KEY FACTS
HISTORY
This Subaru Impreza S6 WRC is chassis #11, which competed in three rounds of the 2000 World Rally Championship; the Tour de Corse in September, Rallye Sanremo in October, and the Network Q Rally of Great Britain in November - campaigned by the pairing of Richard Burns and Robert Reid in all three events.
While Richard Burns’ hopes of winning the WRC title in 2000 had been dashed after a huge crash during Rally Finland in August, Rally GB was destined to remind the world of his prodigious talent. Rocketing up the ranking from the back of the pack; Burns was already leading by the end of the second leg, and would round off his victory at the final stage ending in Margam Country Park near Port Talbot.
This was Burns’ ninth WRC career win, and his third of that year - having also taken the top spot in Portugal and Argentina. The victory also marked a hat-trick of back-to-back Rally GB wins for Burns, winning in 1998 with Mitsubishi and 1999 with Subaru.
Earlier that year, chassis #11 had already been 'pre-sold' to its next owner. While this was not uncommon, typically a Works rally car would be taken back to base following a Championship round, to be stripped of any proprietary modifications or enhancements, and delivered to its next owner in a ‘sanitised’ state.
This is where chassis #11 stands apart from other rally cars of its kind. The individual who had arranged to purchase the car took the ‘end of the season’ acquisition terms in their most literal sense, scooping up the Impreza directly from Margam Country Park - before it could be taken back by Prodrive to be altered or have its WRC ‘battle scars’ repaired.
As such, this Subaru Impreza S6 is widely considered to be the most original ex-Works WRC car in existence. Not only does it retain its original as-raced bodywork - complete with broken wing mirror, dented front wing, and various other ‘bumps and bruises’ - but it has never been repainted or cosmetically restored in any way.
It was taken away from the finish line with its FIA tags still in place, with Reid’s pace notes as used on the final day, Nokia mobile phone, energy bars in the door pockets, identification documents, and most importantly its original FIA Gold Log Book - and all of the items have remained with the car ever since.
Rather than being refurbished to run again with a privateer team, the car was kept as an irreplaceable artefact to Burns and Reid’s Rally GB win. The seats and seat belts are those they sat in and strapped into, the steering wheel is the one used by Burns to secure victory, and even the original communication headsets are still present.
Its rally-winning 300bhp 2.0-litre flat-four ‘boxer’ engine and six-speed sequential transmission (with right hand only push/pull paddle shift) remain in place, as does Prodrive’s secret scruitineering page software, which enabled the display to show 1,000rpm lower revs than actual in order to pass stringent noise tests of the time. The electronic FIA switches fitted to the boot and bonnet to alert the governing body to any tampering are still there, having never been removed after the final stage.
The car spent the next 18 years in just a couple of private collections, rarely being seen or used, but fastidiously preserved as a coveted piece of WRC history.
CURRENT OWNERSHIP
The car was purchased by the current owner in 2018, who had every intention of returning this incredible ex-Works car to a packed crowd to be driven once again. They commissioned renowned motorsport specialist BGM Sport in Brackley to recommission the car over the winter, taking care to preserve its patina and originality.
Its engine, gearbox and driveline were carefully removed to allow for a detailed inspection, and then reassembled with all new drive belts and reinstalled. A full service was carried out, including stripping and reassembly of the original master cylinders, vented brake discs and six-pot callipers, and other key components. The ECU was also re-mapped to allow the car to run on normal super-unleaded fuel (though the original Eprom ECU is included in the sale).
A new main and auxiliary fuel cell was manufactured to a pattern to fit within the existing outer casing, and all fuel lifter pumps and filters were replaced, along with the fuel lines and fasteners. Comprehensive engine and transmission checks were carried out to ensure the car was in fine fettle, and in total close to £50,000 was invested in its sympathetic mechanical recommissioning.
At this point, the car remained on its original gravel wheels and tyres from 2000 Rally GB, so these were removed to preserve them, and the car was then lowered to ‘bumpy tarmac’ setting (as used in the Tour de Corse and Rallye Sanremo) and fitted with the correct Works OZ alloys and tarmac tyres - as seen in the photos below.
With the car now prepared, it was put through shakedown testing to make any final adjustments, and was subsequently invited to attend the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Given its historical significance, and the good relationship between Goodwood and the Richards Burns Foundation, the car was given a running slot on the main hill rather than the rally stage.
Not only was the car given a proper demonstration run - the first time it had appeared in front of such a large crowd since its WRC win in 2000 - but the owner also shared the car with Alister McRae, son of five-time British Rally Champion, Jimmy McRae, and younger brother of 1995 World Rally Champion, Colin McRae. The car completed three runs up the hill on each day of the event without missing a beat, delighting rally fans and enthusiasts in the process.
SUMMARY
Still in excellent mechanical order following its 2018/2019 recommissioning, chassis #11 remains exceptionally original, and unquestionably one of the best-preserved WRC cars in the world. Having been plucked from the 2000 Rally GB finish line by its first private owner with incredible foresight to retain its character and patina, ‘W25 SRT’ is truly one-of-a-kind.
Not only would it be near impossible to find another ex-Works car that remains so original, this car also boasts outstanding provenance, having secured the outright win on the Network Q Rally of Great Britain driven by one of the greatest rally talents of all time. Unique, storied, and remarkable in every way; this Subaru Impreza S6 WRC represents an unmissable opportunity for the most discerning of motorsport collectors.
Impreza S6 WRC chassis #11 - Competition history:
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