VIN: the Marc Surer Ford RS200 chassis 063
History of chassis 063
Chassis 063 was registered C200 KWC to the Ford Motor Company on January 1st 1986. Built to left-hand drive specification, it was sold to Arrows F1 driver, Marc Surer, on February 6th.
Surer had 063 prepared by Mike Little and tested the car at Ford’s Boreham headquarters before it was dispatched to Europe.
With backing from Ford Switzerland and Penthouse magazine (Surer was married to Playboy model Jolanda Egger at the time), 063 was entered for the ADAC Rallye Hessen, a round of the European Championship which took place from May 31st to June 1st.
It would be Surer’s second event in an RS200 after contesting the Criterium International Jurassien with chassis 062 back in March.
Surer was co-driven on both events by Michel Wyder. The two men had contested half a dozen events together in a Group B Renault 5 Turbo between 1983 and 1984.
Driving a Peugeot 205 T16, Michele Mouton had a one minute lead over Surer when the Schottenring stage began.
The Schottenring stage comprised four laps of a road circuit totalling 28km and Surer had closed the gap considerably when, at the completion of lap two, 063 started to oversteer. It slid wide on a fifth gear corner while travelling at around 140mph. The car hit a small bush and burst into flames mid-flight. The car then slammed into a tree and was virtually split in two.
Surer’s life was saved as he was thrown clear of the inferno. However, poor Michel Wyder was fatally trapped in the wreck.
Surer suffered a broken leg, fractured hip, broken shoulder and burns to his neck, arms and feet. He was comatose for three weeks, but taken off the critical list a few days after the crash.
Notable History
White
01/01/1986 registered C200 KWC to Ford Motor Company
06/02/1986 sold to Marc Surer, Switzerland
29/05/1986 ERC ADAC Rallye Hessen (M. Surer / M. Wyder) DNF (#1)
Destroyed in the Schottenring stage crash that claimed Michel Wyder’s life
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
