Editing Group A (section)

{{Short description|Motorsport category for race and rally cars}}
{{About|motor racing regulations}}
[[File:2006-03-03 Motorshow Geneva 012.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Lancia Delta Group A|Lancia Delta HF integrale Group A]]]]
[[File:Mitsubishi LancerEvoⅥTME Gr.A.JPG|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution|Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI]], [[Tommi Mäkinen]] edition, a Group A rally car]]
'''Group A''' is a set of [[motorsport]] regulations administered by the [[FIA]] covering production derived [[Touring car|touring cars]] for competition, usually in [[touring car racing]] and [[rallying]]. In contrast to the short-lived [[Group B]] and [[Group C]], Group A vehicles were limited in terms of power, weight, allowed technology and overall cost. Group A was aimed at ensuring numerous entries in races of privately owned vehicles.

Group A was introduced by the FIA in 1982 to replace the outgoing [[Group 2 (motorsport)|Group 2]] as "modified touring cars", while [[Group N]] would replace [[Group 1 (motorsport)|Group 1]] as "standard touring cars". During the early years there were no further formula for production based race cars. Cars from multiple Groups could contest the [[World Rally Championship]] for Manufacturers for example until 1997 when the specific [[World Rally Car]] formula was introduced as the only option. In recent years Groups A and N have begun to be phased out in eligibility in championships though they continue to form the homologation basis for most production based race car formulae including the [[Groups Rally]] which must first be homologated in Group A. Both Groups N and A, and the details of their differences are described in the FIAs International Sporting Code and several of its Appendices J articles.<ref name="ISC">{{cite web |title=INTERNATIONAL SPORTING CODE |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/2021_international_sporting_code_fr-en_clean._18.01.2021_0.pdf}}</ref><ref name="J251">{{cite web |title=Classification and Definitions |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/251_2021_wmsc_2021.07.08_corrected_2021.08.09.pdf}}</ref><ref name="J252">{{cite web |title=General Prescriptions for Cars of Group N, A (and Extensions) and R-GT |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/252_2021_wmsc_2020.10.15.pdf}}</ref><ref name="J254">{{cite web |title=Specific Regulations for Production Cars (Group N) |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/254_2019_wmsc_2018.12.05.pdf}}</ref><ref name="J255">{{cite web |title=Specific Regulations for Touring Cars (Group A) |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/255_2019_wmsc_2018_12.05.pdf}}</ref>