BMC/BL Competitions Department

For a quarter of a century from the mid 1950s Britain’s leading motor manufacturer — first as the British Motor Corporation, then British Leyland — was committed to motorsport, predominantly rallying, as a means of improving its product and keeping the corporate banner under the public gaze. From 1955 to 1980 enormous success was achieved by the Competitions Department under the leadership of such notable characters as Marcus Chambers, Peter Browning and Stuart Turner.

In this much-loved book, re-issued to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Department, Bill Price provides a fascinating personal account of the cars and drivers, the mechanics and managers, the journeys and events that went to make up one of the most important chapters in motorsport history.

He records great triumphs from the heady days of the Austin-Healey 3000 and Austin A40 entries in such rallies as the Liege-Sophia-Liege, through the years of the Monte Carlo magic, and the Mini during the mid-1960s, to the BL-campaigned TR7s and TR8s of the 1970s. But inevitably there was failure, disappointment and sadness too — when injury occurred, or victory seemed assured only to be snatched back by fate, or corporate support faltered at vital moments.

The text, illustrated with a host of historic colour and mono photographs, is supported with appendices listing event by event, works-entered and works-supported cars.