It was the influence of Audi Sport that brought about in this year's change in the location of the rally's base, after ten years of starting and finishing in Aberystwyth the new focal point became Shrewsbury. Nearer to large centres of population and hence consumers it was a much more attractive town to the car company although it produced difficult questions for the organisers in planning the rally.

The noise test was in the car park of the Shirehall, from there crews were despatched to scrutineering at the local Audi dealers in the congested town centre. Documentation was at an hotel on the outskirts of the town, the start and finish back at the Shirehall and finally results and prizes were at yet another hotel outside the ring road.

Finances were again a big problem, with less than 80 entries and over 80 stage miles Audi Sport's financial input was important.

The star driver from Audi was David Llewellin, co-driven by Phil Short. David had won the National Championship the previous year and the Audi 'works' drive in the British Championship was the reward. However it was the two BL Metro 6R4's that caught the public's imagination at the start, in Shrewsbury's Shirehall car park where they turned out in huge numbers to see the British Group B challengers.

Unfortunately the Audi had a mishap on the first stage and retired immediately with a diplomatic 'radiator' problem. This left the field open for the Metro's. Tony Pond lead his team mate home with seven out of eight fastest stage times. The best of the national runners was Mark Lovell, claiming maximum Shell Oils / Autosport RAC National Championship points and winning the Championship.