Which car was the last rear-wheel-drive car to win the WRC manufacturers' title?

The Lancia Rally 037 was the last rear-wheel-drive car to win the WRC manufacturers’ title.

Lancia achieved that feat in 1983, when the mid-engined 037 secured the manufacturers’ championship against increasingly dominant four-wheel-drive machinery. Audi’s Quattro had already demonstrated the major traction advantage of all-wheel drive, especially on loose rally surfaces, making Lancia’s success a notable engineering and sporting achievement.

The 037 was developed for Group B and used a supercharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, a lightweight tubular structure and rear-wheel drive. Its strengths included low weight, strong acceleration and excellent performance on tarmac. Drivers including Walter Röhrl and Markku Alén helped Lancia score the points needed for the title.

A common mix-up is to name the Audi Quattro because Audi pioneered four-wheel-drive success in the WRC. The Quattro won major championships, but Lancia’s 037 took the 1983 manufacturers’ crown and remains the final rear-wheel-drive champion.