An automotive journalist by trade, Editor Angus decided it would be a fun experiment to compare the two Group A road cars currently present in Assetto Corsa Evo, the Ford Escort RS Cosworth and Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2. Here are his thoughts on the best rally car in AC Evo.
Last week, Assetto Corsa EVO saw the first of what sim racers will hope is many updates and content drops. Bringing a number of fixes, this first patch was headlined by three content additions including Fuji Speedway and the Lamborghini Huracán STO. But what interests us most in this article is the second car as part of the drop: the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2.
Those in the know will associate this 1990's hot hatch with its excellent rallying pedigree. But it isn't the only car in AC Evo with a background in sideways sliding on gravel, tarmac, snow and ice. The Lancia joins its fellow mid-1990's rallying stablemate in the form of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
Four-wheel drive road legal versions of Group A World Rallying legends, this is a pair of cars that are sure to come to blows throughout the game's lifespan. So which is best and which should you drive in a race? Here is our twin test of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth and Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 in Assetto Corsa EVO. But fist, a bit of history.
Whilst many manufacturers chose to overhaul their competitors, opting for new machinery as a base, Lancia decided to retain its Delta hot hatch albeit in refreshed and far less extreme form. The result was the Lancia Delta Integrale, a boxy little five door sporting a revy 2-litre four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive.
The Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 in the AC EVO Showroom.
The Italian hatch's Evo 2 form spawned in the Summer of 1993 bringing a collection of modernised interior comforts like standard air con as well as a number of aesthetic touch-ups such as the larger 16-inch wheels. However, from a performance standpoint, the second iteration was very much on par with its predecessor.
In total, some 2481 examples of this racing homologation special were built between 1993 and 1994. However, a number of further special editions did leave the factory over the course of the next few years. Nevertheless, it is still a very rare model and so its inclusion in the Assetto Corsa EVO car list will allow far more people to drive it than previously possible.
Where the fifth generation of Ford Escort launched in 1990, it wasn't until 1992 that Ford unveiled its family car with extra whale tail and bonnet louvres. Not to mention all-wheel drive, a massively turbocharged, Cosworth-tuned four-pot and some fancy water injection tech which went unused in the road-going car, but served as homologation for the rally racer.
The Ford Escort RS Cosworth in the AC EVO Showroom.
In total, over 7,000 examples of the RS Cosworth left the factory between its introduction in 1992 and the end of production in 1996. However, these are spread across two different variants; first were the 2,500 homologation special units, followed by a further near-5,000 models sporting a smaller turbo, making the most of impressive sales figures.
With but a marginal power drop from the larger to the later, smaller turbocharger, whether Assetto Corsa EVO has the proper homologation car or not isn't all that important. But it would be nice to know you are driving the full fat version when sending it in-game.
So let's compare the two to work out which you should try out first in-game, and which you should buy should you be hesitating between the two.
Group A homologation takes to Assetto Corsa EVO. Image: Kunos Simulazioni
Certainly nothing on today's power figures considering most family SUVs will produce more, back in the day, that was a commendable figure. Especially considering their circa-1.3-tonne weight.
Pair torquey engines with low weight figures and all-wheel drive and these rallying legends will atomise plenty of modern machinery in the 0-100kmh sprint. In fact, whilst the Cossie will send you to the benchmark in 5.9 seconds, the Italian box will beat that by 2 tenths. But keep your foot to the floor and where the Lancia caps out at 220kmh, the Ford will keep going beyond 230.
Whilst marginal differences distinguish these two legends of the mid-1990s, they are certainly more comparable than any other two cars in Assetto Corsa EVO. The best way to choose between the two therefore is to get them out on-track. So let's do just that.
Despite both fitting the Group A homologation special moniker, there is no denying the differences between both the Lancia and the Ford. Where the Delta Integrale is a boxy hatchback with a short wheelbase, the Escort RS Cosworth is a far longer, more flowy design. This difference in wheelbase has a dramatic effect on the cars' handling.
