Group 6 was the official designation applied by the FIA to two motor racing classifications, the Prototype-Sports Car category from 1966 to 1971 and the Two-Seater Racing Cars class from 1976 to 1982.

Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars (1966 to 1971)

The original Group 6 was introduced for the 1966 racing season, at the same time as a new Group 4 Sports Car category. Whilst Group 4 specified that competing cars must be one of at least fifty examples built, Group 6 had no minimum production requirement. Nor did it have a maximum engine capacity limit although there were weight, dimensional and other restrictions placed on the Group 6 cars.M.L Twite, The World’s Racing Cars, 4th Edition, 1970, Page 136 The Prototypes and Sports Cars categories each had their own international championships to fight for but many of the major international endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans would count as qualifying rounds for both championships.

1968 saw a three-litre engine capacity limit imposed on the Group 6 category and the dual championship format was replaced by a single International Championship for Makes open to both Group 6 and Group 4 cars. The Le Mans 24 Hour retained its place as a championship round. For 1969 the FIA relaxed a number of Group 6 regulations relating to weight, spare wheel, windscreen height and luggage space requirements.

For 1972 the Group 6 Prototype-Sports Car class was redesignated and renamed to become the Group 5 Sports Car category.János L. Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, Page 886 The International Championship of Makes became the World Championship of Makes and the first chapter of Group 6 history was brought to a close by the FIA.

Group 6 cars had been eligible to compete in 24 Hours of Le Mans each year from 1966 to 1971; however, the category had produced the outright winning car only in 1966 and 1967.

Group 6 Two-Seater Racing Cars (1976 to 1982)

In 1976, the FIA reintroduced the Group 6 classification, now officially called “Two- Seater Racing Cars”.

Various production-based categories, spearheaded by a new Group 5 for “Special Production Cars”, were now to contest the World Championship of Makes whilst the Group 6 cars were awarded their own title, the World Championship for Sports Cars. Three engine capacity limits were applied to Group 6 cars for the 1976 and 1977 championships:Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, Page 259 5000cc for cars fitted with engines using a production car block 3000cc for cars fitted with naturally aspirated racing engines 2140cc for cars fitted with turbocharged racing engines (capacity equivalence factor of 1.4)

After two years of small fields and little in the way of manufacturer support the championship was downgraded to become the European Sports Car Championship for 1978 but even that title was to be abandoned after the first year.János L. Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, Page 1183 From 1979 the FIA decreed that Group 6 cars could compete in the World Championship of Makes qualifying rounds but continued to allow only production-based cars to score championship points for their manufacturer.János L. Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, Page 1143

1981 saw the series expanded with an official Drivers’ title awarded by the FIA for the first time and drivers of Group 6 cars were eligible to compete for this.János L. Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, Page 1292 Group 6 was then effectively replaced by the new Group C Sports Car class for 1982 but the FIA granted a concession which allowed the Group 6 cars to compete in the 1982 World Endurance Championship alongside the new cars. As in 1981, drivers of Group 6 cars were eligible to score points in the Drivers’ championship but the relevant manufacturers could not score points towards the Makes title.János L. Wimpffen, Time and Two Seats, 1999, Page 1349 For the 1982 World Endurance Championship, the engine capacity maximum for Group 6 cars was set at 3000cc.Didier Braillon, Racing car regulations 1982, Automobile Year 1982/83, page 149

Throughout the seven years of the second era of Group 6 racing cars being eligible to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, starting from 1976, the category had produced the outright winning car in all years except 1979, when in heavy rain several 911-based Group 5 Porsche 935 were on top, and in the final 1982, when the new Group C Porsche 956 started its dominance. Before that, the Porsche 936 won three times (1976, 1977 and 1981) with Renault in 1978 and Rondeau in 1980 scoring wins for France.

List of Group 6 Cars BrandChassisImageDebutApplicationsNotesAbarthT14019671st GenerationConcept only, never raced.Alfa Romeo33SC1219762nd GenerationT33/219671st GenerationT/33/TT/1219732nd GenerationTipo 3319661st GenerationLater versions would compete in Groups 4, and 5.AlpineA21019671st GenerationA22019681st GenerationA44219762nd GenerationA442B19782nd GenerationA44319782nd GenerationM6519661st GenerationChaparral2D19661st Generation2F19671st GenerationChevronB1919711st GenerationB2119722nd GenerationB2619732nd GenerationB3119752nd GenerationB3619762nd GenerationFerrari312 P19691st Generation312 PB19711st GenerationWould later be reassigned to Group 5.330 P19641st Generation330 P219651st Generation330 P319661st Generation330 P419661st GenerationFiat Abarth1000SP19681st GenerationFordGT40 Mk II19661st GenerationEarlier version competed in Group 4.GT40 Mark IV19671st GenerationP6819681st GenerationP6919691st GenerationHesketh308LMHowmetTX19681st GenerationJaguarXJ1319661st GenerationLanciaLC119822nd GenerationLigierJS319711st GenerationLolaT21019701st GenerationT21219701st GenerationT29419742nd GenerationT29619762nd GenerationT29719772nd GenerationT29819792nd GenerationT60019812nd GenerationLotus6219691st GenerationMarch75S19752nd Generation76S19762nd Generation77S19772nd GenerationMatraMS62019661st GenerationMS65019691st GenerationMS66019701st GenerationMirageGR719742nd GenerationGR819752nd GenerationM119671st GenerationM219681st GenerationM319691st GenerationM819762nd GenerationM919782nd GenerationM1019792nd GenerationMooncraftShiden 7719772nd GenerationOsellaPA319752nd GenerationPA419762nd GenerationPA519772nd GenerationPA619782nd GenerationPA719792nd GenerationPA819802nd GenerationPA919812nd GenerationPorsche90619661st GenerationLater versions would compete in Group 4.90719671st Generation907 LH19671st Generation90819661st GenerationA later version would compete in Group 5.908/0219691st Generation908/0319701st Generation91019671st Generation93619762nd GenerationPrinceR38019661st GenerationRondeauInaltéra GTP19762nd GenerationM37819782nd GenerationM37919792nd GenerationSauberC519752nd GenerationTOJSC20419762nd GenerationSC20519772nd GenerationSC20619782nd GenerationSC30219772nd GenerationSC30319772nd GenerationSC30419772nd Generation

Groups 1-9

References