Colin McRae’s 1999 Ford Focus WRC Is A Piece Of Rallying History That Could Be Yours

Want to get yourself a piece of rallying history? Well here’s your chance.

At its upcoming Race Retro Competition Car Sale, Silverstone Auctions is selling a 1999 Ford Focus WRC rally car driven by none other than the legendary Colin McRae himself.

Decked out in iconic Martini Racing livery, this Focus was the very one that McRae drove in four rounds of the World Rally Championship in 1999 – his first season with Ford. Though not without its teething pains, it was a marked advancement over the Escort RS Cosworth it replaced.

McRae and his co-pilot Nicky Grist entered it in Catalunya, Tour de Corse, Acropolis, and in China, with other drivers (including Petter Solberg and Thomas Radstrom) fielding it in a further seven rounds.

England’s first world rally champion, McRae won the title in 1995 in a Subaru Impreza, but sadly never managed to recapture his glory. He tragically died in a helicopter accident in 2007, by which time his reputation was cemented as one of the greatest of all time.

“Ask anyone to name a rally driver and the first name that comes to mind is invariably Colin McRae,” said Silverstone’s Adam Rutter. “He was always a favourite among rally fans but his incredible success also made him a household name.” The auction house expects this very Focus to sell for between £120,000 and £140,000, or about $170-200k when the gavel drops on February 23.