CHEVROLET CRUZE WTCC

Following the departure of the Chevrolet Lacetti and the arrival of its successor, the Cruze in 2009, Belgian Eric Nève, Sports Director of Chevrolet Europe, was very clear about his expectations for the new model in the WTCC, indicating that Championships were the ambition. With RML (Ray Mallock Ltd) continuing to run the cars and a top driver lineup in Rob Huff, Alain Menu and Nicola Larini, things looked promising, however it wouldn't be until the following year, 2010, that success finally arrived. Yvan Muller, who had replaced Larini, took the prize winning his second Drivers' Championship and Chevrolet won the Manufacturers' Championship for the first time. Rob Huff wasn't far away in third with Alain Menu a little back in sixth.

The 2011 WTCC was undoubtedly fiercely competitive and in total, 38 drivers entered at least one race weekend with 22 of them securing an outright top ten finish. Six drivers stood on the top step of the podium while a further seven made their way to the top three. On behalf of Chevrolet Europe, RML again freshly prepared three cars for the season keeping the same driver lineup. The results are a matter of history, with RML's three cars taking 21 wins from 24 rounds, Muller winning the Championship from Huff by three points with Alain Menu finishing third. Muller had amassed a total of 433 points by the end of the season with Huff just those three behind and Alain Menu clocked up five wins overall and scored consistently during the season to complete the trio of RML Chevrolets at the top of the table.

Rob Huff set the early pace but was chasing down his teammate from the Valencia round onwards and despite continuing his domination of the Macau street race, wasn’t quite able to overturn the disadvantage. He was naturally disappointed but had the consolation of a double win at Monza, under intense pressure from behind and his Macau double. He undoubtedly managed to extract the most from the little Chevrolet and finished the season with eight Wins, four Pole Positions, 18 Podiums and nine Fastest Laps.

We are delighted to offer this particular 2011 Chevrolet Cruze World Touring Car (Chassis #P26 011/11) directly from the RML Group who have retained ownership since inception. It was one of the most dominant cars of the era, reflecting RML’s meticulous engineering and development and its record speaks volumes, not only for its outright pace but also for its reliability and consistency across an intensely competitive field. Still housed by RML Group, the car benefits from uninterrupted custodianship by its original builder and importantly, ongoing technical support and parts supply may be available by separate negotiation with RML, offering the next owner rare access to the knowledge and infrastructure behind its success.

Currently, we believe there are several European Series/events for which the Cruze is eligible, providing the chance to fully utilise the cars potential. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a front-running WTCC car from the golden era presented in exceptional condition with known and documented provenance. We welcome and encourage your early inspection to appreciate the potential on offer.