The variation in handling characteristics is best felt through the long right-hander of 100R, a combination of turns 4 and 5. Carrying speed through the first half, you must then get the nose turned in once more for the second half. It is this tricky scenario that sat the Lancia above the Ford for us in drivability.
With its shorter wheelbase, the Lancia grips up far better, even when blending the throttle under load. The Ford on the other hand lets its tail fly out far more aggressively meaning one must be careful in difficult scenarios not to spin.
The Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 is a far stubbier car than the Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
This more ungainly characteristic isn't helped by the Ford's all-wheel drive system with its greater front bias meaning it drives far more like a front-wheel drive hot hatch. Lift-off oversteer, rear-wheel hopping in the corners and torque steer may make for a fun driving experience, and can be fast when controlled properly. But they all make the Escort a far less consistent model to drive on the limit.
In the case of the Lancia, everything felt easy to get to grips with from the get-go meaning that a first marker in the 2:08s saw little improvement down to the model's final 2:06.714 lap time.
Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 sets a 2:06.7 around Fuji.
But it took a good three laps before the Ford ever produced a worthy time and even then, it fell above the 2:10-mark. A few more laps later of learning and adapting and the Ford did end up setting a faster time than the Lancia on Lap 5. Breaking the beam in 2:06.108, the Ford comes out around half a second above its Italian rival. But where the Lancia could easily replicate that time lap after lap, the Ford would see greater variation across a stint.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth sets a 2:06.1 around Fuji.
The Blue Oval's victory no doubt comes down to its greater top speed, surpassing the 220km/h barrier down the long Fuji front straight. The Delta on the other hand struggled to reach fifth gear and even then could just about tickle the fruit that is 205. Though if you do compare these two yourself, make sure to adjust your braking markers accordingly as not only is the Ford stopping from a higher speed, it is also a bit more temperamental on the stop pedal, we found.
For those looking to race competitively once online functionalities arrive in Assetto Corsa EVO, the Lancia will probably be the easier car to drive in public servers. Fabulous for its get-in and go dynamic, it's an approachable car that should be quick regardless of your practice availability.
The Lancia will be your best bet for open lobby racing without practice in AC EVO. Image: Kunos Simulazioni
For anything else however, we would suggest the Ford to be the better car. Not only is it faster if you spend the time to practice, it is also by far the more entertaining car of the two to drive with a greater level of satisfaction from setting a respectable marker. Moreover, during our short time testing, we found the Cossie to be a far more emotive to the ear with a deeper engine boom to rumble the chest, turbo flutter to lift a grin and the odd pop and bang on overrun to induce endless giggles.
Finally, whilst the economy in AC EVO is far from flushed out in its current state with Driving Academy licences alone rewarding more money than your typical CEO role in real life, there is the money side of things. Both cars feature in the base game's car list, so do not worry about that. But when it comes to their in-game credit costs, the Ford will set you back half that of the Lancia as the former comes in at just 60,000 credits versus the latter's 150k. Now that is food for thought.
Which 1990's Group A rally car do you like most in Assetto Corsa EVO? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our AC EVO forum!
Last week, Assetto Corsa EVO saw the first of what sim racers will hope is many updates and content drops. Bringing a number of fixes, this first patch was headlined by three content additions including Fuji Speedway and the Lamborghini Huracán STO. But what interests us most in this article is the second car as part of the drop: the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2.
Those in the know will associate this 1990's hot hatch with its excellent rallying pedigree. But it isn't the only car in AC Evo with a background in sideways sliding on gravel, tarmac, snow and ice. The Lancia joins its fellow mid-1990's rallying stablemate in the form of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
Four-wheel drive road legal versions of Group A World Rallying legends, this is a pair of cars that are sure to come to blows throughout the game's lifespan. So which is best and which should you drive in a race? Here is our twin test of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth and Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 in Assetto Corsa EVO. But fist, a bit of history.
