This is a car I’ve been waiting to drive forever. Well, at least since I first got behind the wheel of a Fiat 1100. A famous race winner, purpose-built to take on the Fiat race cars from Coimbatore in the ’80s, it was made for Vijay Mallya by Janspeed in the UK.
Fiat 1100 Group 2 racer exterior design
Almost entirely rebuilt on the outside
Heavily modified in line with Group 2 Indian rules, the car is practically an evolution of the Fiat 1100, with very few parts carried over from the original. The doors, bonnet and boot are made from aluminium, as are other parts of the body, bringing down the weight considerably.
In addition, the car is significantly lowered, with a much wider track, the rear suspension running a semi-independent setup, and the suspension stiff enough to eliminate body roll and increase corner speeds. And it’s not just mechanical grip; the car is full of aero addenda, like vents in the flared wheel arches, a low front air dam and even a rear spoiler!
Fiat 1100 Group 2 racer engine and performance
Under the hood, power was taken up from around 45hp to 95hp, a massive increase. The modified Fiat 1100 engine at the time used forged connecting rods for strength, a dry sump so the engine could be placed lower down, a free-flowing head and a sidedraft twin-barrel Weber DCOE carburettor.
0-100kph in 10-11 seconds
With no rear seats, plenty of aluminium panels and other lightened bits, the kerb weight was around 800kg or lower, which meant a power-to-weight ratio upwards of 100hp per tonne. So, Group 2 cars in perfect nick, could do 0-100kph in around 10 or 11 seconds.
Fiat 1100 Group 2 racer driving impressions
Highly vocal exhaust system
Today, though, with most of the fancy bits missing from the engine and only the Weber holding fort, the performance isn’t spellbinding. The short exhaust that exits below the rear door, however, is spectacularly loud, with little to no silencing taking place.
And then, what I also notice, once seated in the racing bucket seat, is that the custom-made pedals are hard and difficult to modulate. They are so hard, I initially think the pedal has jammed or is broken. However, it does work when I give it a real hard shove, and turning the steering wheel works my forearms and triceps as well. So, driving this car is a real workout.
Nimble and confidence-inspiring handling
The close placement of the pedals allows me to heel and toe easily, essential on this car, and then, what I come to realise is that the low-slung car, on its wider wheels and track rubber, just sticks like glue on corners, almost no body roll present, especially when compared to a regular Fiat. The faster I go, the more at home the Fiat feels around corners, and then I realise I can just chuck it in… What a laugh!
After a few laps of the Aamby Valley airfield and some use of the taxiways, I quickly realise this car must have been an absolute riot on a track. Hunkered down, grippy, quick in a straight line, with agile handling and rear-wheel-drive adjustability. Yes, braking would have been a challenge, as would have been endurance. But imagine doing 20 laps with a close-ratio gearbox and the ability to do a top speed of 165kph or higher at around 7,000rpm.
While there are very few of these cars around today, and almost none of them in perfect nick, it’s fantastic that Vicky Chandhok has kept this one alive and kicking. What’s even crazier is that you can draw a line from this car to the Force India Formula 1 team. Think about that. Also, isn’t it time someone, somewhere, brought some of the other supercool A1A and Group 2 Fiats back to life? They are part of our automotive heritage, after all – from a time when car enthusiasts did so much with so little, when the love of cars and racing triumphed over the severe lack of hardware. Anyone?
