons.

The toyota GT- One, as a GTP, was a kind of SR-71 Blackbird.

[Aysedasi]

Well yes, the GT-One - and the McLaren F1 were something else again, that's for sure......

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by Nordic

...the smell of the cars on the run from the esses's to terte rouge when you could almost lean out and touch the cars will live with me forever.

Rose tinted spec's? sure, but unless you saw them for real you just wont get it.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH--Nordic I think you have hit several points that govern how many feel.
The cars I truly long for, the smell, the sound, the styles--when I read old race reports I quickly realize that probably ninety percent of the time, at least, as far as the race goes, one could have left after the first ten or so laps and missed nothing.

BUT the rose colored glasses, or selected memories, actually not selected, I have sympathy for those whose memory dwells on the unpleasant side, make what was so glorius.
I went to many races just to see the cars that showed up and hope that this race would be the one where a privateer decided to either finish up front or blow it up.
If your not paying the bills that is easy to hope for, but on occasion things fell in place and, for ME, someone in Detroit Iron would at least show what could have been had Detroit viewed racing the way Porsche did.
Bob
PS---One thing that is missing, probably forever because of the difference between bias-ply and radial tires, is watching is watching high horsepower cars drift around corners at very high speed on the edge of traction.
The sights, the sounds, the smells--thing I will go out to the garage and smell the oil rags.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

There's an inevitable tendency to vote according to what you've experienced. I first got 'into' sportscars in about 1985 and went to Le Mans for the first time in 1986. So it's Group C for me, without hesitation. Although the Group 5 cars must have been awesome.....

LMP? What those open roller-skates..........?

I was born in 1990, and still picked Group C.

[JAG]

I like.............


Group C from '89-92.
GT1/GTP from '96-'99
LMP1 Coupes from '07-.............

All IMO are peas from the same pod.

I have little love for open cars, older Group C or Group 5.

[The Badger]

Any idea why nobody is running a Toyota 89CV , or 90CV ?

[Speedblood]

Love the group C (and the 3.5 litre cars despite what they did !) Even though too young to see them in person, the stuff from youtube etc and the Historic Group C series have got my vote.
The GT cars of the 90's looked spectacular and exotic and produced my fav road car into a racer (Mac F1)
The current LMP (coupes that is) is goood and getting better but if something can be done to equal the diesel/petrol issue then I may have to change my vote!