What is the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2?
Following the death of the insanity that was Group B, the rallying world reverted to the more tame Group A regulations. This meant that many previous WRC competitors had to put together new models to compete in the series.Whilst many manufacturers chose to overhaul their competitors, opting for new machinery as a base, Lancia decided to retain its Delta hot hatch albeit in refreshed and far less extreme form. The result was the Lancia Delta Integrale, a boxy little five door sporting a revy 2-litre four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive.
The Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 in the AC EVO Showroom.
The Italian hatch's Evo 2 form spawned in the Summer of 1993 bringing a collection of modernised interior comforts like standard air con as well as a number of aesthetic touch-ups such as the larger 16-inch wheels. However, from a performance standpoint, the second iteration was very much on par with its predecessor.
In total, some 2481 examples of this racing homologation special were built between 1993 and 1994. However, a number of further special editions did leave the factory over the course of the next few years. Nevertheless, it is still a very rare model and so its inclusion in the Assetto Corsa EVO car list will allow far more people to drive it than previously possible.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth in Brief
Much like its rival, the Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a top-of-the-range, halo variant of an otherwise pedestrian family car. Fitted with all the performance tricks and upgrades that its bonnet could consume, the so-called Cossie was too a homologation special dedicated to ensuring the Blue Oval's entry into the Group A category.Where the fifth generation of Ford Escort launched in 1990, it wasn't until 1992 that Ford unveiled its family car with extra whale tail and bonnet louvres. Not to mention all-wheel drive, a massively turbocharged, Cosworth-tuned four-pot and some fancy water injection tech which went unused in the road-going car, but served as homologation for the rally racer.
The Ford Escort RS Cosworth in the AC EVO Showroom.
In total, over 7,000 examples of the RS Cosworth left the factory between its introduction in 1992 and the end of production in 1996. However, these are spread across two different variants; first were the 2,500 homologation special units, followed by a further near-5,000 models sporting a smaller turbo, making the most of impressive sales figures.
With but a marginal power drop from the larger to the later, smaller turbocharger, whether Assetto Corsa EVO has the proper homologation car or not isn't all that important. But it would be nice to know you are driving the full fat version when sending it in-game.
Best Rally Car in Assetto Corsa EVO
There is no denying that both the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 and the Ford Escort RS Cosworth are rallying royalty. But they are also incredible cars in their own right, regardless of their rallying pedigree, deserving all the admiration of players in AC EVO. However, there is only space for one on the top step.So let's compare the two to work out which you should try out first in-game, and which you should buy should you be hesitating between the two.
AC EVO Group A Specs
Fitting within the confines of rallying's mid-1990s Group A regulations, both the Ford and Lancia feature similar core engine architectures. In either case, a 2-litre inline-four-cylinder lump sits under the bonnet sporting hefty turbocharger. Whilst there is a slight difference between the two, both engines put out around 215 brake horsepower.Group A homologation takes to Assetto Corsa EVO. Image: Kunos Simulazioni
Certainly nothing on today's power figures considering most family SUVs will produce more, back in the day, that was a commendable figure. Especially considering their circa-1.3-tonne weight.
Pair torquey engines with low weight figures and all-wheel drive and these rallying legends will atomise plenty of modern machinery in the 0-100kmh sprint. In fact, whilst the Cossie will send you to the benchmark in 5.9 seconds, the Italian box will beat that by 2 tenths. But keep your foot to the floor and where the Lancia caps out at 220kmh, the Ford will keep going beyond 230.
Whilst marginal differences distinguish these two legends of the mid-1990s, they are certainly more comparable than any other two cars in Assetto Corsa EVO. The best way to choose between the two therefore is to get them out on-track. So let's do just that.
