1 / 10
Featured lot selected by the auctions House.
Premium AGUTTES
65
-
1987 - BMW M3 Group A - ex Hugues Delage "Gam
Chassis n° WBS…
See original version (French)
65
-
1987 - BMW M3 Group A - ex Hugues Delage "Gam
Chassis n° WBS…
See original version (French)
Estimate €200,000 - €250,000
Voluntary lot
Description
1987 - BMW M3 Group A - ex Hugues Delage "Gam
Chassis n° WBSAK010100844523
Belgian registration document
Prepared racing car, including roll bar, sold without technical inspection
Developed by BMW Motorsport to meet the requirements of Group A homologation, the BMW M3 E30 was born with a single objective: to dominate competition. It quickly established itself as one of the greatest rally cars of its era, racking up victories and titles across Europe. The car presented here is closely linked to the history of French rallying, as it was prepared and driven by Hugues Delage, a key figure in the sport. An exceptional driver and renowned tuner, Delage built his reputation on the performance of the M3, with which he won almost two hundred scratch victories in the course of his career. This car embodies the encounter between one of the greatest German sports cars of the 1980s and one of the most talented French tuners of his generation.
This BMW M3 was developed by Delage Sport to Group A specifications, in the spirit of the best preparation cars of the era. Its 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine develops around 290 bhp at 7,500 rpm and 28 mkg of torque, particularly impressive figures for a car weighing just 1,065 kg. During our telephone conversation with Hugues Delage, he confirmed that the 1994 car, which he nicknamed 'the heavy one' due to the absence of power steering, was nevertheless more precise and more stable than its 1995 version. Virtually unbeaten at the wheel, it was on this car that he developed his own six-speed gearbox, which was more resistant but above all quicker than the Prodrive gearboxes, with the gears almost being sucked up as you go up, close to a sequential gearbox without ever disengaging the clutch!
This car benefits from a remarkable and perfectly documented track record. All of its owners are known, from the time it entered the colours of GAM Restauration in 1994 right up to its current owner. Well-known in the sport both for its now-famous registration number "4505 VK 51" and for its livery, its file includes its old FFSA technical passport and the current up-to-date one, its Historic Technical Passport valid until 2030, a complete file retracing its history and record of achievements, numerous period photos as well as many official documents and press articles attesting to its sporting career.
Few French BMW M3s can boast such an impressive track record. From its first appearance on the Rallye National des Géants in March 1994, this car won the overall classification, inaugurating a series of remarkable victories. Between 1994 and 1995, it won the Rallyes des Géants, Lyon-Charbonnières, du Pays du Gier, des Vins Mâcon, Jeanne d'Arc, de Lozère, de Dordogne and the prestigious Coupe de France des Rallyes 1994 Final. An absolute weapon in the hands of Delage and Maury, it contributed directly to the national titles won by its driver. Its 'Gam restoration' livery is a story within a story, as Hugues Delage tells us. After calling in a communications and design agency to put up its sponsors, it was he who finally took his pencils and then his cutter to put it in the colours of its sponsor/owner (editor's note: in 1994, the car was the property of Gam Restauration). After its official career, the chassis continued its sporting history with several successive owners, continuing to rack up podiums and victories in French regional and national rallies for over a decade.
Above and beyond its performance and track record, this BMW M3 has a real heritage dimension. It is directly associated with one of the most outstanding figures in national rallying in the 1990s, and with a period when the M3 reigned supreme on French roads. Its well-documented history and its direct link to the titles won by Hugues Delage give it a rare historical importance. At a time when authentic competition cars with indisputable provenance are becoming extremely hard to find, this chassis represents an exceptional opportunity for the discerning collector. Still equipped with its Matter body and largely original instrumentation, its engine developing almost 290 bhp, a Prodrive 6-speed gearbox, Prodrive Tour de Corse front axles, Prodrive rear axles and new suspension and dampers, this car represents the purest expression of the golden age of Group A, when performance depended as much on the talent of the driver as on the quality of the machine. It is a major witness to the history of French motor sport, ready to join the finest collections or the most prestigious historic events.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like