Prodrive is responsible for an incredible range of racers, based on models as diverse as the first Porsche 911 SC RS to Aston Martin Vantage GT cars. Some have won races; others titles, like rally cars in the hands of Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Petter Solberg. There have been world championships for sports cars and Le Mans-class racers based on Ferraris.

Racing car builder Prodrive has announced a mouth-watering scheme to keep its past heroes on the road. The company behind the iconic ‘555’ classic Impreza that won the World Rally Championship, along with – astonishingly – 1100 other heritage-rich racers, has confirmed a ‘Legends’ programme to restore and rejuvenate the cars with total authenticity.

Most of these were sooner or later sold on by the race teams who own them as they clear space for new, updated models, but their second and third custodians are increasingly looking to keep them and keep them in competitive shape for historic rallies and the like.

More than 700 Subaru rally cars, almost 40 BMW E30 M3s and nearly 230 Aston Martins based on DB9s and Vantages are among the number that Prodrive will now offer full support for through the Legends programme.

All work related to these cars takes place at the firm’s headquarters in Banbury, clearly visible next to the M40 motorway. Prodrive will cover chassis, engine, transmission and bodyshell work to bring the proud old beasts back to their best. Only Prodrive-built vehicles qualify.