Mad About Cars

By 1980, the Ford Escort, although a huge sales success and hit on the rally circuit, was still vary similar to the car originally produced in 1967. During the 1970s rivals such as General Motors had caught up, with new models such as the Vauxhall Astra, along with the Volkswagen Golf being much more modern and refined than the Escort.

With this in mind, Ford launched the Mark 3 version of the Escort in autumn 1980, with the car being an all new, high-tech model, radically different from the preceding two versions of the car. The most radical change was the switch to front wheel drive, bringing the car into line with its modern new rivals. At the same time, a hatchback version of the car was introduced for the first time, with the car featuring new, streamlined, minimalist styling with a sharp boot lid stump known as the ‘Aeroback’, designed to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency.

The front wheel drive car did not match its original counterpart in terms of its handing, with many within the press criticizing the car’s ride, which was seen as been very harsh and unforgiving, especially on bumpy country roads.

Despite this, the Escort had built a solid reputation with the public during the 1970s, and the car continued as a huge seller, especially in the UK.

The Mark 3 also saw the introduction of the XR3, a ‘hot hatch’ designed to compete with rivals such as the Peugeot 205 GTi and Volkswagen Golf GTi. The car captured the imagination of the British public, and offered good levels of power and performance at relatively low cost. The car was seen as one of the cars of choice of ‘boy racers’ during the 1980s, and Ford produced another performance model, the RS Turbo in 1985, which is now a rare, desirable collector’s car

In 1975, Ford looked to improve its original version of the Escort, having first launched the car in 1967. Unlike the original car which was purely a British effort, Ford designed and produced the car in both its British and German operations, with the German section of Ford being at the forefront of the marque’s production during the 1970s.

With the Mark 1 being such a success, 1975’s Mark 2 version retained many features of the original, retaining its rear wheel drive layout, with very few changes to the styling of the car, although it was modernised becoming more ‘boxy’ with a square front grille replacing the now dated ‘Coke bottle’ design.

The revisions were timely as the car proved once again to be a huge sales hit, being one of the UK’s most popular cars. Escorts of this period were often used in hit TV series of the time such as Minder, and The Professionals, all of which helped to boost the car’s image, and its popularity as a classic car in years to come.

The Mark 2 was once again a huge success in rallying, with cars such as the RS1800 continuing Ford’s success on the rally circuits, including five straight victories in the RAC Rally between 1975 and 1979.

Following on from the car’s rallying success, many sports models of the Mark 2 were introduced, including the Mexico, RS1800 and RS2000, with its iconic plastic front end incorporating dual round headlights.

Like the Mark 1, the car’s age means that the car has become increasingly rare over the years, with many cars having rusted away or been banger raced into oblivion over the years. However surviving models are desirable collector’s cars, and whilst some of the more mundane models remain as affordable classics, some of the sports versions of the Mark 2 have become increasingly desirable, with pristine models changing hands for as much as £10,000. In addition to this, the car’s relatively cheap running costs and rear-wheel drive mean that it remains a popular rally car to this day.

In Western Europe, few cars in the history of motoring are as widely known as the Ford Escort. The car was first introduced in 1967 and was produced for over 30 years, with production ceasing in the UK in 2000, following the launch of the Focus.

The first version of the car, the Mark 1, was produced in 1967, and was developed as an all-new replacement for the Anglia. The car was initially developed in the UK, and was later sold in many European countries as Ford looked to expand its European operations. Like many cars of its day, the Mark 1 was rear wheel drive, and the car featured either a four speed manual gearbox, or three speed automatic transmission. The car was initially sold as a three door saloon, although was later sold in four door and estate versions.

One of the most iconic features of the car was its front end, with a curvy ‘Coke bottle’ styled front grille.

The Mark 1 was to become a huge sales hit during its run from 1967 to 1975. The car comfortably outsold its rivals in the UK, and was a sales hit in Western Europe, although rivals cars such as Opel’s Kadett were still popular.

The Mark 1 earned a fearsome reputation in the motorsport world, and has gone down as one of the most successful rally cars in the history of the sport. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Ford’s reputation in world rallying was cemented by the Escort, as the company became known as one of the world’s leading rallying teams.

Classic Ford cars have started to become increasingly desirable in recent years, as the Mark 1 becomes rarer, prices have increased, with some of the rarer performance models of the original Escort now worth over £5,000.

In the early to mid 1980s, Group B rallying was one of the most exciting, yet dangerous periods in rallying’s history. The era saw manufacturers such as Audi, Peugeot and Lancia create some of the most beautiful looking (and sounding) cars in the history of rallying. Ford, a company who already had a sound reputation in rallying, aimed to get in on the act in 1986 with the famous RS200 model, but tragedy meant the car’s rallying career would be short lived.
Ford’s project to create a car to compete in Group B began in 1984, with Ford creating an all new vehicle, styled by the company’s famous ‘Ghia’ design studio, and featuring a lightweight fibreglass body. Power came from a 1.8 turbocharged Ford Cosworth engine, with the car developing horsepower between 250hp in road-going trim, up to 450hp in racing specification. Production was completed by the Reliant car company, who had considerable experience in building fibreglass cars. In all, 200 cars were built, enough for the car to be homologated for Group B rallying competition.
Ford had high hopes for the 1986 season, as the car competed against its Group B rivals for the first time. The team to beat was Lancia, with drivers Henri Toivonen, Miki Biasion and Markku Alen campaigning the Lancia Delta S4.
Sadly, tragedy was to strike in the second round of the series in Portugal. Portuguese champion Joaquim Santos, driving over the crest of a hill, was distracted by spectators stood in the road and lost control of his RS200, plunging into the crowd in a terrifying accident that left three spectators dead.
The tragedy was to continue later in the year in the ‘Tour de Corse’ held in Corsica. Toivonen, the series leader, flew off the road whilst leading the event and crashed into a ravine. The impact blew the Lancia up, and the talented young Finn was to die along with his American co-driver Sergio Cresto. These accidents, coupled with other he accidents, lead the FIA to ban Group B cars for 1987, rendering the RS200 obsolete for rally competition.
Despite this, the car was to enjoy a successful career in the all-action sport of rallycross. Unsold RS200s were sold by Ford as private road cars and today the car has a cult following amongst performance car enthusiasts, with many cars active on the rallycross scene to this day, along with a small, but cherished group of road cars that are cherished by the owners and admired by performance car fans.