Metro 6r4 super prix on streets of Birmingham

Metro 6r4 super prix on streets of Birmingham

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Discussion

Driveeasy

Original Poster:

87 posts

39 months

Wednesday 28th September 2022
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Sent this by a friend, it’s not his video, nor mine. Just miss things like this and all those 6r4’s are quite a sight!



sortedcossie

784 posts

141 months

Wednesday 28th September 2022
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Blast from the past that!

s m

23,730 posts

216 months

Wednesday 28th September 2022
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Remember going to see that cool

Driveeasy

Original Poster:

87 posts

39 months

Wednesday 28th September 2022
quotequote all
s m said:
Remember going to see that cool
I’m not jealous smile

Mr Tidy

26,113 posts

140 months

Wednesday 28th September 2022
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Driveeasy said:
s m said:
Remember going to see that cool
I’m not jealous smile
I am! laugh

spikeyhead

18,586 posts

210 months

Thursday 29th September 2022
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Mr Tidy said:
Driveeasy said:
s m said:
Remember going to see that cool
I’m not jealous smile
I am! laugh
Me too

Herr Schnell

2,351 posts

212 months

Sunday 2nd October 2022
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Remember the various Superprix well, great events.

This guys youtube channel is a gold mine for footage, he's a member here and wrote a book which is about as good as it gets in terms of the event history:

https://www.youtube.com/user/lemanslegend

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Superprix-Story-Birmingha...

goldieandblackie

252 posts

107 months

Wednesday 5th October 2022
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I bet they would cry about pollution in town and city centres today and ban such events.

SpudLink

6,758 posts

205 months

Wednesday 5th October 2022
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goldieandblackie said:
I bet they would cry about pollution in town and city centres today and ban such events.
No need to ban it for pollution, as motor racing on public road is not allowed. The Birmingham Superprix were only allowed because of a specific exemption that was granted.

2172cc

1,394 posts

110 months

Wednesday 5th October 2022
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Did I hear Derek Bell mention in commentary that the cars had turbo engines? Would have thought he would have known better than that.

bongtom

2,018 posts

96 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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2172cc said:
Did I hear Derek Bell mention in commentary that the cars had turbo engines? Would have thought he would have known better than that.
He was probably getting confused with those V6 engines when TWR owned them and stuck them in the XJ220, although that was after this event so who knows. Maybe he could see the future.

I never understood why it was called a Metro when all it had in common was the name. I guess it was for homoglation purposes?

spikeyhead

18,586 posts

210 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
bongtom said:
He was probably getting confused with those V6 engines when TWR owned them and stuck them in the XJ220, although that was after this event so who knows. Maybe he could see the future.

I never understood why it was called a Metro when all it had in common was the name. I guess it was for homoglation purposes?
It was marketing

CanAm

10,794 posts

285 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
bongtom said:
He was probably getting confused with those V6 engines when TWR owned them and stuck them in the XJ220, although that was after this event so who knows. Maybe he could see the future.

I never understood why it was called a Metro when all it had in common was the name. I guess it was for homoglation purposes?
I seem to remember reading that the roof and windscreen were the same. smile

SpudLink

6,758 posts

205 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
spikeyhead said:
bongtom said:
He was probably getting confused with those V6 engines when TWR owned them and stuck them in the XJ220, although that was after this event so who knows. Maybe he could see the future.

I never understood why it was called a Metro when all it had in common was the name. I guess it was for homoglation purposes?
It was marketing
It was the MG Metro 6R4. Which meant they could stick an MG badge on a mildly tuned Metro, and sell it as the next car down the range from the Group B monster.

Presumably that was the only reason for making the car in the first place.

LastPoster

2,906 posts

196 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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SpudLink said:
goldieandblackie said:
I bet they would cry about pollution in town and city centres today and ban such events.
No need to ban it for pollution, as motor racing on public road is not allowed. The Birmingham Superprix were only allowed because of a specific exemption that was granted.
A legislation change a few years ago means this is no longer the case



Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,829 posts

236 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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SpudLink said:
It was the MG Metro 6R4. Which meant they could stick an MG badge on a mildly tuned Metro, and sell it as the next car down the range from the Group B monster.

Presumably that was the only reason for making the car in the first place.
MG Metro 1.3 came along long before the 6r4.

The car was built because Austin Rover wanted to go rallying, and to be competitive you needed a 4wd C segment hatch with a big engine. So they chose the Metro.

In typical BL fashion though it was a day late and a dollar short at world level, but did make a long lasting club rally car for a few wealthy individuals.

It's my favourite car of all time - but that's because I was 11 when it made it's debut on the 1985 RAC.

Oh and I too went to the Birmingham Superprix and saw the Metros and the BTCC Sierras in both 1989 and 1990.

SpudLink

6,758 posts

205 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
SpudLink said:
It was the MG Metro 6R4. Which meant they could stick an MG badge on a mildly tuned Metro, and sell it as the next car down the range from the Group B monster.

Presumably that was the only reason for making the car in the first place.
MG Metro 1.3 came along long before the 6r4.

The car was built because Austin Rover wanted to go rallying, and to be competitive you needed a 4wd C segment hatch with a big engine. So they chose the Metro.

In typical BL fashion though it was a day late and a dollar short at world level, but did make a long lasting club rally car for a few wealthy individuals.

It's my favourite car of all time - but that's because I was 11 when it made it's debut on the 1985 RAC.

Oh and I too went to the Birmingham Superprix and saw the Metros and the BTCC Sierras in both 1989 and 1990.
Thanks. I knew the 1.3 preceded the 6R4, but I thought that was just because the rally car is late.

I was probably being cynical about it only existing as a marketing exercise.

Turbobanana

7,071 posts

214 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
It's my favourite car of all time - but that's because I was 11 when it made it's debut on the 1985 RAC.
Ah yes, the late, great Tony Pond. Quite a debut: finished 3rd I believe, having fared better than he did the year before.

"Right, let's get out and have a look".

Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,829 posts

236 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
quotequote all
Turbobanana said:
Ah yes, the late, great Tony Pond. Quite a debut: finished 3rd I believe, having fared better than he did the year before.

"Right, let's get out and have a look".
preceded by "oh no......! st...! I don't believe it, I just don't fking believe it"

cult hero Pondie!

Turbobanana

7,071 posts

214 months

Thursday 6th October 2022
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Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
Turbobanana said:
Ah yes, the late, great Tony Pond. Quite a debut: finished 3rd I believe, having fared better than he did the year before.

"Right, let's get out and have a look".
preceded by "oh no......! st...! I don't believe it, I just don't fking believe it"

cult hero Pondie!
I was actually at Knowsley Safari Park for that, witnessing it first-hand from about 25m away. The impact was huge and it took a lot of marshall-muscle to get it back on the tarmac because the grass was so slippery.