Ford RS200 and Mk1 Escort resurrected

Boreham Motorworks has been given the green light to push ahead with plans to reproduce road-legal versions of the legendary Ford RS200 and Mk1 Escort, with both cars officially sanctioned by the Ford Motor Co.

Part of UK-based DRVN Automotive Group, Boreham Motorworks says the licensing agreement it has with Ford will allow it to “produce and remaster” both cars, with the latter expected to herald a retromod version.

Boreham says it will reveal a “remastered” take on the Ford RS200 later this year to coincide with the lightweight turbocharged all-wheel drive Group B rally car’s 40th anniversary.

Teasing a picture of the car it plans to unwrap, it’s clear the reborn RS200 will feature brighter LED lamps.

Built from entirely new parts, the continuation RS200 is expected to be both modernised and upgraded, but should keep its composite body, four-wheel drive and mid-mounted turbo engine.

Boreham says the reborn RS200 will remain a “peak analogue driving experience”, suggesting it will still replicate the fearsome rally car for the road drive.

First built back in 1984, the Ford RS200 was created to rival other Group B cars like the Audi Quattro and Peugeot 205 T16.

Power came from a Ford Cosworth BDT 1.8-litre four-cylinder producing 186kW in road trim but up to 336kW when rallying.

At least 200 road cars were produced before the Group B was banned, following a crash involving an RS200 that killed three spectators.

As well as the retromod RS200, Boreham has also been given permission to build a run of “blueprint-accurate” continuation versions of Mark 1 Ford Escort that was built from 1967 to 1975.

Instead of focusing on the base-spec Escort, which came with a wheezy 1100cc four-pot, Boreham will produce Escorts that are competition-ready.

Built to original spec with continuation VIN numbers, the resurrected Escort will feature the Group-spec bubble arches, the trick multi-link rear suspension and the full 150kW 1.6-litre Formula 2 Ford VFA Twin Cam 16-valve.

A similar-spec Escort competed and won the 1968 British Saloon Car Championship with Australian racing legend Frank Gardner behind the wheel.

As well as the RS200 and Escort Mk1, at least five further iconic Ford vehicles will follow, says Boreham, with the Lotus Cortina, Escort Mk2, Capri, GT40 and Sierra Cosworth all prime candidates for remanufacture.

The British outfit has yet to announce build numbers, but says production will be in “very limited numbers”.

“From the first time we met with Boreham Motorworks and the DRVN team, it was clear that they had an exciting vision for how to bring some of our most iconic historical nameplates to life for the modern era”, said Ford Performance boss Will Ford.

“It will be exciting to see this relationship flourish and to see how Boreham Motorworks brings the vision to life at a time when there is so much passion from enthusiasts for great experiences.”

No pricing has been released for any of the new continuation models.

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