The Evolution of the Drifting Angle

Cars

The title of the film might sound like that of some strange B&W Open University physics lecture off the telly in the 1970s, but it’s actually a brilliant film about the history, culture, personalities and fast times of rallying.

And it fact, the title sounds even funnier in German.

Put together by enthusiast Helmut Deimel, it’s a passionately conceived piece of history that brings together killer archive action and interviews with almost every big name in rallying over the last few decades.

Documenting everything from the back-happy extremism to 4WD drift and beyond through the irresponsible madness of Group B, the film does for Rallying what Dogtown and Z Boys did for Skateboarding – only with a lot more Finnish people.

For some reason the video is available extensively in full length on the WWW for your enjoyment. We wouldn’t be so rude as to post the whole video, but enjoy the trailer above and hunt down a copy for yourself.

It’s a brilliant way to spend ninety minutes.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

5 Responses to “The Evolution of the Drifting Angle”

  1. Only version I’ve found is in German – is that right? Is there an English one?

  2. Mike,

    I agree. The sounds and images are fantastic – some subtitles would make the whole thing, and Walter Rohl’s interviews etc, even better…..happy to buy the DVD if they do that.

  3. “Irresponsible madness of Group B”? I think it’s long been accepted that the irresponsibility and madness at the time can be placed squarely at the feet of certain spectators from certain countries! Couple that with Jean Marie Balestre in charge of the FIA and the cocktail was complete. There were a couple of issues with safety in the design of the cars (type of fuels and positioning of fuel tanks) which should have been addressed earlier (by the FIA!) but Group S was going to refine the art of rallying after Group B…until JMB killed the project.

  4. Rob…when I wrote “irresponsible madness” I was writing with a tongue placed firmly in the cheek. In our opinion motorsport without the danger is like coffee without the cream, love without the chance of betrayal, and all sorts of other dodgy metaphors etc etc. I would happily signup to a group B revival campaign. Bring it on!