The Subaru Impreza WRC97 rally car that belonged to Colin McRae was auctioned in England on Tuesday for $298,659 (approximately £230,625), as reported by the auctioneer on their website.
Identified as chassis number 001, the WRC97 car was constructed by Prodrive for testing and media demonstrations during the 1997 World Rally Championship season, according to H&H Classics, the auction house responsible for the sale.
Prodrive founder David Richards stated in 2009, according to the auction company, “Chassis 001 was the car we introduced and utilized as our primary test and development vehicle. It was due to the countless hours spent by Colin and other drivers behind the wheel that Piero Latti was able to secure victory at the Monte Carlo Rally in January 1997, paving the way for Subaru to clinch its third consecutive manufacturers’ title.”
Thanks to chassis 001, its sister vehicles achieved an impressive 119 WRC stage wins and accounted for eight of the 14 WRC race victories.
Colin McRae was a prominent figure in the rally racing scene during the 1990s, boasting 25 world rally wins, primarily with Subaru and Ford. Tragically, McRae lost his life in 2007 when the helicopter he was piloting crashed, resulting in the deaths of his five-year-old son and two family friends.
.
