This 175-Mile MG Metro 6R4 Group B Special Is Almost A Bargain
Such is the ridiculous state of the classic car market, that I scanned the press release for this soon-to-be-auctioned 1985 MG Metro 6R4, and was pleasantly surprised to find a £180,000 lower estimate. That’s actually quite reasonable, don’t you think?
The car was bought by Williams F1’s marketing department in 1988, and has spent its life doing not much at all. Despite being on planet Earth some 33 years, it’s only clocked 175 miles. What you’re looking at here could be considered a ‘brand new’ 6R4.
Just 200 of the ‘Clubman’ Group B homologation cars were built, with Williams playing a key role in the car’s development. Like most Group B rally machines, the 6R4 had precious little to do with the boggo road car it shares a name with. It was built around a bespoke tubular space frame chassis and powered by a 3.0-litre V6 engine with cylinder heads modelled on the top end of the legendary Cosworth DFV V8. Famously, that unit would go on to be used in the Jaguar XJ220.
In competition trim the six-banger was good for over 400bhp, although the road cars had a still very handy 250bhp.
The current owner took possession of this one in 2015, opting to have a “full mechanical re-commissioning” done in 2017 by BGM Sport. The work included a complete overhaul of the fuel system, and the car is said to be in “sparkling condition”.
Having arrived nearer the end of the Group B rules and never quite had the chance to make a name for itself, the 6R4 ended up being one of the lesser known cars of the era. That’s perhaps why it’s a sort of bargain.
It’ll go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ Autosport International sale on 12 January.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
I don’t blame the classic car market, since generally things are on the upswing there. I think it’s the Williams connection, or the fact that it’s one of the least popular Gr. B cars.
I mean, most people who think of Group B think of the Lancia 037, Audi Urquattro, or maybe the Ferrari F40 (read into its history if you don’t believe me)
Some people want stylish, not Metro
I mean sure it’s a Group B racer, but to be fair, it wasn’t all that successful for it to be that special.
Like the 037 or the 205 T16( which in most auctions is actually much cheaper than this)
And in the end it’s still £180k for a MG metro no matter how big those Air scoops are, and if you plan on driving it, it’ll probably blow itself up considering what the Brits were making in the 80s.
At best id pay £80k. It’s a bit too extreme for £180k
I could get a Lancia 037 if I wanted a Defunct Group B racer car.
At least that’s cooler
My group b rally nerdyness is coming out lol
epic twingo gt-r supra rotor coolguy (#makCtGREATAGAIN!)(electric hate cult squad) (elon musk h8 gang (#rotorfighter) (contrariangang) (ls cult) (furrysquadfam) those vents would like to s u c c
I wish I could get that car but again, my usual drivers licence wouldnt cover driving it
Looks like a total ricer haha
It’s a christmas miracle.
Still my favourite car from the period. I mean come on, most cars don’t have a rear wing as mighty as this thing’s front wing. WING. ON THE FRONT OF A HATCHBACK. What more could one want? That itself is worth 100k. :D
Cool car
[DELETED]