Weight was cut to 1080kg and the SC Rally's three-litre air-cooled flat six tuned to produce 280bhp at 6800rpm. Externally, the old ducktail spoiler from the 2.7 re-appeared, each car also being equipped with bull bars and auxiliary spot lights. Then they were painted in the familiar livery of the Martini & Rossi drinks company, white with red, blue and black stripes. Four cars were originally built, two of which were taken to Africa for Vic Preston Junior and Bjorn Waldegaard. Despite both cars suffering driveshaft failures, suspension problems and long delays in the service areas, Preston Jr. took second, Waldegaard eventually recovering to fourth having initially looked set for victory. Afterwards, SC Rally's went onto compete successfully into the Group B era, the obvious highlight having been victory on the 1980 Tour de Corse with Jean-Luc Therier at the wheel. This was followed up in 1981 when Antonio Zanini won the European Drivers Championship, Patrick Snyers and Eric Ferreux subsequently going on to secure the Belgian and Swiss titles in 1983. |
