The Autodromo Group B is one of those watches that makes an immediate impression thanks to its unconventional design inspired by the era of Group B racing cars. It embodies a ‘retro-cool’ design language that hits some crucial nostalgia elements for ‘80s kids, all while offering a truly compelling experience on the wrist. It’s unique, well executed, and presents a strong vision, which is a pretty good formula, especially in the micro-brand space. The Group B made its debut back in 2015 and has seen a steady evolution since, but that core formula has remained unchanged. In 2023, the Group received its biggest update yet, a chronograph complication.
As cool as the Group B looks, a big part of its lasting power came down to its svelte dimensions and lightweight titanium body. Tossing a chronograph movement into the mix would no doubt change this delicate balance, but Autodromo has managed the design well enough to mitigate much of this concern right out of the box, and a big part of that is how the case design was handled. It may not be as thin anymore, but it’s still relatively lightweight, and most importantly wears neatly on the wrist. At no point does this feel like an afterthought; this chronograph was implemented with care and it shows.
The Group B takes its name and inspiration from a set of racing regulations introduced by the FIA in 1982 that gave us some of the most legendary racing cars of all time. Not only were they hugely powerful for their lightweight frames, they were also quite beautiful. Cars like the BMW M1 and Lancia 037 weren’t just race cars, they were cultural symbols of the era that remain as powerful today as they were then. These cars defined the aesthetic of the early Group B cars alongside the likes of the Ferrari 288 GTO and Porsche 959. The car bodies may have been a bit boxy, but they were also elegant in their own way, and in reality quite sophisticated for the day.
There is plenty more to say about Group B, but that will be a story for another day. As great as the racing was, it was even more dangerous, and the set of regulations ended up being shelved by 1986. This short window created a massive impact, and it is this pool from which Autodromo has found its Group B design, and it does an uncanny job of mustering the same vibes as the cars themselves. Particularly in Night Stage form, which adds a gridded pattern to the dial in a bright color on the time only models.
The Group B Chronograph Rallysport was initially revealed in 5 distinct colorways, and offered exclusively in the Hodinkee Shop. Each of the colorways referenced a specific livery of Group B cars, save for a single H01 monochrome example design specifically for Hodinkee. A few months later, and quite quietly, a Night Stage version of the Rallysport would be released (pictured in this article), limited to just 45 examples.
A chronograph offers more elements to design around, and Autodromo takes full advantage of that with this design. The three sub-dials are set within a recessed area of the dial, and it’s done in a manner that recalls the dashboard of an ‘80s sports car perfectly, but also without being too on the nose about it (as Matt Farah mentions in our podcast with him). The look isn’t too dissimilar to the Giorgetto Giugiaro designed Seiko 7A28-7000 so-called “Ripley” watch, which is a design that hails from the same mid-80s era as it appeared in James Cameron’s 1986 film, Aliens on the wrist of Ellen Ripley, as portrayed by Sigourney Weaver. It works on the Seiko, and it works in an entirely different way here on the Autodromo.
The dashboard influence is clear at the onset, and the way the sub dials have been designed and placed within leans further into that inspiration. From the manner in which the Group B label has been placed within the hour totalizer, to the depth of the recessed area, it’s a design that feels on-point for what it is, and never once feels derivative in the process.
The dial is well balanced and legible, even with the oversized sub dials, this 40mm watch never feels crowded. The registers and their indexes are tight, and may require a closer look to fully read, but the hour and minute hand, which are treated with light green lume create plenty of contrast to the matte black dial underneath. While reading the time is never an issue, using the timing feature will require a bit more attention thanks to the scale of the design of the registers, as well as the timing seconds hand, which is invisible save for a thin orange tip parked at the top of the dial.
It’s worth noting that one of the biggest complaints about the time-only Group B has been addressed in this Rallysport. There is no counterweight to the hands, meaning you’ll never mistake the overhang of the minute hand for a third hour hand.
It’s a great looking dial, but it’s only part of the appeal of this watch aesthetically. The case and bracelet are also quite distinctive in their own right, featuring a (kind of) integrated design that uses a flat link bracelet design and core case housing fit within a case frame. The case and bracelet are titanium, like the time-only Group B watches, and it all sits pretty well on the wrist, if a bit on the stiff side in some places, but considering the price point of these, everything works better than you might expect.
The 40mm case measures just 42mm from end to end, though there is a lug set at an angle to the case. The bracelet can be removed and replaced with a traditional strap, but it reads as a fully integrated design. The mid case core is 13mm thick at its deepest point, and the bottom portion is rounded out like a pebble, meaning it slips into the wrist with ease, giving the impression of an even thinner case. It is this design decision that aids wearability just as much as the thickness (which, all things considered, is kept in check pretty well). This is allowed thanks to the use of the hand wound Sellita SW 510 M B movement within.
If you enjoy the time-only Group B, the Rallysport will hit many of the same notes on wrist, with just a bit more heft in tow. Overall it captures all the greatness of the Group B, and expands on the design in interesting ways. It shows a unique path forward for the Group B collection as a whole and begs the question of what might come next, and how the design as a whole may evolve. Until then, the Group B Rallysport Chronograph is priced at $1,495, and with 500 examples of each colorway, only a few options look to remain available. More from Autodromo.