Circuit stars and rally-stage heroes
The Race Retro show, an annual celebration of historic motorsport, returns to Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, UK, from 21-23 February 2025.
On Saturday (22 February), nearly 100 classic and modern cars will cross the block in the Iconic Auctioneers sale.
Here, we’re focusing on the competition cars on offer.
Presented in chronological order, the list includes everything from a ready-to-race Morris Minor to a factory-prepared Abarth 500.
1. 1949 Morris Minor (est: £25-35,000)
This early ‘lowlight’ Morris Minor is an established Goodwood Revival entrant, having raced at the world-famous meeting five times since 2008.
In that period, its owner has shared the driver’s seat with Brian Redman, Tony Jardine, Rauno Aaltonen and Richard Attwood.
It also finished fourth in the Sopwith Cup at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting in 2022.
2. 1956 Buckler MK15 Mistral (est: £20-25,000)
The Morris Minor’s transatlantic styling likely won’t match this 1950s Buckler for aerodynamic efficiency.
This slippery-looking Mistral was rebuilt nearly a decade ago by Rawlson Racing in Kent, UK, after it arrived from Ireland in a state of disrepair.
Details of the restoration are included in the sale.
A photocopy of the 1964 Leinster Trophy programme accompanies the car, too. This Buckler is listed as an entrant in one of the races.
3. 1961 Sunbeam Alpine Series II (est: £18-20,000)
This modified Sunbeam Alpine is ready to take on hillclimbs, sprints and more.
The 1890cc engine, recently rebuilt by its owner, is an enlarged version of the Holbay Engineering-tuned 1725cc Sunbeam unit. It makes c160bhp.
A four-speed Ford Escort gearbox and a limited-slip differential are among the other major upgrades.
4. 1964 Jaguar E-type (est: £70-100,000)
The interesting story of this Jaguar E-type coupé began when it was displayed at the 1964 Earls Court Motor Show.
It then became engineer Raymond ‘Lofty’ England’s car while he was joint managing director at Jaguar, and later went to the marque's Experimental Department before it was turned into a racing car.
Current owner Jim Graham bought it in 1972. Pleasingly, he was an apprentice at Jaguar in the 1960s, and worked on the Earls Court Motor Show stand in 1964.
5. 1965 BMW 1800 Ti (est: £30-40,000)
BMW’s Neue Klasse line-up changed the Bavarian marque’s fortunes in the 1960s, on both road and track.
In the 1990s, this twin-carburettor 1800 Ti was turned into a rally car.
More recently, it’s been used for circuit racing and maintained by BMW specialist Laranca Engineering in the West Midlands, UK.
This 1800 Ti’s last competitive outing was at the Nürburgring in 2018.
6. 1968 Chevrolet Corvette (est: £65-75,000)
This C3-generation Chevrolet Corvette is quite the head turner.
Its huge bonnet scoop, mighty exhaust and aerodynamic addenda make sure it stands out, while the all-aluminium, 7.4-litre ZL1 V8 engine’s c650bhp means it is no slouch, either.
Prospective bidders might be pleased to learn that this lot includes a collection of spare parts.
7. 1968 Chevron B8 (est: £140-160,000)
This Chevron B8 began its motorsport career with a second-place finish in the 1968 Yorkshire Evening Post Trophy race in Rufforth, UK.
Apparently it was unique in having a Coventry Climax engine, when similar models had BMW and Lotus-Climax units.
Its original owner, Peter Crossley, won a Formula Libre race at Croft Circuit a couple of days after his podium finish at Rufforth. Since then, it’s competed in events across Europe, including at the Le Mans Classic.
Now fitted with a BMW motor, its entire history has been preserved by a string of dedicated owners.
8. 1968 Titan Mk3 (est: £25-30,000)
The Titan Mk3 Formula Three car, built by Charles Lucas Engineering, was introduced at the end of the 1967 season.
A win at Brands Hatch and a second-place finish at Oulton Park drummed up interest for the firm’s single-seater, and the order book began to fill with competitors who wanted to campaign a Titan Mk3 in the 1968 F3 season.
Alongside the customer cars, two works racers were constructed, including this one.
It was piloted by American driver Roy Pike, who recorded four victories for the Charles Lucas Engineering team in 1968.
It later went to the USA, where it was fitted with the Lotus Twin Cam engine it has today.
9. 1968 Volvo Amazon 123GT (est: £20-25,000)
The top-of-the-range Volvo Amazon 123GT was fitted with the four-cylinder engine from the sporty P1800 coupé.
Before the current owner acquired it, this classic Volvo was a road car. They planned to modify it for historic rallying, namely the LeJog challenge, which spans the length of Britain.
Last year’s event was cancelled, though, and its keeper has decided to part with the Volvo before LeJog returns in December 2025.
As a result, this freshly built rally car has barely turned a wheel since it was restored and prepared for competition.
10. 1969 Lotus 59 (est: £65-70,000)
When Emerson Fittipaldi stepped up to Formula Three from Formula Ford in 1969, this is the car he did it in.
Fittipaldi’s Lotus 59, prepared by Jim Russell, was first to the chequered flag on nine occasions that year.
The Brazilian driver’s performances got the attention of the Lotus team, which promoted him to Formula Two and then Formula One in 1970.
