Lincoln Metro 6R4 in historic line-up
Up to 35 MG Metro 6R4s – including one from Lincoln - will be the focal point of the Forest Rally Stage at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, celebrating 40 years since the iconic Group B rally car made its international competition debut in 1985.
Dan Ellmore, who runs the 6R4.net website for owners and enthusiasts, will be taking his own car along for the line-up of the rallying metros. There were only 220 made in 1985/6 but they were banned from competition amid safety concerns – they were too fast. There are only 120 or so left.
Dan’s car has appeared on Top Gear, when it was driven by The Stig, and National Geographic’s petrol head series Car SOS. Dan bought his Metro as a restoration project back in 2015 taking three years to bring it back to its former glory.
“It’s mad – it has a V6 engine, which is where the back seat should be, instead of at the front and it does 0-60 in just over three seconds, 0-100 in five, which meant it was perfect for Top Gear,” said Dan when it appeared on the programme.
The Group B era has a legendary status among rallying fans and this Friday’s unprecedented display will be the largest ever public gathering of Metro 6R4s, paying tribute to an icon of British motorsport engineering, designed to compete on the world rallying stage.
“This anniversary display honours not just a car, but also the individuals that took the British fight to the Europeans on the world’s toughest rally stages, and left a lasting legacy,” Dan told Hello Lincoln.
The celebration will reunite key figures from the Austin Rover Motorsport department, including members of the original Williams F1 design team, management, engineers, and rally mechanics, alongside a selection of celebrated works drivers. Among the attendees will be Malcolm Wilson, former works driver, M-Sport boss and current FIA Vice President, as well as David Richards, Chairman of Motorsport UK and founder of Prodrive, both instrumental figures within International rallying and British motorsport. Other famous names attending are Jimmy McRae, David Llewellyn and David Gillanders.
