Pack BMW M3 Gr.A Rally 1000 Lakes 1988

In 1985, after his terrible accident at the Rally Argentina, many believed Ari Vatanen's career was over. Yet, just over a year later, he was back at the start of the 1987 Paris-Dakar. On his very first attempt, the "Flying Finn" took the victory! The following year, a shady story involving a stolen car deprived him of a second consecutive win, but it was only a raincheck. The 1981 World Champion did not forget about rally racing, making a few one-off appearances. That is how he found himself at the start of "his" rally in 1988, at the wheel of a surprising BMW M3 E30 Gr.A. Prodrive, an English company founded by his former co-driver David Richards, wanted to translate the success of the DTM E30s onto the rally stages. A version specifically tailored for the discipline was then developed. That is how Ari Vatanen ended up driving it during the 1988 1000 Lakes Rally. Sporting its white livery adorned with the colors of the MILK Energy sponsor (Vatanen being a huge milk lover), the car caused a sensation. Although the great Ari was forced to retire due to a mechanical failure while sitting in 8th place overall, the car earned a special place in the hearts of the Finnish driver's fans.