What about group "B" ??

Group B in rallying was not banned at the end of 1986. It carried on for several years. What was banned was the over 2000cc class of GpB that contained all the so-called "super cars".
The original regulations for GpB were exactly the same as for GpA except for allowing dry sumping and having a 200 minimum production not 5000. Evolution was not in the original regulations.
Virtually anything on 4 wheels that could not obtain homologation in GpN or GpA was homologated into GpB to allow entry lists to be kept high enough to allow events to run in the early days of the new Appendix J GpN/A/B. GpB cars included several previous Gp1 cars that, because they were not fitted with fuel injection as standard and had relied on "optional" carburetters to be competitive, could not achieve the new GpA homologation and were thus only homolgated in GpB after the end of 1981. Only a tiny percentage of GpB cars were what is now recalled as GpB ie. so-called "supercars".
As to what was the best/would have been the fastest/"best" GpB car, it is impossible to say. It was a moving target like all such formulae. The Audi, Peugeot and Lancia were more or less at the end of their development in 1986. The 6R4 could never have been fully competitive without homologating another 200 cars, this time with twin turbos. The RS200 was early in its potential development and would probably have become the leader, before being overtaken by a new car from one of the other manufacturers.
GpB was never originally intended to be a rally catgory, only a racing category. The new Appendix J for 1982 (GpN and A) was introduced to ban the many, largely British Gp1/2/4 "homologation specials". Without an extension of Gp2 and Gp4 for 2 years and GpB, there would not have been enough entries on International rallies in 1982 and 1983.
It was the construction of the cars that was dangerous in some cases, including the widespread use of titanium in structures, that all too tragically burnt fiercely.
For history, GpB was NOT just a few "supercars".

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Originally Posted by sollitt

(snip)But a word of advice. Don't believe everything you read here.
There are people on this forum who would blame the FIA for their dinner being cold.

(snip)They seem to have overlooked the meetings that the drivers themselves called to discuss their concerns. The fact that Audi, and maybe one or two others, had withdrawn before the sport's announcement.

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Words of wisdom, Sollitt!

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Originally Posted by Nenukknak

The drivers met indeed, indeed they met at Toivonen's funeral, their main concern was spectator safety and indeed passive car-safety.

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Drivers had a meeting long before Henri was killed, in fact Henri was one of the drivers who presented what had been decided in the discussions. Namely, this meeting took place 5th of March 1986, just hours after Santos' Ford RS200 had ploughed into group of spectators with fatal results.

The meeting minutes show that indeed their primary concern was the spectator safety and that type of the car (ie RS200 being a Group B car) was not a factor in the accident.

"3: The accident on Stage 1 was caused by the driver having to try to avoid spectators that were in the road. It was not due to the type of car or the speed of it."

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Originally Posted by Nenukknak

The manufacturers really tried hard to save group B in any way, but the FIA simply refused and never did anything for spectator safety.

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Which is exactly what happens in tyranny. When big boss makes a decision, he cannot reverse it without losing a face and that never happens, hence big boss' decisions are always final. Even if I applauded Sollitt above, I am not kidding myself with delusions about Balestre's judgement.

Group B ban was a kneejerk reaction to tragedy at Corsica, decision was made hastily in matter of days as FISA had to make a show of their decisiveness. At that time nobody yet knew why Toivonen had his accident (in fact, it's not known for sure even today), which made FISA's speedy decisions that much more absurd. In fact, amongst those decisions the Gr B ban was only one. Besides that, stage maximum distances were limited to a maximum of 30 km per stage (for the first time in history), further evolutions were banned (which made RS200 incompetitive with a single stroke), skirts and similar aerodynamic aids were banned and cars were required to carry automatic fire extinguishers.

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Originally Posted by Meeve

So now the WRC are as fast as the group B car. But there is not as much accident. Now that we have the technologies, and the knowledge, to go fast without killing ourself, why are the restriction so severe about WRC car? They are occasional accident but mostly it's not because of the car, is it? Why do the FIA don't rearange the restriction for group B?

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Would you mind explaining why you'd want Group B or it's derivative back?

From safety point of view, current cars are too fast, especially on tarmac. With current narrow tyres and overweight cars, drivers are exactly on the limit and there is no margin for error. This was proven in 2000 and 2001 when Colin crashed in Corsica (nearly a fatal), Tommi as well in Corsica (could have been a lot worse), Delecour's huge accident in Australia had makings of a disaster as well. Then there is the Martin's unfortunate accident in 2005. Yes, cars are safer but how bad these accidents would have been with more powerful vehicles?

If you're after the technical freedoms that Gr B offered, the World Rally Car formula has much of the ideas incorporated in it but within safe envelope offered by the 34mm restrictor.

If you want spectacular driving, the safe way to provide that is to reduce grip, not increase power.

Or are you after something else?

Sadly Grp B will never return, but as Jonkka suggests lowering the tyre grip to Grp B era levels and also completely removing the current decibel limit may well be all that is required to bring back the spectacle we all love and miss..

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Originally Posted by Zico

also completely removing the current decibel limit may well be all that is required to bring back the spectacle we all love and miss..

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FIA can't over rule trafic laws in any country...sadly.

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Originally Posted by DonJippo

FIA can't over rule trafic laws in any country...sadly.

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Not quite so... Current WRC regulations do have this:

14.4 Noise level in the special stages

For safety reasons, on special stages only, the possibility of bypassing the exhaust silencer is recommended, provided that the exit of the exhaust gases is in conformity with Appendix J and, for cars fitted with a catalytic converter, that the gases themselves pass through this catalytic converter.
In all cases, at any time on the road sections, the noise level must be in conformity with Appendix J.

On stages, cars can make more noise. On road sections they can't and that's the difficult part but provided it can be technically done, it's legal. You're correct that local laws may prevent this but sporting events can get waivers (usually).

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Originally Posted by jonkka

Not quite so... Current WRC regulations do have this:

14.4 Noise level in the special stages

For safety reasons, on special stages only, the possibility of bypassing the exhaust silencer is recommended, provided that the exit of the exhaust gases is in conformity with Appendix J and, for cars fitted with a catalytic converter, that the gases themselves pass through this catalytic converter.
In all cases, at any time on the road sections, the noise level must be in conformity with Appendix J.

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And the Appendix J says:

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3.6 Exhaust system and silencer

Even when the specific provisions for a group allow the replacement of the original silencer, the cars competing in an open-road event shall always be equipped with an exhaust silencer complying with the traffic regulations of the country(ies) through which the event is run.

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that being my point.

Only in case local traffic regulation allows the noise level to be higher than 103dB FIA has regulation for it as 3.6 in Appendix J continues:

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For all cars used in Rallies and unless the limits imposed by the local authorities are lower, the noise level on the open road must not exceed 103 dB(A) for an engine rotation speed of 3500 rpm for petrol engines and 2500 rpm for diesel engines.

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I sure would like to have a bit more noise on stages but as we are living in such environmental sensitive world I doubt if we can get it...

Hey making a bit more noise won't kill off the pandas or whales. Bring it on.

They could make a safe, possibly cheaper and similar spectacle to group B by reducing the engine size, increasing anti-lag and/or allowing multiple turbochargers, keeping the sole tyre supplier (so that there is no incentive to make really grippy tyres), and reducing the efficiency of suspension, brakes and differentials. IMO, of course.

But then again, who says that cars must be 4wd? Clarkson, May and Hammond drove across Africa in 2wd cars, not to mention the incidental fact that rallying got by quite nicely without 4wd for a time before Audi brought it in. Certainly the RWD cars I've seen on the stages have been spectacular.