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There have been WRC events in various places of the American continent, all with quite poor success. The only exception to this rule is Rally Argentina, it has endured in the championship where others have not. If interest towards rallying has been thin on the ground in other regions of America, Argentina sports one of the most enthusiastic crowds anywhere.
While there is nothing especially unique about this event, Rally Argentina still pushes two features beyond anything that other rallies do offer. Firstly, the heights to which stages of the rally climb are invariably highest in the WRC, thin air sapping power from the engines. Secondly, event has more water splashes than any other rally. In 2000 both of Seat's Cordoba WRC's were forced to retire within few kilometers of each other when water got into clutch housing. In 2004 Petter Solberg retired when engine of his Subaru Impreza sucked water from a ford.
Terrain varies from open pampa to high mountains, consequently offering both smooth and also rougher parts. Speedwise Argentina is somewhere between ultra-fast rallies of Finland and Sweden and slower car-breakers like Acropolis. Originally known as Rally Codasur and held in north of country around San Miguel de Tucuman, event was not held in 1982 because of Falklands War. Next year rally moved to south in San Carlos de Bariloche until it finally has found home between these two extremes at Cordoba.
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| 1980:
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Rohrl, Walter
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Fiat 131 Abarth
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95.53 km/h
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| 1981:
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Frequelin, Guy
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Talbot Sunbeam
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92.66 km/h
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| 1983:
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Mikkola, Hannu
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Audi quattro A2
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121.60 km/h
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| 1984:
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Blomqvist, Stig
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Audi quattro A2
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89.82 km/h
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| 1985:
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Salonen, Timo
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Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
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94.95 km/h
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| 1986:
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Biasion, Massimo
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Lancia Delta S4
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89.87 km/h
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| 1987:
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Biasion, Massimo
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Lancia Delta HF 4WD
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83.15 km/h
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| 1988:
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Recalde, Jorge
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Lancia Delta Integrale
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82.34 km/h
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| 1989:
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Ericsson, Mikael
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Lancia Delta Integrale
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84.31 km/h
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| 1990:
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Biasion, Massimo
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Lancia Delta HF Integrale 16v
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87.41 km/h
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| 1991:
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Sainz, Carlos
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Toyota Celica GT-4 (ST165)
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89.24 km/h
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| 1992:
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Auriol, Didier
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Lancia Delta HF Integrale
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95.61 km/h
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| 1993:
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Kankkunen, Juha
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Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (ST185)
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91.51 km/h
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| 1994:
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Auriol, Didier
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Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD (ST185)
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96.48 km/h
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| 1996:
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Makinen, Tommi
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Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III
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88.81 km/h
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| 1997:
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Makinen, Tommi
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Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV
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90.93 km/h
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| 1998:
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Makinen, Tommi
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Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V
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91.70 km/h
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| 1999:
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Kankkunen, Juha
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Subaru Impreza WRC99
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92.51 km/h
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| 2000:
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Burns, Richard
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Subaru Impreza WRC2000
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88.56 km/h
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| 2001:
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McRae, Colin
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Ford Focus RS WRC 01
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90.45 km/h
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| 2002:
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Sainz, Carlos
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Ford Focus RS WRC 02
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86.65 km/h
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| 2003:
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Gronholm, Marcus
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Peugeot 206WRC (2002)
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89.34 km/h
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| 2004:
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Sainz, Carlos
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Citroen Xsara WRC
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87.23 km/h
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| 2005:
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Loeb, Sebastien
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Citroen Xsara WRC
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86.79 km/h
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| 2006:
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Loeb, Sebastien
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Citroen Xsara WRC
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85.42 km/h
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| 2007:
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Loeb, Sebastien
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Citroen C4 WRC
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86.57 km/h
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| 2008:
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Loeb, Sebastien
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Citroen C4 WRC
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84.92 km/h
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Argentina is known for numerous watersplashes as route crosses small rivers and streams.
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Some stages reach incredible heights but even amidst most barren rocky mountains there are plenty of spectators around.
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In 2001 both Skoda's had to retire when fire truck crashed on the parked rally cars.
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Driver wins
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Loeb, Sebastien (4)
Biasion, Massimo (3)
Makinen, Tommi (3)
Sainz, Carlos (3)
Auriol, Didier (2)
Kankkunen, Juha (2)
Blomqvist, Stig (1)
Burns, Richard (1)
Ericsson, Mikael (1)
Frequelin, Guy (1)
Gronholm, Marcus (1)
McRae, Colin (1)
Mikkola, Hannu (1)
Recalde, Jorge (1)
Rohrl, Walter (1)
Salonen, Timo (1)
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Manufacturer wins
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Lancia (6)
Citroen (5)
Mitsubishi (3)
Toyota (3)
Audi (2)
Ford (2)
Peugeot (2)
Subaru (2)
Fiat (1)
Talbot (1)
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