1985 MG Metro 6R4

Chassis 6R4 - 111 was acquired by the Marketing Department of Williams Grand Prix Engineering in 1988

On display at the team's Conference Centre and 'F1 Reserve Collection' at Didcot until 2005

With its new owner until purchased by The Tifosi Garage before passing to our vendor in 2015

Full mechanical re-commission by BGM Sport in 2016/17. Later-type belt kit/ idlers. Fuel system, fuel pump overhauled

Great opportunity. An original 'Group B' car with only 175 miles from new and in sparkling condition

In the mid-1980s, the 'Group B' race category of the World Rally Championship inspired the wildest, most powerful rally cars ever built. The MG Metro 6R4 was born out of this short-lived turbocharged era and Austin Rover's optimistic thirst for motorsport success after the TR7 V8 and TR8 rally cars had hung up their competitive boots. The entire project was the brainchild of Austin Rover Motor Sport Chief, John Davenport, who decided to follow Audi's lead with their revolutionary permanent 4WD transmission and, once the green light was given, collaborated with the best engineering brains in the land. Amongst others, Patrick Head and John Piper from Williams F1 were brought onboard as not only were Williams the best F1 team at the time, but they were also sponsored by the company.

In December 1982, the finished prototype was delivered to Cowley for in-house development to begin. However, it wasn't until 1984 that the 6R4 was introduced to the press in order to quell increasing speculation surrounding the project. Beneath its skin, the puny A-Series engine/front-wheel-drive package was replaced by a David Wood-designed 3-litre, 90-degree V6 positioned behind the front seats and driving all four wheels. Twin-cam cylinder heads, modelled on those of Cosworth's Formula 1 DFV V8 engine, ensured the 6R4 was a true giant killer.

The car appeared in two guises. There was a so-called 'Clubman' model, a road-going version developing approximately 250 bhp, of which around 200 were made and sold to the public, and a further 20 were taken and built to International 'Group B' specifications. However, in 1986 'Group B' rallying was scrapped after a series of fatalities involving spectators and just as the inevitable teething problems were being ironed out and the car was becoming competitive, the 6R4 was denied any chance of glory on an international stage.

Chassis 6R4 - 111 was acquired by the Marketing Department of Williams Grand Prix Engineering in 1988 in preparation for the opening of the team's Conference Centre and Grand Prix Collection at its old Didcot factory. There it stayed until December 2005 when it was sold as part of the auction catalogue of the 'Williams F1 Reserve Collection'. It then resided with the new owner until purchased by The Tifosi Garage before subsequently passing to our vendor in 2015. A full mechanical re-commissioning was carried by BGM Sport in 2016/17 which included fitting a later-type belt kit and idlers and the fuel system and fuel pump were fully overhauled.

For many rally fans, the 'Group B' era still represents the pinnacle of the World Rally Championship, a four year period from 1982 to 1986 when cars were allowed unlimited amounts of boost and rallying came close to rivalling Formula One in popularity, however, with machines producing upwards of 600bhp and crowd control that was at best lax and at worst non-existent, Group B's fate was grimly predictable. Perhaps because of this notoriety, rally cars from this period have a certain mystique and have become highly sought after by collectors. This is an unusual, and probably unique, opportunity to acquire an original 'Group B' car that has covered only 175 miles from new and remains in sparkling condition.