WRC Group A - Nissan Works Team
After producing the minimum 5000 road cars required for homologation (in 1990-1991), Nissan entered the GTI-R in the Group A category of the FIA WRC as a "Works" factory team under the banner "Nissan Motorsport Europe" (NME) in 1991 and 1992.
Based near Milton Keynes in the UK, NME did not enter a full WRC season, instead they only competed in selected rallies during both years (ones that Nissan Japan thought had the highest potential for podium results). The unrealistic immediate success expected by head office was not forthcoming, and rather than developing the car through evolutions over several seasons, they completely abandoned the GTI-R campaign in 1992 after competing in only 9 rallies. Even though the cars finished in the Top 10 in every rally they completed, racking up a total of 8 Stage wins, and made the podium in their 6th event, factory development stopped there and the NME GTI-R never won a WRC Group A rally.
Nissan redirected funding to the development of the R390 for Le Mans, and NME moved to the FWD Sunny GTI in the WRC F2 category (A7 class) where they had better success with Alister McRae winning the 1995 BRC.
Much has been written about the tribulations of the NME GTI-R Group-A campaign. The most notable being the significantly uncompetitive Dunlop tyres (the leading teams were on Pirelli and Michelin), the inefficiency of the top-mounted intercooler when engine power was increased to Group A standards (particularly in warm weather and at stage starts after heat soak had set in), and the cultural and political issues between Nissan Japan and the newly-created Nissan Motorsport Europe.
Articles and gallery available here.
WRC Group A - Results
WRC Group N - Champions!
NME did not enter Group N (production-based) cars in the WRC, but other factory-backed Nissan teams did between 1991 and 1993. Most notable was the Nissan Belgium Rally Team with lead driver Grégoire De Mévius, and a Privateer entry from Japan (Nishiyama Racing) driven by Hiroshi Nishiyama. The GTI-R dominated the FIA Group N Championship Cup for Drivers of Production Cars in 1992 taking 1st and 2nd places, clearly demonstrating the GTI-R's ability at production class level.
WRC Group N - Results
Thank you to ewrc-results.com for their awesome WRC historical results database!
After producing the minimum 5000 road cars required for homologation (in 1990-1991), Nissan entered the GTI-R in the Group A category of the FIA WRC as a "Works" factory team under the banner "Nissan Motorsport Europe" (NME) in 1991 and 1992.
Based near Milton Keynes in the UK, NME did not enter a full WRC season, instead they only competed in selected rallies during both years (ones that Nissan Japan thought had the highest potential for podium results). The unrealistic immediate success expected by head office was not forthcoming, and rather than developing the car through evolutions over several seasons, they completely abandoned the GTI-R campaign in 1992 after competing in only 9 rallies. Even though the cars finished in the Top 10 in every rally they completed, racking up a total of 8 Stage wins, and made the podium in their 6th event, factory development stopped there and the NME GTI-R never won a WRC Group A rally.
Nissan redirected funding to the development of the R390 for Le Mans, and NME moved to the FWD Sunny GTI in the WRC F2 category (A7 class) where they had better success with Alister McRae winning the 1995 BRC.
Much has been written about the tribulations of the NME GTI-R Group-A campaign. The most notable being the significantly uncompetitive Dunlop tyres (the leading teams were on Pirelli and Michelin), the inefficiency of the top-mounted intercooler when engine power was increased to Group A standards (particularly in warm weather and at stage starts after heat soak had set in), and the cultural and political issues between Nissan Japan and the newly-created Nissan Motorsport Europe.
Articles and gallery available here.
WRC Group A - Results
WRC Group N - Champions!
NME did not enter Group N (production-based) cars in the WRC, but other factory-backed Nissan teams did between 1991 and 1993. Most notable was the Nissan Belgium Rally Team with lead driver Grégoire De Mévius, and a Privateer entry from Japan (Nishiyama Racing) driven by Hiroshi Nishiyama. The GTI-R dominated the FIA Group N Championship Cup for Drivers of Production Cars in 1992 taking 1st and 2nd places, clearly demonstrating the GTI-R's ability at production class level.
WRC Group N - Results
Thank you to ewrc-results.com for their awesome WRC historical results database!
Last edited: