You Can Buy A Brand New MG Metro 6R4 With 7 Miles On The Clock

At the tail end of 2018, we took a look at an MG Metro 6R4 Clubman with just 175 miles on the clock. If you consider that a little leggy, though, how about this example of the Group B rally homologation special? It’s covered just seven miles.

It’s unregistered, too, which means it’s effectively a brand new car. Built over 30 years ago.

The original owner purchased it from the Austin Rover Group on 5 December 1986, but after being transported to his Oxfordshire home, it was never used. It was even left in its factory wax, which it still wears today.

It had a seven-year spell on loan to the Donington Museum starting in 1996, after which it was sold to the current keeper. He’s now selling up via Silverstone Auctions, with the sale including all the unpainted GRP panels and the assembly manual - owners had to stick those on themselves, so Austin Rover could avoid type approval.

As a reminder, the 6R4 doesn’t have a whole lot to do with the standard Metro. Developed by Williams Grand Prix Engineering, it was built around a tubular space frame, with power coming from a mid-mounted V6. The 3.0-litre unit - which had cylinder heads modelled on those of the Cosworth DFV V8 - went on to be used for the XJ220. It developed 250bhp in road-going ‘Clubman’ trim, while the competition variants were good for over 400.

The MG Metro 6R4 was an ill-timed project, with the car making its rally debut near the infamous end of the Group B rules. It didn’t have much of a chance to shine, and as such, this factory fresh 6R4 is - like the 175-mile car - less expensive than you might expect.

It has an estimate of £200,000 - £240,000 and will go under the hammer at the Silverstone Classic Auction which runs from 27 to 28 July.

If you were the new owner, what would you do with it? Would you keep it as the seven-mile time capsule it is now, use it as a road car, or prepare it for classic rallies? Let us know in the comments.