From the Race Track to the Road: UK Engineer Unveils Tertre Rouge, a Street-Legal Group C-Inspired Car

In an exciting development for fans of endurance racing and classic sports cars, Mark Sparrow, a mechanical engineer from the United Kingdom, is bringing a dream to life. He's creating a street-legal car inspired by the iconic Group C race cars of the 1980s, fittingly named Tertre Rouge after a corner of the renowned Circuit de la Sarthe at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A Childhood Dream Takes Shape

As a child, Sparrow was captivated by the sights and sounds of Group C cars when he witnessed them racing at Le Mans in 1989. Today, he is utilizing his expertise, honed from years working in the aerospace industry and contributing to the BepiColombo space probe mission to Mercury, to actualize his dream.

Designed for Performance, Devoid of Aids

Sparrow aims to craft a machine that can go toe-to-toe with historic speedsters like the Mazda 787B and Porsche 956. To do this, he's decided to forgo modern driver aids such as electronic stability and traction control. The Tertre Rouge will be built around a steel tube-frame chassis, reinforced with an integrated roll cage and wrapped in a body made of diverse composite materials. The car aims to tip the scales at around 2,100 pounds.

The Powerhouse Under the Hood

For propulsion, Tertre Rouge will feature a 750 hp, twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8 engine, adapted from a 1990s Mercedes M119 design. The car will transfer this immense power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed sequential transmission, provided by Elite Transmissions, a UK company specializing in racing transmissions.

Aerodynamics and Testing

Aerodynamic testing is on the agenda, with plans to optimize the car for speeds nearing 250 mph. Testing will occur both in wind tunnels and on race tracks, including the UK's Donington Park Circuit.

Limited Production and Future Plans

Production is slated to begin around 2025, with no more than 20 units to be manufactured. Each Tertre Rouge will cost approximately £750,000 ($911,000). Sparrow intends to use the generated funds to take the car racing, targeting series at the Nürburgring and even historic racing events for Group C cars. His ultimate dream? To see the Tertre Rouge compete at Le Mans.