Friday 3rd January 2014

Metro 6R4: Pic Of The Week

Because all the best rally pics have a water splash, right?

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In amongst the predictable dross that’s rolled out during every festive period, the BBC produced something of a surprise in ‘Idris Elba: King of Speed’. Any programme that dedicates a large part of its running time to rallying and the Vatanen family goes down well round these parts.

But one car from the programme left the most indelible impression; the Metro 6R4. The noise, the stance, its underdog status in the Group B hall of fame, all served to create an excellent piece of television. That and the Rothmans livery, of course.

So it just had to feature as our first POTW of 2014. We actually posted this very image on our Facebook page a little while ago; it went down well there, so why not treat your home screen to it in full POTW format?

Traditional (4:3)
Computer widescreen (16:10)
TV widescreen (16:9)
Portrait (smartphone etc)

[Pic: LAT Photo]

[Oddball RS]

Back when we had a 'REAL' International rally event..................

[Jasper Gilder]

One of my chums garaged his 6R4 at my house for a few years. He never let me drive it - but when he took me out in it it was awesome. Not to mention the looks on the faces of the people ( of whom there were many) that we overtook!

[smilo996]

When that will do worked very well.

[mrdemon]

never liked it

RS200 was my car of choice black then, then the 205, then lancia

[trashbat]

Well, I do like how it says 'Racing' on the front, helping me easily distinguish it from other variants in the range such as 'Off To Tescos' and 'Very Lost'.

[Jerry Can]

i'm fairly certain that the picture was taken at the water splash in Hamsterley forest. Does any one have any 'onboard' youtube links of that stage from this rally or any other? I've often wondered what the road is like before and after the watersplash.

[PhantomPH]

Recently saw a 6R4 being given the beans on the Idris Elba programme on BBC - it's still one hell of a machine, all these years on.

[NotStig]

They are still occasionally rallied, check your local club events for details.

The sound of a 6r4 on full throttle is glorious and, sadly, all too rare. The noise of an in line 4 cylinder engine just doesn't cut it, in comparison it sounds like a sewing machine.

[Podie]

PH said:

Because all the best rally pics have a water splash, right?

[Turbobanana]

I'll probably get shot for this but I don't think this is the photographer's best effort.

It's a good shot but I think he pressed the shutter a fraction too late and has captured too much splash, not enough car.

Great car though, and I remember these when currect - awesome noise, bettered only by the 5-cylinder Audi quattro Sport (IMO).

[Andy Zarse]

Turbobanana said:

I'll probably get shot for this but I don't think this is the photographer's best effort.

It's a good shot but I think he pressed the shutter a fraction too late and has captured too much splash, not enough car.

Great car though, and I remember these when currect - awesome noise, bettered only by the 5-cylinder Audi quattro Sport (IMO).

Yes it's an especially awesome noise on a cold daybreak in a northern forrest...

Why is the OP going on about Rothmans livery? Jimmy Macrae ran it for a while but it's hardly iconic to the 6R4 is it? The works cars were blue and white Istel sponsored machines. And nobody was faster than Pondy!

[Jerry Can]

Andy Zarse said:

Yes it's an especially awesome noise on a cold daybreak in a northern forrest...

Why is the OP going on about Rothmans livery? Jimmy Macrae ran it for a while but it's hardly iconic to the 6R4 is it? The works cars were blue and white Istel COMPUTERVISION sponsored machines. And nobody was faster than Pondy!

[AtWork]

Was Istel the same as Computervision?

[AtWork]

Doh, too slow.

Here's a pic anyway:

Lovely noise

[sjabrown]

Rothmans - associated with so many iconic rally cars of the 70s-90s.

[Woody3]

Here is some on-board footage of my friend's Dad in, what I'm lead to believe, his 6R4.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AB7BKbcZ9c

oh and here's another:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srY0hoN3O1I

Edited by Woody3 on Friday 3rd January 12:03

[SystemParanoia]

I loved the 2nd episode. Massive surprise to see the drift king in there.

And I kind of hopped he would speak to ari about loebs run up pikes peak

[PistonBroker]

NotStig said:

They are still occasionally rallied, check your local club events for details.

The sound of a 6r4 on full throttle is glorious and, sadly, all too rare. The noise of an in line 4 cylinder engine just doesn't cut it, in comparison it sounds like a sewing machine.

Sounded phenomenal on just our clapped-out Ferguson TV when Dai Llewellyn was giving Idris Elba a joyride.

[Zumbruk]

PistonBroker said:

Sounded phenomenal on just our clapped-out Ferguson TV when Dai Llewellyn was giving Idris Elba a joyride.

I wish I could get round Curborough at that kind of lick ...

[Madkat]

Note to WRC organizers....this is what a Supermini rally car should be like.

Love the 6R4 its one of my all time favorite cars. Yeah its pretty ugly but also beautiful in a purposeful sort of way and who doesn't like wheel arches that look like they've been modeled on a 1950's fridge stuck to the side of a rather pathetic but humble British super mini.
Then the noise this thing creates from its chopped down RV8. Superb. Helmed by Jimmie and Tony (Brit names or what) its a great car.

Edited by Madkat on Friday 3rd January 12:51