Not a true Group B rallycross car I know, but I was lucky enough to sample one of Will Gollop's later cars, which was based on a 306 bodyshell, thus giving it a slightly longer wheelbase and wider track than a 205T16. In fact if memory serves Will described it as a 306T16, as it was mechanically very similar to the genuine Group B 205T16. What a machine! Probably the fastest accelerating car I ever drove (bearing in mind that I never actually drove the Sierra ProStock dragster that I have described elsewhere). Over 600 horsepower, under 1000kgs, six-speed gearbox but perhaps most crucially it was geared for a maximum of 120mph (sorry about the old-school references) or so with ultra-close ratios, so it got there real quick. In fact accelerating hard you were changing gears just about as fast as you could move the lever.

Will took me for a ride before letting me have a go, and the first time he took off it gave me a vaguely nauseous feeling, like a punch in the guts. Needless to say I didn't drive with quite the same vigour as the owner/builder/driver, but he was great, encouraging me to give it plenty whenever we were pointing vaguely straight. Rallycross was certainly a spectacular form of the sport in those days. Not sure why it has sort of faded from view but, like so many forms of motorsport, probably priced itself out of existence.

Regards,

Art Markus