7 Group B rally icons set for sale

Magnificent seven

To find one or maybe two of the famous and sought-after Group B rally cars in one auction is pretty special, but seven? That is extraordinary.

They are all from the same collection, belonging to friends Michel Hommell and Olivier Quesnel, which forms part of the Manoir de l'Automobile, a museum in Lohéac, France.

All are going under the hammer at Artcurial Motorcars’ first auction of the year, Sale Parisienne 2021, set to be held in the French capital on 5 February, Hervé Poulain the man with the gavel.

Now, we don’t know about your bank balances, but ours definitely won’t stretch to any of these. However, we can’t resist taking a closer look at these hugely evocative classic rally legends. Why don’t you join us…

1. 1985 Lancia 037 (est: €500-800,000)

From the off, Hommell and Quesnel wanted a Lancia 037 in their collection – this joined in 1990 and has been there ever since.

This example is in Evo 2 configuration, constructed to Abarth factory Group B spec for 1983-’86.

1985 Lancia 037 (cont.)

Quesnel believes it was originally campaigned in Martini colours, then with an Olio Fiat livery.

He acquired it from Italian specialist Volta where it regained the iconic white, red and blue Martini colours.

1985 Lancia 037 (cont.)

Of course, the 037 was Lancia’s only Group B champion, clinching the title in 1983.

This car? Keeper Quesnel concedes it is hard to be certain of its identity because the section of the bulkhead with the chassis number stamped on it has been cut away and re-welded, plus at the time it was common for teams to have one registration document for several cars.

1985 Lancia 037 (cont.)

Still, this is one outrageously styled rally hero that has been lovingly cared for across the last three decades.

It might need some TLC prior to road use, but what a prospect.

2. 1988 Audi Sport quattro S1 (est: €1-1.3m)

You’ll likely need even deeper pockets if you’re to call this Group B star your own…

Well, it is an example of the final version of the quattro, that joined the collection at Manoir de l’Automobile in 1989, directly from Audi.

1988 Audi Sport quattro S1 (cont.)

The first Race of Champions was organised by Michèle Mouton at Montlhéry in 1988, in memory of Henri Toivonen, and this was one of the cars loaned by Audi for use at it.

The event’s winner was Juha Kankkunen.

1988 Audi Sport quattro S1 (cont.)

It was at this event that Quesnel spotted this car and dreamed of adding it to his collection – but it took a lot of persistence on his part to seal the deal.

Since taking ownership, it was driven briefly by Bruno Saby, Mouton and Ari Vatanen, before entering the museum, and has been only little used since.

1988 Audi Sport quattro S1 (cont.)

This quattro S1 might not have been muddied by world rally stages, but the bonus for its winning bidder on 5 February is that it is in superb condition.

It is no less evocative for its quiet life out the limelight – and can still claim to have been driven by some world-class rally drivers.

3. 1985 Renault 5 Maxi Turbo (est: €400-600,000)

Speaking of world-class drivers, this Renault 5 Maxi Turbo was the official car of Renault Spain and driven by none other than Carlos Sainz.

What’s more, it is presented in its original specification and with a huge amount of paperwork verifying its entire history.

1985 Renault 5 Maxi Turbo (cont.)

With co-driver Antonio Boto beside him, Sainz drove R5s on 17 rallies, as well as at a demonstration, in 1985 and 1986.

On every outing, the pair either achieved a podium finish – including a quartet of victories – or retired. But it was enough for them to finish second in the Spanish Rally Championship in both years, and this was the car used for the latter events in the 1986 season.

1985 Renault 5 Maxi Turbo (cont.)

This car was restored by its second driver, Guillermo Barreras, when his rallycross career finished in 1989.

It was a bare-shell restoration, using original, period parts, and its authenticity has been verified by the manufacturer.

1985 Renault 5 Maxi Turbo (cont.)

What’s not to love about an ex-Carlos Sainz rally car with stacks of pedigree? After all, Sainz did go on to clinch the World Rally Championship in 1990 and ’92, making this an important part of his journey.

Oh, and it is an apparently very fine example of the most powerful two-wheel drive Group B car.

4. 1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 (est: €600-800,000)

The other French Group B car set to cross the block with Artcurial on 5 February is this former WRC contender.

That’s right, Bruno Saby and Jean-François Fauchille drove this car, chassis number VF3741R76E5200009, to second on the 1985 Tour de Corse – which was also the model’s first rally, intended as a test run as much as anything.

1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 (cont.)

And it wasn’t just Saby who campaigned this Group B 205 in World Rally Championship events, Finn Timo Salonen did, too.

Production number C201, this car was the first Evo 2 and also had the nickname of ‘Granny’.