This ex-Fittipaldi racing car was modified with Lotus 69 bodywork when it went to the USA in the 1970s, but it was restored to its original specification after it returned to the UK in 2012.
11. 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 (est: £30-40,000)
This Astro Blue Chevrolet Camaro was one of 24 cars shipped from England to the USA for 2001’s Anglo American Challenge race at Sebring International Raceway in Florida.
Its motorsport career was short-lived, but in 2003 it was modified with a rebuilt 350cu in engine, plus a new clutch and flywheel.
It was shown at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb for 2019’s Classic Nostalgia event.
12. 1970 Ford Boss Mustang Boss 302 (est: £50-70,000)
How about this genuine Trans-Am Series competitor from the 1970s.
Driver John Hall recorded his best result in the Mustang at Edmonton International Speedway in June 1971, when he finished ninth.
Shipped to the UK in 2013, this Boss 302 has since been raced at Spa and Silverstone.
13. 1970 Ford Escort Mk1 (est: £50-60,000)
This Ford Escort was built in Australia, where it competed for many years.
It’s powered by a Ford-Cosworth BDG engine that was reduced to 1600cc to satisfy local regulations.
When the car was shipped to the UK, the owner planned to convert it to Group 2 specification, but the project never materialised.
14. 1979 Vauxhall Chevette HS (est: £30-40,000)
Just 400 examples of the homologation-special Vauxhall Chevette HS were built.
The rear-wheel-drive HS allowed the marque to go rallying under Group 4 regulations.
It makes c135bhp from a modified version of Vauxhall’s 2.3-litre slant-four, hooked up to a five-speed dogleg gearbox.
This car has competed in two rallies and three hillclimbs since being restored.
15. 1983 Ford Escort RS1600i (est: £20-25,000)
Although this is not one of the original Datapost-liveried Ford Escort Group A cars raced by Richard Longman and Alan Curnow in the mid-1980s, it’s a decent tribute built in the early 2000s.
It competed in Classic Touring Car Racing Club (CTCRC) meetings, then spent 10 years in a heated storage area before Lavant Garage in Chichester, UK, was tasked with recommissioning it.
It’s eligible for the Historic Racing Drivers Club’s Gerry Marshall Trophy and the CTCRC Group 1 category.
16. 1986 MG Metro 6R4 (est: £275-325,000)
This Computervision-liveried MG Metro 6R4 made its Group B debut in 1986 – the same season the regulations were outlawed.
C818 FFC started the 1986 Rallye de Portugal, but Tony Pond and co-driver Rob Arthur refused to continue after spectators were killed when a Ford RS200 crashed.
Following a short career as a works car, C818 FFC was sold to ex-Austin Rover Tyre Department manager Ian Beveridge, who competed in the BTRDA (British Trial and Rally Drivers Association) championship alongside his wife, Pat, in the late 1980s.
The current owner bought this MG Metro 6R4 in 1996. It was reunited with Tony Pond for a feature in Classic & Sports Car’s June 1999 magazine.
17. 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC (est: £10-15,000)
This road-registered Jaguar XJ-SC was turned into a racing car to compete in the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club GT Championship.
The lightened two-door was prepared by marque specialist Powerbell Services.
Painted in an Ecurie Ecosse-style livery, it’s fitted with a custom rollcage, Corbeau bucket seats, outboard rear brakes and more.
Just before the finished car was delivered to its owner, they sustained a leg injury that ruled them out of competing. This open-top Jaguar has never raced.
18. 1989 MG Metro GTi ‘Project Pride’ (est: £12-16,000)
In 1989, a team of Rover Group engineers turned two brand-new MG Metro GTis into a pair of record-breakers to celebrate the model’s launch. This car was one of them.
Powered by a modified K-series unit, it broke 21 records when it averaged 121.33mph over a 24-hour period at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, UK. The little MG travelled more than 2900 miles.
This car has been used sparingly since, because its odometer displays just 3356 miles.
19. 1991 Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 RS (est: £35-40,000)
Offered directly from its original owner, who campaigned this Mitsubishi rally car in the early 1990s, this Ralliart-built Galant was a two-time class-winner in the Indonesian Rally Championship.
It made way for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution in 1993, but entered a few events in the late 1990s before coming to the UK in 1999.
20. 1995 Porsche 911 (993) GT2R (est: £800-900,000)
The lot with the highest pre-sale estimate in this auction of competition cars is this one-of-43 Porsche 911 GT2R.
A homologation special based on the 993-generation 911 turbo, the standard GT2 gained aluminium panels, modified bodywork and a c430bhp flat-six.
Porsche upped the ante with the GT2R, which got more power (c450bhp), a single Recaro bucket seat, upgraded KKK turbos and more.
21. 2007 Abarth 500 Assetto Corse (est: £15-18,000)
This Abarth-tuned 500 Assetto Corse was built for the one-make Trofeo Race Series.
Its turbocharged, 1.4-litre engine’s output was boosted to c200bhp and stopping power was improved with bigger Brembo brakes.
It’s eligible for the Classic Sports Car Club’s Turbo Tin Tops category.
This race-ready Abarth is one of the competition cars set to cross the block in the Iconic Auctioneers sale at Race Retro. The event runs from 21-23 February 2025, with this auction on the middle day.
Click here if you’d like more information on any of the lots featured in this slideshow.
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