Close Menu
I Really Like This Car
  • Automobile
  • Automotive
  • Design
  • Self Driving
  • Luxury
  • Supercar
  • EV
  • Motorcycle
  • Exclusives

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative Articles from I Really Like this Car about Automotives & Supercars.

What's Hot

2026 Audi Q5 e-hybrid brings PHEV tech to new-gen SUV

July 6, 2025

2025 Proton X50 facelift open for booking – early birds get RM1,000 money rebate; prices only at launch

July 6, 2025

Kenworth Continues Expansion of PACCAR TX-12 PRO Automated Transmission – Vehicle Research

July 6, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
I Really Like This Car
HOME Login
  • Automobile

    2026 Audi Q5 e-hybrid brings PHEV tech to new-gen SUV

    July 6, 2025

    2025 Proton X50 facelift open for booking – early birds get RM1,000 money rebate; prices only at launch

    July 6, 2025

    What’s The Difference Between These Two Truck Mods?

    July 5, 2025

    Why the Genesis GV70 is a CarExpert Selection winner

    July 5, 2025

    BYD Cars Malaysia teases something recent – Atto 2?

    July 4, 2025
  • Automotive

    Kenworth Continues Expansion of PACCAR TX-12 PRO Automated Transmission – Vehicle Research

    July 6, 2025

    Latest automotive review: Dacia Bigster could poach retail buyers from Kia and Nissan

    July 5, 2025

    Nissan Z Quietly Outsells the Supra Three to One in 2025 Sales Surge : Automotive Addicts

    July 4, 2025

    Social media tops scam fears as automotive fraud surges

    July 3, 2025

    Recent Automobile Preview: 2026 Ferrari Amalfi Debuts with Daring Styling and a Familiar Turbo V-8 Punch : Automotive Addicts

    July 2, 2025
  • Design

    Designing body kits and accessories

    April 11, 2025

    Designing for a startup automotive company

    February 18, 2025

    Our recent drive luggage website driveluggage.com shall be up and running in April.

    January 15, 2025

    Enhance your drive experience with bespoke automotive luggage |

    December 18, 2024

    Designing for an iconic marque

    December 11, 2024
  • Self Driving
  • Luxury
  • Supercar
  • EV
  • Motorcycle
  • Exclusives
I Really Like This Car
Home»Automobile»Braving The Elements On The Spa Rally
Automobile

Braving The Elements On The Spa Rally

Steve EdwardBy Steve EdwardDecember 2, 2023No Comments4 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Rain, snow and dirt – European rallying can have it all. But it is a motorsport unshaken by seasons or weather. Because the months get colder, tarmac racetracks go into hibernation. Not so for rallies. The sound and vision of rally cars flying through woods stays alive and well.

Late last month, I got an actual taste of it after I travelled over to Belgium for the 2023 Spa Rally.

  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08601
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08602

In the case of motorsport, Spa is best known for its grand prix circuit – Spa-Francorchamps. But there’s more to it than that, with Spa and the encompassing area often hosting hill climb and rally events. Most of those are low-key affairs geared toward amateur racers and aren’t widely promoted, hence why I often only learn of them after they’ve happened when photographers start publishing their work.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08624 (1)

Prior to this event, I had never been to a rally, so it was a little bit of a learning curve. The largest challenge I faced was determining methods to navigate the route. My day began by following two rally cars – a Mk1 Ford Escort and an Opel Kadett – as I assumed they’d lead me straight to the primary closed-road stage of the event.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08627
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08633
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08634
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08632
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08641

Thankfully, that’s exactly what happened. After parking up, I quickly set off to seek out a spot nearby to start out shooting from.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08647

The Opel Kadett I had followed got really sideways while exiting a corner, throwing wet mud in my direction. I can’t complain though; you could have to like rear-wheel drive rally cars after they’re driven like this.

