Race Retro 2019: bringing classics alive

By Lizzie Pope

| 25 Feb 2019

Classic & Sports Car – Race Retro 2019: bringing classics alive

Historic motorsport burst into life at last weekend’s Race Retro, blessed with blue skies and spring sunshine, which attracted a record-breaking 24,212 visitors.

There may’ve been fewer cars than at previous editions, but what the 22-24 February show lacked in volume it made up for in quality and variety.

And arguably this was best expressed by the evocative tribute to Mike Hawthorn, 60 years after his death, featuring Nigel Webb’s Jaguar D-type (pictured above), rebuilt from the chassis of the car that won at Le Mans in 1955.

A display of Le Mans legends included a (replica) Ford GT40, plus a pair of younger stars in a Porsche 962 and Audi R8C, while the chance to get up close to Ayrton Senna’s recently restored Van Diemen RF81 was something special.

Rally cars lit up the two outdoor stages

But truly bringing classics to life were the two live rally stages which saw in the region of 120 cars, including many ex-works models, delight the crowds.

The atmosphere was undoubtedly aided by the bright sunshine – once the fog had lifted – and the presence of Rauno Aaltonen, and with popping, banging and tyre-squeal aplenty, it’s clear why so many came to watch.

Escorts, quattros, Imprezas, Chevettes, Mantas, 205s, 6R4s, Integrales, Minis, a Renault 5 Maxi Turbo, Mitsubishi Evos... think of a famous rally car and there was a good chance it was there.

The Steve Magson-driven Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16, the pair of Ferrari 308GTBs and the Triumph TR7 V8s were further stars that caught our eyes.

And bringing the thrill of classic motorsport to Stoneleigh Park in a different way, HERO ran seminars introducing first-timers to rallying on the Saturday, before sending 30 crews – including 15 novices – out on the 150-mile Retro Classic Tour, starting at Race Retro.

Clockwise from top: Speedster hit £292,500; Dino has been in C&SC; rally-ready 356C; £76,500 for Elva-BMW; a £27,225 VW Golf GTi

Over at Silverstone Auctions’ sale on the Saturday, 80 classic cars, supercars and competition cars crossed the block and a gorgeous 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster became the top seller when the gavel fell at £292,500, in the middle of its £280-320,000 guide price.

It pipped a 1972 Dino 246GT, a former Classic & Sports Car cover star, no less, that went for £270,000 against an estimate of £240-280,000, while another eye-catching lot was the 1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, build number 439 of 500, that sold for £42,750 (£40-50,000).

And one impressive figure was the estimate-busting £27,225 achieved by a Mars Red, one-owner-from-new, 53,000-mile 1979 Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTi, intense bidding seeing it soar past its £17-22,000 guide price.

Among the competition cars was a pale-blue 1964 Elva-BMW Mk 7S, with FIA papers and an extensive race history that beat its £55-65,000 pre-sale estimate to find a new home for £76,500.

Likewise, a ready-to-rally left-hand drive 1964 Porsche 356C surpassed its £52-60,000 guide price when bidding stopped at £69,750.

Images: Jack Phillips/Lizzie Pope

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