Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at the BRDC Classic 2026 - Competition Cars on Friday the 24th of July, The Wing, Silverstone Circuit, NN12 8TN. The Rover SD1 Group 2 occupies a unique place within touring car history, combining the visual drama and thunderous V8 performance of a sports saloon with genuine endurance racing pedigree. Built new in 1981 by the renowned Dave Price Racing to full Group 2 specification, this particular example was commissioned for competition use in South Africa by the O’Sullivan brothers and would go on to become one of the country’s best-known and most charismatic competition touring cars of the era. The car’s early history is exceptionally well documented within the accompanying history file, which includes photographs of the original build process together with the original sales invoice from Dave Price Racing to Kalkkloof Eloff Leyland Racing in Johannesburg. Prior to export, the SD1 was shaken down at Brands Hatch by Jeff Allam, who would later secure the 1982 British Touring Car Championship title in a Rover SD1. A copy of the original test sheet from that session also accompanies the car. Upon arrival in South Africa, the Rover immediately attracted attention, not only for its dramatic appearance and unmistakable V8 soundtrack, but also for its outright pace. Powered by a Hesketh-developed 3. 5-litre V8 producing in excess of 400bhp at 8, 250rpm, the car competed extensively throughout the early 1980s in a wide variety of touring car and endurance events. Among its most notable appearances were entries in the famous Kyalami 9 Hour endurance races in both 1981 and 1982, competing against some of the leading machinery and drivers of the period. The car subsequently contested the Kyalami 1, 000km in both 1983 and 1984, at that time a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, firmly cementing its status within South African motorsport folklore. Numerous period photographs within the history file further document its extensive competition career during this period. Following its original competition life with the O’Sullivan brothers, the SD1 continued to race in period under the ownership of **** Sorensen before later returning once again to the O’Sullivan family. Importantly, unlike many competition touring cars of the era, the Rover was never dismantled, substantially altered or converted away from its original purpose, instead remaining fundamentally intact throughout its life. In 2003, the brothers returned the car to its distinctive and original green and white livery. In 2014, the Rover was acquired by Tim Summers, who commissioned a comprehensive restoration by respected specialists BGM Sport. Every panel, mechanical component and fitting was carefully stripped, assessed and rebuilt to an exacting standard, with the intention of returning the car to front-line historic competition. The quality of the work was immediately evident when the SD1 made its post-restoration debut at Vallelunga in 2015, securing pole position in Peter Auto’s prestigious Heritage Touring Cup at its very first appearance. The car returned to international historic competition throughout the 2015 season, competing at Spa, Dijon, Monza and Paul Ricard, where it rapidly established itself as one of the most competitive and visually striking cars within the field. Purchased by the current owners in 2018 for use in the Motor Racing Legends Historic Touring Car Challenge, the Rover has since been developed and maintained by Blakeney Motorsport regardless of cost. The first season focused primarily on development and reliability improvements, ensuring the car could consistently exploit its considerable performance potential. Those efforts culminated in an exceptional 2019 season, during which the SD1 secured multiple outright victories and claimed the overall Historic Touring Car Challenge Championship title. Particularly notable was the car’s reliability and consistency throughout the campaign, reportedly becoming the only car in the championship field to finish every race entered that season. Combining outright pace with endurance and dependability, the Rover proved itself equally capable across a variety of circuits and race conditions, underlining the quality of both its preparation and ongoing development. Today, the car remains a highly competitive and fully race-ready historic touring car, eligible for a range of premier events including the HTCC and Peter Auto Heritage Touring Cup. It's accompanied by an extensive history file documenting both its remarkable South African competition career and subsequent restoration and historic racing activities, together with a substantial spares package. Few historic touring cars combine such compelling provenance, period international competition history and proven contemporary success. Equally capable of front-running competition or inclusion within a significant historic...
