The golden era of analogue motorsport isn’t dead; it just requires a serious bank balance to access. In a phenomenal win for rusted-on blue oval purists, the legendary Ford Escort Mk1 has been resurrected from the history books as a brand-new, ground-up production car.
Built by British engineering firm Boreham Motorworks under an official license from Ford, the new Escort RS is classified as a ‘continumod’ rather than a traditional restoration. It is the first brand-new road-going Mk1 to be built in over half a century. Utilising a digitally recreated body shell engineered with modern bracing and widened arches, the stripped-out coupe weighs a scant 895kg.
The headline act sits beneath the bonnet. Buyers can option a bespoke 2.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine dubbed the ‘Ten-K’. Weighing just 85kg and spinning to a screaming 10,000rpm redline, it punches out 243kW and 210Nm.
Power is sent strictly to the rear wheels via a five-speed dog-leg manual gearbox and an automatic torque-biasing limited-slip differential. A secondary engine option is a fuel-injected 1.8-litre rework of the storied Twin Cam block producing 136kW. It’s available alongside a straight-cut four-speed manual.
Dynamically, the Escort RS is unapologetically brutal. It completely omits power steering, anti-lock brakes, and traction control to preserve the raw feedback of the original 1970s icon. The suspension has been comprehensively upgraded with coilovers, while a bespoke aluminium and titanium rear axle helps anchor the rear end to the tarmac.
Aesthetically, former Jaguar SVR design chief Wayne Burgess has modernised the shell, removing the chrome bumpers and adding LED headlights that cleverly mimic the cross-shaped tape used on period rally cars.
Production is strictly capped at 150 units, available in both right- and left-hand drive. The privilege of owning one starts at £295,000 (roughly AU$565,000) before local taxes are applied.
