We meet the Malcolm Wilson… the Brit motorsport giant behind the world’s coolest rally cars
IF you were introduced to a guy called Malcolm you’d expect him to drop you off at bingo or do your tax returns.
You wouldn’t expect him to be responsible for the world’s coolest rally cars.
Despite having possibly the unsexiest first name on the planet — and this is coming from a Robert — Malcolm Wilson is an absolute giant of British motorsport.
His M-Sport team has sprayed more victory champagne in recent years than Manchester City.
And even though you may never have heard of him, you’ll definitely know of some of his past employees.
There’s Colin McRae for one, Carlos Sainz, Petter Solberg and Sebastien Ogier. All world rally champions. All PlayStation legends.
From starting out in the back of a shed 40 years ago, M-Sport now operates from the 115-acre Dovenby Hall estate in Cumbria employing 240 people who build £1million worth of battle-ready Fiestas every month.
M-Sport also runs Bentley’s GT3 race programme and Jaguar’s all-electric eTROPHY and has just invested £23million on a new test track, workshops and hotel.
We met Malcolm for a brew ahead of this week’s Wales Rally GB.
Dovenby Hall used to be a mental hospital, right?
“Yes it was — some say it still is.”
How many cars do you build here?
“Five a month. The first two cars we ever built here were for Colin and Carlos on the 2000 Acropolis Rally. We finished first and second, so we made a good start. This has been the home of Ford world rally ever since.”
What was McRae like?
“He was the people’s champion and always will be. I’ve kept his car from the 1999 Safari Rally. It was our first win in a Focus.”
Tell us about the new test track?
“It’s a massive investment for us. The next step in what we do. Manufacturers can come here to test and develop prototypes privately but it’s also a great asset for the rally team.”
Your relationship with Ford stretches back to your driving days in the Seventies.
“I won the national championship in ’78 and ’79 in a MkII Escort and then I got my first paid contract from Ford in 1980. That was the year I broke both ankles hitting a bridge.”
Ouch. Your driving CV also reads: Audi Quattro, Metro 6R4, Astra GTE, Sierra Sapphire Cosworth. But let’s fast forward to 1994 and your British title triumph. That Michelin Pilot Escort Cossie looked the business.
“I picked up a copy of Fast Ford magazine a few months ago and there was a new-shape Focus in the blue and yellow Michelin Pilot livery. It’s iconic. People still ask me to sign photos of that car.”
Why did you stop driving a year later?
“I always said that if I hadn’t achieved what I wanted to by the time I was 40 I never would, so I hung up my helmet after the 1995 RAC Rally. I have no regrets. I’ve had far more satisfaction from the business and everything we do now. I love working with the young guys and watching them develop. Drivers and engineers.”
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Your proudest moment?
“That has to be Rally GB in 2017. We won the manufacturer title, driver’s title and Elfyn (Evans) won his home rally, all within 15 minutes. That’ll never happen again.”
So, what are you chances for Rally GB?
“Elfyn has missed the last three rounds with a back injury but we’ve built him a new car for GB and hopefully we can get him back on the podium at least.”
Thank you, Malcolm. You’ve done as much for people called Malcolm as The Rock did for Dwayne.
ASK ALFIE: USED CAR Q&A
Q) MY 1997 Jaguar XJ6 is in perfect condition, 67,000 miles, full service history and lots of records. What’s it worth?
Walter Windrum
A) If it’s a late X300 XJ6, Walt, then it should have a 4-litre inline-six AJ16 motor. That’s a desirable car, then, and I reckon you should be asking about £4,500-£5,000 for it.
Q) I HAVE a 2018 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Prestige 2.0 Diesel with 6,500 miles. I recently went to my local Jag dealer to part-ex it and was offered £21,000; that’s a loss of £20,000 in just over a year. So do I keep the car, hoping the depreciation slows, or do I take the loss now in case it gets worse?
Anne Carney
A) Anne, this is what happens to premium cars. The depreciation is quick in the first year and then tails off. You’ll never be left with a car that’s worthless when it’s a tidy Jag like this, but realistically it’s only going to be worth £23,000 or so anyway, so maybe chop it in now.
Q) I AM after a 15-plate SUV; can you advise me which one to buy? I like the Kia Sportage, Hyundai ix35, Hyundai Tucson and Ford Kuga? Which engines are best?
Michael Evans
A) I’d put early examples of the current Tucson first (it launched in 2015), then the Sportage Mk3. With the Tucson, try and find a 2-litre CRDi. With Sportage, the 1.7 is much more prevalent.
Q) I HAVE a Jaguar S-Type SE, bought new in 1999. It has 33,000 miles on the clock. We’ve got a new Jaguar XE, and our Jag dealer told us to keep our S-Type as it has such low mileage. Should we sell it or keep it?
Sarah Krishnan
Sarah, you are to be credited for keeping your S-Type in such great nick. Current worth is about £8,000-£10,000, so if you don’t need to sell it, try to keep hold of it.
- lWales Rally GB runs from October 3-6. See walesrallygb.com for tickets.