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McRae Family Creates New Race Car

Remember Colin McRae? If the name sounds familiar, it might bebecause of his affiliation with the FIA's World Rally Championship. The Scotsman drove for Subaru, Ford and Citroen, and has, in more recent times, raced for Nissan in the Paris-Dakar rally. But it's not only Colin who can boast of a history in off-road racing. Colin's little brother Alister (previously a WRC driver for Hyundai), and his father Jim (5-time winner of the British Rally Championship) have created their own purpose-built rally car called the McRae Enduro.

The McRae Enduro is slated to compete in endurance races like the Paris-Dakar rally. It will be entered in the "T1" class, meaning that it'll run with the best of the best on the rally circuits around the globe, and

The McRaes return, this time with a car they've built. (Photo: McRae)

not just against race-prepared stock vehicles. By starting from scratch and combining decades of rallying experience, McRae was able to develop a car that should be ultra competitive, if not class-leading.

It starts with a customized tubular frame that has been designed to meet all FIA racing standards. McRae had certain goals that the design needed to meet, such as 50-50 weight distribution when the vehicle is loaded with gear, plus criteria regarding the size of the cockpit. The Enduro features some unique traits too, such as the positioning

Special design makes the Enduro better balanced and safer. (Photo: McRae)

of the engine, which increases safety in the event of a crash, as well as a small transmission tunnel that enables the driver and co-driver to be further away from the roll cage.

Once the hardpoints of the design were established, McRae received some help regarding the exterior design. They consulted Damian McTaggart, an ex-TVR stylist who was responsible for the likes of the Cerbera, the T350 and the Tuscan, the car star of the movie Swordfish. The design that McTaggart created is similar in profile to the Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution, though its facial features and tailgate design are unique.McTaggart was asked to incorporate a production car's door (complete with window and seals), plus a mass market, easy to find, cheap to purchase

The Enduro will be featured in a one-model race series with Pirelli. (Photo: McRae)

windshield for cost-effective replacements during races in far off countries.

The engine of choice for this rally machine is the PSA-Ford developed 2.7-liter twin-turbodiesel V6 that's been featured in a wide variety of premium products including the Land Rover LR3 and Jaguar S-Type. Chosen for its light weight (440 pounds), and quick spooling capabilities, it has been modified to produce 237 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque. The engine drives all four wheels through a six-speed ZF-sourced gearbox. One of the goals for the car is to use as many widely-available components as possible, which will make it cheaper to purchase and maintain.

Perhaps the most impressive part about the Enduro is the attention that the vehicle has attracted. McRae will be partnering with Pirelli to form a one-make racing series that solely involves the Enduro. The estimate cost of purchasing an Enduro is £100,000 ($200,000 USD).

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