This 175-mile MG Metro 6R4 could be yours

By Lizzie Pope

| 14 Dec 2018

Classic & Sports Car – This 175-mile MG Metro 6R4 could be yours

The wild Group B era brought some of the most-loved rally cars to the world’s stages and now one of these homologation heroes is being offered for sale.

And with a barely believable – but verified – 175 miles on the clock, this 1985 MG Metro 6R4 must be one of the best preserved.

It is due to go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ first Autosport International sale on 12 January at the NEC Birmingham and has a pre-sale estimate of £180-200,000.

With more than 600bhp and unlimited boost, the now-legendary Group B contenders still captivate the hearts of fans and the MG Metro 6R4, developed in collaboration with the Williams F1 team, was Austin Rover’s entry into the world of rallying.

The car achieved a podium finish on its debut in the 1985 Rally GB, but with Group B being banned part-way through the following season, the 6R4’s potential was never realised.

As per the Group B homologation rules, 200 roadgoing MG Metro 6R4s were built and these ‘Clubman’ models generated around 250bhp from their 3-litre mid-mounted V6s.

But just three years after this car rolled off the production line it was bought by Williams Grand Prix Engineering, securing its future as a pampered, low-mile classic.

There it remained until it was auctioned in 2005 and acquired by The Tifosi Garage, who sold it to its current custodian a decade later.

In 2017, specialists BGM Sport undertook a mechanical recommissioning and, perhaps as you’d expect given its provenance and low mileage, it’s being offered for sale in fantastic condition.

“One of rallying’s true icons, the MG Metro 6R4 stands up there with legendary ’80s classics like the Audi quattro, Lancia 037 and Renault 5 Turbo,” said Lionel Abbott, classic car specialist at Silverstone Auctions.

“This is the closest you can get to driving a Group B rally car on the road. A homologation special like this with such low mileage presents a rare opportunity for rally fans and enthusiasts alike.

“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 homologation car.”

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