  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08782
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08696
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08830
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08777
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08784
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08827 (1)
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08834
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08803
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08840
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08862
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08865 (1)
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08870
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08864 (1)

An excellent number of cars passed by, from old MGs and Fiats to a BMW E46 M3 and even the newest Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Some took very tidy, fast lines while others placed on a show with massive slides, but all of them sounded superb.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08662
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08649
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08693
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08658
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08712
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08730 (1)
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08737
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08723

The explanation there’s such of a combination of latest and old on this event, is that the Spa Rally also incorporates the Spa Rally Classic. The historic cars were definitely a highlight for me, because the competing field was so diverse.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08876 (1)
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08902
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08767

A Porsche 911 GT3 might sound like an odd alternative for a rally automotive, however the 911’s history is crammed with rallying. The sound of the de-restricted naturally aspirated flat-six, combined with the way in which the automotive’s driver handled tight corners, was spectacular. It was considered one of the cars that I heard from miles away because it approached, and long after it had flown past.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08880
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08901
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08911

Competing directly with with the GT3 was this Alpine A110. The pair battled it out within the Group R-GT class for rear-wheel drive sports cars.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08850

A Group B MG Metro 6R4 was also seen on stage, though not as a participant. Before every stage kicked off, a legendary rally machine did a demo run alongside the safety cars.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08891

Nevertheless, some notable historic cars were seen among the many participants. Probably the most famous of all of them was a Group A ST165 Toyota Celica GT-4, which looked stunning with its Toyota Team Europe livery.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08930

It’s value mentioning this Opel – a Group B-homologated Manta 200, which was a more subtle version of the Opel Manta 400.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08900
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08907
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08912
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08909
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08914
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08919
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08915
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08754
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08763
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08747
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08750 (3)
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08760 (1)
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08728

In fact, participating rally cars were often seen driving on local Spa roads during their touring stages. I saw many cars being worked on and checked over on the side of the road as I made my approach to the subsequent special stage.

Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08718
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08611
  • Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08604
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08675
Speedhunters_Steve_Edward_DSC08937

The 2023 Spa Rally was only a glimpse of the lesser-known motorsport motion that goes on around this beautiful region of Belgium, which handily for me is not removed from the German border. There’s still plenty that the Spa village has to supply, and I plan to return next yr to uncover more.

Steve Edward
Instagram: stevedwrd

IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER related stories on Speedhunters

How To hitch the IATS program: We’ve got at all times welcomed readers to contact us with examples of their work and imagine that the very best Speedhunter is at all times the person closest to the culture itself, right there on the road or local car parking zone. When you think you could have what it takes and would love to share your work with us then it’s best to apply to grow to be a part of the IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER program. Read methods to get entangled here.


This Article First Appeared At www.speedhunters.com

Braving Elements Rally Spa
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Previous ArticleJunkyard Gem: 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit L 4-door hatchback
Next Article Top Fleets for Video Telematics – Vehicle Research
Steve Edward

Related Posts

2026 Audi Q5 e-hybrid brings PHEV tech to new-gen SUV

July 6, 2025

2025 Proton X50 facelift open for booking – early birds get RM1,000 money rebate; prices only at launch

July 6, 2025

What’s The Difference Between These Two Truck Mods?

July 5, 2025

Why the Genesis GV70 is a CarExpert Selection winner

July 5, 2025
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Demo
Interesting Picks

AGTZ Twin Tail by Zagato pays homage to the Alpine A220

February 26, 2024

MotorWeek’s 1987 Ford Festiva Review Reminds Us How Imperialism Created Many Small “American” Cars

January 27, 2025

MG Cyberster vs Aston Martin V12 Vantage drag race

February 8, 2025

UAW Strike Could Cost the US Economy Over $5 Billion : Automotive Addicts

September 17, 2023
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Don't Miss
Automobile

2026 Audi Q5 e-hybrid brings PHEV tech to new-gen SUV

By James WongJuly 6, 20250

The subsequent-generation Audi Q5 has added a pair of ‘e-hybrid’ plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants overseas,…

2025 Proton X50 facelift open for booking – early birds get RM1,000 money rebate; prices only at launch

July 6, 2025

Kenworth Continues Expansion of PACCAR TX-12 PRO Automated Transmission – Vehicle Research

July 6, 2025

What’s The Difference Between These Two Truck Mods?

July 5, 2025
About Us
About Us

At ireallylikethiscar.com, we are passionate about all things automotive. Whether you're a fan of supercars, electric vehicles, or simply have a deep appreciation for the beauty and engineering of automobiles, you've come to the right place.

Interesting Articles

Why collaboration matters to the long run of the used automotive industry

August 5, 2024

Touchscreens, Hybrids and Frustration Lead the Way in 2025 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study : Automotive Addicts

June 28, 2025

2025 Porsche 911 GT3 Becomes the Fastest Manual Automotive Across the Nürburgring : Automotive Addicts

April 17, 2025
New Comments
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    © 2025 I really Like This Car. All Rights Reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

    You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

    Sign In or Register

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below.

    Lost password?
    I Really Like This Car
    Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

    Strictly Necessary Cookies

    Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

    If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.