Around and about, January 1989

Toleman’s Enduro

Making his third attempt to complete the Paris-Dakar Rally Raid, Ted Toleman, partnered by former World Hot Rod Champion Barry Lee, is entering a purpose-built Metro, designated the T89 Enduro.

The ugly brute is a modified 6R4, lengthened by 91/2in and fitted with a 3.9-litre engine developing 256 bhp. The car has been rebuilt from last year with input from Reynard, to ensure that the vehicle is as suitable as possible to the rough desert conditions. Total weight has been reduced by 70kg. The team has little chance against the might of Peugeot, which has won for the last couple of years and is pouring an estimated £2.4million into this year’s event. Ted Toleman’s principal aim, therefore, is simply to finish, an ambitious task since only one in five competitors reached Dakar last time.

The rally gets underway on Christmas Day in Paris, finishing in Dakar 19 days and 7000 desert miles later.