For the first time in almost 25 years, Kent’s very own rallycross legend Will Gollop was reunited with his European Championship-winning MG Metro 6R4 at Lydden Hill last month. Dan Wright caught up with the man himself to see how he found it…

With its iconic Silkolene oils livery, Will Gollop’s legendary BiTurbo MG Metro 6R4 is one of the most famous machines ever to compete in rallycross.

But since the Blean resident, now 66, sold it to a hillclimb competitor from the Republic of Ireland in early 1993, it has never once been seen at a rallycross circuit.

That was until late last month - however - when its new owner displayed it in front of thousands of spectators at Lydden Hill’s FIA World Rallycross Championship round.

“To be reunited with the old car was a good experience,” Gollop says.

“The car hasn’t changed hardly at all – it has still got all the bits and pieces and brackets that I made up for it.

“It has only been added to rather than changed, and I am really pleased that the new owner has bought it because he wants to keep it like it was.”

Gollop, who won the European Rallycross Championship in 1992 before Group B machines were outlawed, got to sit in his old 6R4 at Lydden.

It marked the first time in 23 years that he had even clapped eyes on the car, which had only been bought from Malvern in Worcestershire by its new owner six weeks before.

“I had heard rumours it was around,” Gollop adds.

“I think it is one of the most famous 6R4s – no other Metros won a European championship and the Silkolene livery is often commented on as one of the best in rallycross.

“It is good for the sport that it is being brought out as it is a famous car.”

After winning the British Rallycross Championship’s Formula B class in the 1980s with a Saab 99, Gollop turned his attentions to the 6R4, which was driven in a number of demonstrations at Lydden last month.

“We got the car rebuilt into a BiTurbo over the winter of 1989 and 1990,” Gollop recalls.

“We were pretty successful in making it work straight away, which was a good experience.

“In 1990 we didn’t turn it up to full power, but we gradually turned it up for 1991 and 1992 – we had 750bhp, I believe.

“We turned it from a 3.0-litre engine to a 2.3 because we did not want to carry the weight of a 3.0-litre with the BiTurbo, which I think the others were doing.

“There were some other BiTurbos around, but nothing as successful as our car.”

Despite winning his only European championship with the machine, Gollop faced ups and downs with the car, which did not have a first gear and was prepared by his own G-Tech Motorsport operation.

He says his best memory was beating arch rival Martin Schanche in Belgium in 1991, but in the same year he was involved in a fiery accident on the exit of Chesson’s Drift at Lydden, which put paid to his European ambitions for that season.

"Apart from that little clip, I would and could have won the championship that year..." - Will Gollop

“The lowest point was at Lydden,” Gollop recalls.

“It was a messy start to the final which started the accident.

“I was pretty wound up about the start and I tried to go around the outside of Pat Doran and got clipped.

“Apart from that little clip, I would and could have won the championship that year.”

After a six-week rebuild, Gollop went on to win the 1992 championship – and is still the last British competitor to win the European title.

While he may be watching the sport from the sidelines now, his former 6R4 is gearing up for a full engine rebuild and is scheduled to appear at more demonstrations later this year.

It may never race competitively again, but after almost a quarter of a century away, the historic machine now looks set to grace rallycross paddocks for many more years to come.

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2016

Will Gollop is still the last British competitor to win the European title.

Former British Touring Car champion Andrew Jordan is the only Briton to have stepped on the FIA World Rallycross Championship podium and Liam Doran, son of Lydden owner Pat, is the only Brit completing a full season in 2016.

“It is still nice that I am the last British winner of the European championship,” Gollop says.

“Andrew Jordan could do really well if he did the whole championship, and I think Liam Doran could if he gets some reliability in the car.

“He can certainly drive, but it is a difficult sport to win at.”

"It is good that Mattias Ekstrom is doing well..." - Will Gollop

Gollop - who attended both days of Lydden Hill’s FIA World Rallycross Championship round - still keeps a close eye on the sport.

He watched Swede Mattias Ekstrom snatch victory from double World champion Petter Solberg at the circuit last month.

“It is good that Mattias Ekstrom is doing well,” Gollop says.

“I like Petter Solberg, I think he is brilliant and they have got the car right, but I would like to see someone else win the championship for the good of the sport.

“Ekstrom is very intelligent and they are an intelligent team.”