1986 TWR Rover Vitesse SD1 Group A Touring Car (FIA)

Built during 1985 and assigned chassis number TWR-014, this Group A specification Rover SD1 by TWR has lived a long, successful and colourful life, with numerous race wins under its belt and even a French championship title to its name. Driven by the likes of Jean-Louis Schlesser in its first championship, alongside Jeff Allam, Denny Hulme and Gianfranco Brancatelli, #14 has worn a number of liveries throughout its lifetime, including Bastos, South Pacific Racing, the iconic Marlboro colours, Watsons, Herbie and Istel.

For the 1986 season, the car was upgraded to full Group A twin plenum specification, with numerous small modifications and tweaks, due to the French championships allowing such modifications. Having collected a respectable amount of silverware during the ’85/’86 season, the car was retired from TWR duties at the end of the 1986 season after winning the Tourist Trophy driven by Jeff Allam and Denny Hulme. It was subsequently raced by privateer entrants in the 1987 and 1988 seasons including stints at the Spa 24 Hours before finding its way down under in the care of ex-TWR engine builder, Alan Scotty Scott, who also rebuilt the engine as you might expect.

On its return to the UK a few years ago, and in order to gain the correct paperwork for non-AU/NZ competition use, the original alloy cage was meticulously scanned and replicated in steel by CustomCages, and fitted to the vehicle to allow for FIA homologation. The original alloy cage is present and will be sold with the vehicle. Alongside the cage, new seats, new bag tanks, harnesses and fire suppression systems have been installed, all of which have been homologated for race use and are 'in- date'. As a result of these works, chassis 14 once again has FIA papers, and is fully certified for competition use.

In terms of the bodywork, when the car came into the care of the current owner, the decision was made to strip the shell entirely, remove any filler that was present and respray it, with Bastos livery decals being applied. Interestingly, traces of the various paint shades the vehicle has worn can be seen around the chassis plate inside the engine bay, and this has been preserved throughout this latest round of restoration works, which were carried out by Wolfe Manufacturing.

Not only was its celebrity status earned during its competition days in the 1980s, but more recently chassis 14 has been featured and driven by Richard Dickie Meaden in Motorsport Magazine in August 2017. According to our vendor, the engine, running gear and chassis are all in rude health, having been given a light running-in, on local roads, although a full track shakedown in anger is yet to be carried out.

Presented with full FIA papers, new safety equipment and fresh extensive bodywork and mechanical restorations, this TWR Group A-specification, SD1 twin plenum is certain to generate plenty of attention wherever you take it, whether driven in anger or simply put on display in its wonderful Bastos livery for all to see.