Splash out on a BTCC Integra Type R

Meet the 2005 BTCC Honda Integra Type R, as campaigned by Team Halfords (if you hadn’t guessed from that garish livery) 15 years ago.

Chassis TD-02 is the second of four cars developed by Team Dynamics Motorsport which, with drivers Matt Neal, Dan Eaves and latterly Gareth Howell, was responsible for one of the most successful seasons of any team in modern BTCC history, taking the Drivers’, Teams’, Independent Teams’ and Independent Drivers’ championships. The only title the cars didn’t win in their record-breaking sweep was the Manufacturers’, and that was the only one they weren’t eligible for as a privateer contingent.

The only remaining example in the UK (confirmed by Team Dynamics principal Matt Neal), this very car was famously driven by Team Halfords driver Dan Eaves to victory in all three races at Thruxton, becoming the first BTCC driver to do so. Despite a reverse grid during race three, the 29-year-old not only stormed from the back of the grid to a win, he also took the fastest lap of the day at what was arguably the fastest circuit in the Touring Car calendar. Eaves and TD-02 went on to win a further five races that season, take five fastest laps and a third place championship finish. Now we’re not saying this car is fast, but in a race with a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, we wouldn’t know where to put our money…

From 2006 to 2007, the car wore a pink and black Motorbase Performance paintjob, with the team fielding David Pinkney, and scoring a podium place in BTCC. In the years thereafter, it was intermittently piloted by drivers including John George, James Kay and Bernard Hogarth.

Purchased by the current owner in late 2016 with a view to competing in HSCC Super Touring Cars in the 2017 season and the subsequently expanded Super Touring Car Challenge in 2018, it underwent a full refurbishment by race-preparer In2Racing and was re-liveried in its original Dan Eaves/Team Halfords Orange colours.

This refurbishment cost more than half the car’s estimated value, and included a new fuel tank, fuel system, hubs and struts, brakes and suspension plus a full engine rebuild (at a cost of £29,000) and an Xtrac gearbox rebuild (circa. £10,000).

With no time to compete, the vendor has listed the car for auction with The Market, fully prepped and ready to race. All that sits between you and vintage BTCC glory is a guide price of between £50,000 and £70,000 and seven days left on the auction…

If you like the BTCC, perhaps you'll like this video: BTCC insanity at Donington park in 1998

Images courtesy of The Market.