Autosportfoto

Rare chance to acquire works race winning WRC Focus

Silverstone Auctions will offer an incredibly rare opportunity to acquire a very special Works 2005 Ford Focus rally car in its two-day sale at Race Retro on the 22nd February.

The car, estimated at between £180,000 and £200,000, was driven to victory by Markko Martin in both Corsica and Catalunya and finished five times in the top ten during the 2004 season and three times in the 2005 season.

The car was purchased directly from Malcolm Wilson's Works team by Times Top 100 Entrepreneur and CBI Businessman of the Year Steve Perez, founder of the Vodka Kick brand, following the end of the 2005 WRC season. Perez went on to use the car in National rallying in the UK from 2006 until 2009 achieving many outright wins and Championships. It was retired in 2009 and kept for display purposes before being sent back to M-Sport for a full £50,000 rebuild at the end of last year.

It is now offered for auction bearing the livery from its win in the 2004 Catalunya rally and back to its 2005 specification.

Commenting on this very special opportunity, managing director of Silverstone Auctions, Nick Whale, said: "This is a unique opportunity to acquire one of these cars. M-Sport rarely sold their WRC rally winning cars and so this is a wonderful chance to purchase a piece of motorsport history with impeccable provenance."

Also owned by rally fan and successful driver Perez is a 1975 Datsun 260Z Safari Rally Car, estimated at between £180,000 and £200,000. The car was created by Perez to tackle the East African Safari, one of the toughest motorsport events on the planet.

Built on a no expense spared basis in 2007, the car has had the benefit of competing in several Safari rally events, culminating in a fourth overall result during the 2013 event.

A consistent top five overall stage performer at the rally, the car offers a unique ‘turn-key' opportunity to enter the Safari Rally. The car is offered with a significant spares package and support truck.

Nick added: "We've had the pleasure of selling some very special rally legends in the past and these two cars only add to that list. And what better venue than Race Retro for which to offer them to market."

For more details about the vehicles and the other lots on offer at Silverstone Auctions Race Retro Sale, visit www.silverstoneauctions.com.

Notes
Formed in 2011, Silverstone Auctions is a world-class, specialist auction house for classic cars, modern supercars, all types of competition cars, modern and historic motorcycles and automotive memorabilia.

The company holds the exclusive automotive auction rights for Silverstone circuit.

Auctions take place nationally as well as in The Wing, Silverstone circuit's £27 million building, which has space to display up to 100 auction vehicles and includes seating accommodation for up to 400 attendees.