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Auto Express Car Reviews
McRae’s supercar ready for road
This is the supercar the man once called the world's fastest rally driver wants you to take to Tesco. It's mean, it's extreme and it's McReady to tear up the tarmac!
Extreme machine
Low-profile R4 has supercar styling with lightweight body panels – but can be driven on roads as well as at race events.
Low-profile R4 has supercar styling with lightweight body panels – but can be driven on roads as well as at race events.
By Sam Hardy
12th July 2006
Auto Express is first to reveal Colin McRae's sensational R4 which, he says, will be the ultimate car for road, track and rally stage. Having broken the news of the star's production plans back in Issue 903, we were on the scene as the covers were pulled off the two-seater at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex. As you can see, it's one uncompromising machine!
The new model is a the result of a joint venture between McRae, Nottinghamshire based race preparation firm DJM, engine maker Millington and damper manufacturer ProFlex. A rear-wheel-drive machine called the R2 will be built as well as the all-wheel-drive R4, although both will look identical.
The project began four years ago when McRae was in DJM's garage admiring the work being carried out on his own MkII Ford Escort rally car. The firm was prepping it for competition while also producing bespoke parts for it. A technician jokingly said to McRae: "You should have your own car, then you could have the machine you want." And that was when the idea took off.
David Plant, boss of DJM, told Auto Express: "Colin and I wanted to produce something that could be used for rallying or racing. But we wanted to make something that could be used on the road, too; something that could be the ultimate supercar."
Buyers will be able to decide if their R2 should be set up for race track or road use. The latter is set to be powered by an amazing turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which feeds a mighty 750bhp to the rear wheels. That should be sufficient to propel the lightweight two-seater from 0-60mph in three seconds, and on to a maximum speed of 200mph.
If you want your McRae model in track spec, you'll get a 500bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 - the same Ford unit as in the Noble M12 - again powering the rear tyres. The all-wheel-drive R4 rally car features a normally aspirated 350bhp 2.5-litre engine. Buyers of all three variants can specify six-speed manual or sequential transmissions.
But whichever version you choose, you will be able to drive it on the road. To meet competition regulations, all the cars have been designed to comply with Special Vehicle Approval standards and meet Euro IV emissions regulations.
The model shown here is the first prototype, which was finished just in time to go on display at Goodwood. It's a similar size to a Ford Fiesta, and all the parts except the engine, tyres and brakes are made in-house by DJM. The only visual details missing are the lights, which have yet to be finalised.
Testing will begin in September, when McRae will put the R4 through its paces, while the official launch is planned for next year. McRae has already reserved chassis number 001, which he will race in an open class rally championship.
Offering performance that will put them in Ferrari and Porsche territory, the R2 and R4 won't be cheap. Prices will range from £130,000 to £150,000, and standard equipment will be sparse.
"We won't be offering the R4 with leather trim or CD multi-changers. If you do that, you start adding weight," Plant explained. "This is a thrilling car which you can also take to the supermarket. What you see is what you get. It's an uncompromised machine."
The new model is a the result of a joint venture between McRae, Nottinghamshire based race preparation firm DJM, engine maker Millington and damper manufacturer ProFlex. A rear-wheel-drive machine called the R2 will be built as well as the all-wheel-drive R4, although both will look identical.
The project began four years ago when McRae was in DJM's garage admiring the work being carried out on his own MkII Ford Escort rally car. The firm was prepping it for competition while also producing bespoke parts for it. A technician jokingly said to McRae: "You should have your own car, then you could have the machine you want." And that was when the idea took off.
David Plant, boss of DJM, told Auto Express: "Colin and I wanted to produce something that could be used for rallying or racing. But we wanted to make something that could be used on the road, too; something that could be the ultimate supercar."
Buyers will be able to decide if their R2 should be set up for race track or road use. The latter is set to be powered by an amazing turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which feeds a mighty 750bhp to the rear wheels. That should be sufficient to propel the lightweight two-seater from 0-60mph in three seconds, and on to a maximum speed of 200mph.
If you want your McRae model in track spec, you'll get a 500bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 - the same Ford unit as in the Noble M12 - again powering the rear tyres. The all-wheel-drive R4 rally car features a normally aspirated 350bhp 2.5-litre engine. Buyers of all three variants can specify six-speed manual or sequential transmissions.
But whichever version you choose, you will be able to drive it on the road. To meet competition regulations, all the cars have been designed to comply with Special Vehicle Approval standards and meet Euro IV emissions regulations.
The model shown here is the first prototype, which was finished just in time to go on display at Goodwood. It's a similar size to a Ford Fiesta, and all the parts except the engine, tyres and brakes are made in-house by DJM. The only visual details missing are the lights, which have yet to be finalised.
Testing will begin in September, when McRae will put the R4 through its paces, while the official launch is planned for next year. McRae has already reserved chassis number 001, which he will race in an open class rally championship.
Offering performance that will put them in Ferrari and Porsche territory, the R2 and R4 won't be cheap. Prices will range from £130,000 to £150,000, and standard equipment will be sparse.
"We won't be offering the R4 with leather trim or CD multi-changers. If you do that, you start adding weight," Plant explained. "This is a thrilling car which you can also take to the supermarket. What you see is what you get. It's an uncompromised machine."
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Our Other Websites: The First Post | Custom PC | Evo | IT Pro | MacUser | Men's Fitness | Micro Mart | PC Pro | bit-tech | Know Your Mobile | Octane | Expert Reviews | Channel Pro | Know Your Cell | Know Your Mobile India | iGizmo | Digital SLR Photography | Den of Geek | The Week | Computer Shopper | Dennis Communications | Magazines | Mobile Phone Deals | Competitions