the
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172 cup only 17,000 miles !
- Thread starter dawnc182
- Start date
look further down both links you sent both the 172 and 172 cup were homologised for group n and group a.
the difference is the 172 was a homologised road car, the cup was built specifically for homologation, a 'special'
i think group n is more important here as group a allows for modifications that would make the difference between standard cards minimal if relevant at all.
5637 - 172
min weight 1027kg
air con
abs
1418 / 1392 track
5659 -172 cup
min weight 935kg
no air con
no abs
1444 / 1410 track
the difference is the 172 was a homologised road car, the cup was built specifically for homologation, a 'special'
i think group n is more important here as group a allows for modifications that would make the difference between standard cards minimal if relevant at all.
5637 - 172
min weight 1027kg
air con
abs
1418 / 1392 track
5659 -172 cup
min weight 935kg
no air con
no abs
1444 / 1410 track
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Yes, I see the different N and A docs for both now. The Group N and A homologation for the Cup is 1st April 2003 and for the 172 1st Dec 2001. I agree with your logic that the 172 was a volume road car that went through homologation to become homologated.
Based on the later homologation date for the Cup it would seem Renault decided to develop the 172 to improve it for rallying, creating the Cup with better airflow at the front due to redesigned bumper, wider track, lowered the weight, deleted ABS etc. then I guess it could be seen as a homologation special.
I've done some further reading and the press from the time all seem to claim it's a homologation special too.
My experience of French homologation specials, S1/S2 106 Rallye's, is that they have N. Homologation stamped on the VIN. I've never seen a 172 Cup's VIN plate, or sticker as they seem to be on Renault's, so I can't say.
Separately, on Group A, that classification allows for such significant modification from standard that makes the difference between a standard road car and a Group A car very distinct. Whereas Group N is the production class, meaning a Group N car is very similar to the road car, has to remain pretty true to the road car and the permitted alterations with Group N are minimal, down to things like trim having to remain in situ when rallying; back seats as an example, hence the super light basic rear bench of the Cup (which I guess gives more weight to the view it was a homologation special).
Your sentence "Group A allows for modifications that would make the difference between standard cars minimal if relevant at all" is a little unclear.
Are you saying that Group A allows so much modification that there would be little point in creating the differences between the 172 and Cup versions of the cars for Group A, rendering the changes that were made almost pointless within Group A? Therefore Group A a less relevant class, hence Group N being the more important homologation classification of the two, and the Cup being specifically built to homologate design changes specifically for Group N classification? That's how I interpreted it anyway.
