Mk1 Ford Escort is back from the dead

The Mk1 Ford Escort has been resurrected by a British engineering firm with the full backing of the Blue Oval and permission to use the original ‘Ford Escort’ nameplate.

As opposed to being an expensive resto-mod based around the original chassis, the Boreham Motorworks Ford Escort is built on an all-new platform and uses new body panels and parts – Ford has even issued new chassis numbers for the continuation run of models.

Better still, the reborn Escort isn’t any old wheezy L body, but the full-fat RS version that were originally built by Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations division for motorsport.

Ensuring the new run of cars are an exacting match, the Coventry-based firm digitally scanned and recreated an original Escort RS.

The chassis was then reengineered for extra stiffness to improve handling, with extra bracing and wider rear arches added.

The 2025 Escort gets a fresh rear axle made of aluminium and titanium with new rear dampers that have been switched from a canted angle to an optimum vertical position.

Two engines will be available, both based on the original’s competition-spec twin-cam engine.

Upsizing the old engine from 1558cc to 1845cc, the old twin Weber carburettors have been ditched and replaced by fuel injection, helping the base engine produce 135kW compared to the original 78kW.

This powerplant is paired to a four-speed close-ratio manual transmission, however there’s been no word on how quick it is.

The bigger and gutsier 2.1-litre version meantime gets forged steel conrods and a billet crankshaft to scream out 221kW on its way to a 10,000rpm rev-limiter, harnessed by a five-speed dog-leg ‘box.

To keep the driving experience authentic, the reborn Escort does without any driver aids like power steering, but it does get a limited-slip differential for more controllable oversteer.

Externally, there’s new LED headlights that mimic the cross-shaped tape that used to be applied to racers to stop the headlamps shattering while racing.

Inside the cabin you’ll find a six-dial Alcantara-wrapped dash that features two air vents on top.

Look closer and you might spot the new climate control dials, fresh switchgear and small Apple CarPlay interface.

According to Boreham, production will begin in Q3 of 2025, with just 150 set to be built, all of which will have a starting price of £295,000 ($A588,000).

The firm has also announced it will recreate the wild mid-engine Ford RS200.

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