The drivers

Tony Pond

Nissan · MG Metro 6R4 · 1945–2002

Photo: Carlomarzetti via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Britain’s fastest rally driver of the late 1970s and 1980s gave the MG Metro 6R4 a podium on its debut, and was one of the leading British championship drivers of his generation.

Grouve Sport documentary

Episode 5 — The British Challengers: MG Metro 6R4 & Ford RS200

The British challengers: MG Metro 6R4 and Ford RS200.

Before Group B

Tony Pond (23 November 1945 – 7 February 2002) came up through British club rallying in Mini Coopers and Ford Escorts, drove for the Dealer Opel Team and became one of the leading British championship drivers of the 1970s. The photo shows him with David Richards, later the founder of Prodrive.

Nissan and Austin Rover

In 1982 he was fourth on the Safari Rally in a Nissan Violet GTS with Terry Harryman, and in 1983 sixth in Corsica in a Nissan 240RS. He then became the lead development driver for the MG Metro 6R4:

• 1985 RAC Rally – third on the car’s world championship debut, with Rob Arthur.
• 1986 RAC Rally – sixth.

Britain’s fast man: a podium on the Metro 6R4’s debut.

European and national championships

Pond and Rob Arthur won the 1986 Manx International Rally, a round of the British and European championships, with David Llewellin’s MG Metro 6R4 second. See the British championship.

Career in the Group B years

World Rally Championship podiums of the driver, year by year (1982–1986). win 2nd 3rd

1982

0wins

0 podiums

1983

0wins

0 podiums

1984

0wins

0 podiums

1985

0wins

1 podium

1986

0wins

0 podiums

0 WRC wins · 1 podium finishes, 1982–1986

Further resources

• 6R4.net: Tony Pond on the 6R4 EN · archive
  Tony Pond's own view of driving the 6R4.
• Motor Sport: Tony Pond, the man who put the Metro 6R4 on a WRC podium EN · article · subscription
  Profile of Tony Pond and his third place on the 1985 RAC Rally.

All Group B resources →

More from Drivers

Kalle GrundelFrom Golf GTI giant-killer to the RS200 podium and a German title.Read more →Jimmy McRaeFive British titles, an RAC podium and the founder of a rallying dynasty.Read more →Malcolm WilsonAudi quattro privateer, works Metro 6R4 driver and later founder of M-Sport.Read more →Lars-Erik TorphTwo second places in three starts in 1986: Toyota's young Swede in the final Group B season.Read more →Bruno SabyFrench champion with Renault, winner of the tragic 1986 Tour de Corse for Peugeot.Read more →Jean RagnottiRenault's asphalt ace: Tour de Corse winner in 1982 and on the Maxi Turbo's debut in 1985.Read more →

Sources

1. Wikipedia (EN), Tony Pond — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Pond
2. Wikipedia (EN), MG Metro 6R4 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Metro_6R4
3. Jonkka's World Rally Archive (juwra.com), results and entry lists 1982–1986 — https://www.juwra.com/

All text is original writing for Grouve Sports Management Group, based on the sources above. Facts checked on 21 October 2026.

Thumbnail photos on this page: Calreyn88 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Brendan Mullan from Glasgow, Scotland (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0); Carlo Marzetti (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0); Rutger van der Maar (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0); Y.Leclercq (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); estoril (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0).