Lancia VS Ford: Top Handling
Joining the Lancia in the latest Assetto Corsa EVO content drop was Fuji Speedway, a previous Formula One Grand Prix venue featuring a long straight, plenty of long radius corners, hard braking zones and a twisty section to round out the lap. Testing cars to their limit, this is where we chose to put these two rally racers to the test.Despite both fitting the Group A homologation special moniker, there is no denying the differences between both the Lancia and the Ford. Where the Delta Integrale is a boxy hatchback with a short wheelbase, the Escort RS Cosworth is a far longer, more flowy design. This difference in wheelbase has a dramatic effect on the cars' handling.
The variation in handling characteristics is best felt through the long right-hander of 100R, a combination of turns 4 and 5. Carrying speed through the first half, you must then get the nose turned in once more for the second half. It is this tricky scenario that sat the Lancia above the Ford for us in drivability.
With its shorter wheelbase, the Lancia grips up far better, even when blending the throttle under load. The Ford on the other hand lets its tail fly out far more aggressively meaning one must be careful in difficult scenarios not to spin.
The Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 is a far stubbier car than the Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
This more ungainly characteristic isn't helped by the Ford's all-wheel drive system with its greater front bias meaning it drives far more like a front-wheel drive hot hatch. Lift-off oversteer, rear-wheel hopping in the corners and torque steer may make for a fun driving experience, and can be fast when controlled properly. But they all make the Escort a far less consistent model to drive on the limit.
The Stopwatch Does Not Lie
And that tricky nervousness is reflected in the lap times. During our test, we took both cars out around Fuji for five laps each giving us enough time to learn the cars before putting together a final lap time.In the case of the Lancia, everything felt easy to get to grips with from the get-go meaning that a first marker in the 2:08s saw little improvement down to the model's final 2:06.714 lap time.
Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 sets a 2:06.7 around Fuji.
But it took a good three laps before the Ford ever produced a worthy time and even then, it fell above the 2:10-mark. A few more laps later of learning and adapting and the Ford did end up setting a faster time than the Lancia on Lap 5. Breaking the beam in 2:06.108, the Ford comes out around half a second above its Italian rival. But where the Lancia could easily replicate that time lap after lap, the Ford would see greater variation across a stint.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth sets a 2:06.1 around Fuji.
The Blue Oval's victory no doubt comes down to its greater top speed, surpassing the 220km/h barrier down the long Fuji front straight. The Delta on the other hand struggled to reach fifth gear and even then could just about tickle the fruit that is 205. Though if you do compare these two yourself, make sure to adjust your braking markers accordingly as not only is the Ford stopping from a higher speed, it is also a bit more temperamental on the stop pedal, we found.
Group A Car Prices in Assetto Corsa EVO
So which car should you go for between the Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 2 and Ford Escort RS Cosworth? Well, in all seriousness, that will depend on your goal with these rallying brutes.For those looking to race competitively once online functionalities arrive in Assetto Corsa EVO, the Lancia will probably be the easier car to drive in public servers. Fabulous for its get-in and go dynamic, it's an approachable car that should be quick regardless of your practice availability.
The Lancia will be your best bet for open lobby racing without practice in AC EVO. Image: Kunos Simulazioni
For anything else however, we would suggest the Ford to be the better car. Not only is it faster if you spend the time to practice, it is also by far the more entertaining car of the two to drive with a greater level of satisfaction from setting a respectable marker. Moreover, during our short time testing, we found the Cossie to be a far more emotive to the ear with a deeper engine boom to rumble the chest, turbo flutter to lift a grin and the odd pop and bang on overrun to induce endless giggles.
Finally, whilst the economy in AC EVO is far from flushed out in its current state with Driving Academy licences alone rewarding more money than your typical CEO role in real life, there is the money side of things. Both cars feature in the base game's car list, so do not worry about that. But when it comes to their in-game credit costs, the Ford will set you back half that of the Lancia as the former comes in at just 60,000 credits versus the latter's 150k. Now that is food for thought.
Which 1990's Group A rally car do you like most in Assetto Corsa EVO? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our AC EVO forum!
