The other option is a bespoke motorsport-derived 2.1-litre four-pot that weighs less than 85kg and features uprated internals such as a billet crankshaft, more advanced fuel injection and a titanium exhaust system. All this helps the engine spit out 296bhp and rev all the way to 10,000rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed, dogleg manual gearbox.
Front-rear weight distribution is 55:45, we’re told, and the car’s target weight is 800kg – close to a third of that of the new Ford Capri. The Mk1 RS’s suspension system consists of MacPherson front struts, and an all-new lightweight, aluminium and titanium fully floating rear axle with coil-over dampers. There’s also an ATB (Automatic Torque Biasing) limited-slip differential.
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Stopping power is provided by four-piston brake calipers and 260mm vented discs up front, and two-piston calipers with 264mm solid discs at the rear. Those are wrapped in bespoke 15-inch wheels, which pay homage to those on the original Escort, and are eight inches wide at the rear. A set of forged magnesium rims is available too.
Boreham Motorworks laser-scanned original blueprints and used digital modelling to accurately reproduce the Escort’s bodywork. But it has taken things to the next level with enhanced structural bracing and improved torsional rigidity of the car’s all-steel body, while the bonnet, bootlid and other elements are made from carbon fibre.
Some more modern elements have been weaved into the design, such as the LED headlights which are inspired by how lights used to be taped over for racing, as a nod to the Escort’s motorsport heritage. Meanwhile, the interior features a blend of Alcantara, leather and anodised components, a gorgeous deep-dish three-spoke steering wheel and lots of analogue dials, with just a small infotainment display in the centre console.
The firm is promising customers OEM-quality finish and quality, which you’d hope for considering the Ford Escort Mk1 RS comes with a price tag of £295,000, and a two-year/20,000-mile warranty. Potential customers will get to see the car properly next summer, and production is slated to begin shortly after.
If you don’t manage to secure a Mk1 RS, Boreham Motorworks has already teased a similar reincarnation of the Ford RS200, a Group B rally car that was also produced in tiny numbers for road use.
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