Despite a bumper crop of cars from the Alan Mann Racing reserve collection, the lot with most potential to go stratospheric at the forthcoming Coys auction at Autosport International is the "ex-Ayrton Senna" Group B Metro 6R4.
The popularity of last year's Senna movie and the fact that a signed copy of Senna's The Principles of Race Driving made a staggering £1420 at Silverstone Auctions, suggest that fever for the Brazilian three-times F1 world champ is at an all-time high.
The story behind the Metro, which will go under the hammer on 14 January, is that it was a works test car and was driven by various magazines as well as the likes of Pentti Airikkala.
Senna drove it for an article during a test day in 1986, explaining at the time: "I know nothing about rallying. I've seen the pictures in magazines, sometimes watched it on television. And I deliberately haven't listened to anyone about rally driving. I want to find out for myself."
Wearing a £60-70,000 estimate is a 1971 Surtees TS8 that has both F1 and F5000 history having been driven in the Tasman series by Mike Hailwood and then converted for F1 by its French owner Herve after the team sold it on.
Among the other lots is a 1979 BMW M1 Gp4 Procar Rally, estimated to sell for between £150,000 and £170,000, but being offered at no reserve.
Of the Alan Mann cars, the biggest bargain is likely to be a Jaguar Mk1 (main image). Built for Mann by Jag specialist Don Law for £100,000, the car has yet to turn a wheel in anger yet is expected to sell for £30-35k.