1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 (cont.)

After its perhaps unexpectedly brilliant debut, this car was used for testing in France, Greece and Finland, and for the recce of the ’86 Monte-Carlo Rally.

And despite Salonen competing in a T16 on that event bearing this car’s ‘24 FGV 75’ registration, it is thought that was actually C206, not this car, C201 – the original was by then seen as too ‘well used’ for the team’s star driver.

1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Evolution 2 (cont.)

It took a year of negotiations in the late ’80s/early ’90s before Quesnel added this car to the Lohéac collection.

Restored to Tour de Corse ’85 spec and as one of only 20 Evo 2s built, this is a very special opportunity.

5. 1985 MG Metro 6R4 (est: €280-360,000)

This colourful character has been part of this collection since 1989.

And it is the car that won the 1986 French Rally Championship, with future World Rally Champion Didier Auriol and co-driver Bernard Occelli.

1985 MG Metro 6R4 (cont.)

It is also a notable example because, following complaints from Auriol, it was converted from right- to left-hand drive.

Which is why the dashboard is in front of the co-driver – all the driver gets is a large rev counter!

1985 MG Metro 6R4 (cont.)

Chassis number SAXXRWNP7A0570016 was put into storage after the 1986 season and the demise of Group B, before going to France in ’88.

The following year, Hommell acquired it for the museum and despite repeated requests from Auriol to buy it, this 5 February 2021 auction is the first time this MG Metro 6R4 has been for sale since it entered the museum.

1985 MG Metro 6R4 (cont.)

Artcurial describes it as being ‘in unusually original condition for a rally car’ – well, it has effectively been a museum piece since its brief competitive career ceased.

Forever a model that was yet to reach its potential when Group B was scrapped, it is still a legend of the era.

6. 1986 Ford RS200 (est: €250-400,000)

This Ford RS200 was the most successful of its breed, its third-place finish achieved on the Swedish Rally in February 1986 with Kalle Grundel and Benny Melander being the best WRC result ever for an RS200 – on that event, only Kankkunen and Alén were quicker.

And it is worth adding that that result was scored on the model’s WRC debut.

1986 Ford RS200 (cont.)

For the RS200 programme as a whole, that Swedish outing was the highlight – it was followed by one of the team cars being involved in a fatal accident in Portugal, a retirement in Greece, and a fifth-place finish on the RAC Rally, again for Grundel/Melander.

And, as we know, Group B cars like this were banned after the 1986 season.

1986 Ford RS200 (cont.)

After its success in Sweden, this particular Ford was entered into 1986’s Rothmans Circuit of Ireland from which it retired, before Stig Blomqvist got behind the wheel and steered it to victory on the Audi Sport Rally.

It was then sold to a rally fan in Norway, before entering the Manoir de l’Automobile stable in September 1989.

1986 Ford RS200 (cont.)

According to paperwork that will be sold with this car, this is one of 148 surviving RS200s – and, of course, the most successful.

The number eight on its door square is in recognition of its podium finish in Sweden.

7. 1986 Lancia Delta S4 (est: €600-800,000)

Seventh but by no means least, we finish where we started with a Martini-livered Lancia Group B rally legend.

And as a works car, its first entry was with none other than Miki Biasion in the driving seat, who piloted it to second place on the Memorial Bettega.

1986 Lancia Delta S4 (cont.)

A great start – but poor timing. Because that rally was held in December 1986, the year Group B was cancelled.

But these cars were still eligible in other disciplines and in ’87 Biasion and Saby shared it on the 24 Heures de Chamonix ice race, before Saby entered it in the 1988 French Rallycross Championship.

1986 Lancia Delta S4 (cont.)

With official support from Lancia and preparation by Grenoble Sport Auto, Saby in this Delta S4 fought hard against Guy Fréquelin’s 205 T16, another Group B refugee.

Going into the final round of the championship, Saby and Fréquelin had five wins apiece – the Peugeot finished half a bonnet’s length ahead of the Lancia, a thrilling conclusion.

1986 Lancia Delta S4 (cont.)

After that, this Lancia joined the Lohéac collection and was restored to its original Martini livery.

Well, the Hommell Group, which museum co-founder Olivier Quesnel ran was involved in French rallycross, so perhaps it was inevitable that his friend, Michel Hommell, would do a deal.

Time to move on

After so many years together, these seven iconic Group B rally cars will, most likely, part company, when they go under the hammer with Artcurial in Paris on 5 February.

Seriously evocative and highly sought-after, let’s hope they have a chance to be let loose by their new owners.

And you can get full details of Artcurial Motorcars’ first sale of 2021 in which these seven feature, here.