Description:

'THE GROUP B STORY'

 

The short-lived Group B era has acquired legendary status among rally fans, it was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built and is commonly referred to as the golden era of rallying. However, a series of major accidents, some of them fatal, were blamed on their outright speed and lack of crowd control. After the death of Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto in the 1986 Tour de Corse, the FIA disestablished the class, which was replaced as the top-line formula by Group A. As a result these mythical creatures have of late experienced a sharp resurgence in popularity with notable cars finding homes in some of the most significant collections in the world.

This motor car offered for sale by R|A Classics is an international specification Group B MG 6R4 rally car. In period, Simon Taylor (of Haymarket Publishing) and David Power (of Power Engineering) shared it in hillclimb events at famous venues such as Shelsley Walsh, Prescott and Gurston being prepared by Power Engineering.

 

Following a competition event at Prescott in May 1987, whilst at the hands of David Power, it was deemed necessary to replace the front wings, the front end of the car was then upgraded with a set of extremely sought after and rare inner front wings that were constructed in aluminum with honeycomb reinforcement. These evolution wings were bonded and bolted to the front bulkhead and chassis beams and had been made up prior to the Sanremo Rally of 1986 and fitted to the Pond and Wilson cars for that rally. It is believed they were later removed prior to the RAC Rally of 1986 and were consequently purchased by David Power from the works stores at Cowley. These parts are still fitted onto the car today. According to an advert published in Motorsport News in 1992 the car was built on an ex-works shell, but a recent inspection shows that this is probably restricted to just the front end modifications as described.

 

In March 1997 the car was sold to John Potter in Australia who further uprated the car with a Twin Plenum 3.0L international spec Nelson engine. The car retains a factory dog box and is fitted with power steering. Having only ever competed at tarmac based events the car remains in not only superb condition but is also extremely competitive as it went on to win its class in the 1998 Targa Tasmania. After the event the car was sold to Garry Cliff in New Zealand and then in 2012 the car returned to the UK, It is now road registered in the UK and available for viewings at our showroom in North Wales.

Website:

http://www.raclassics.com/#!rothmans-mg-metro-6r4-/c1shb