Ford resurrects Mk1 Escort RS for limited-edition restomod costing nearly £300,000
It has a longer warranty than the original ever did
When is a restomod not a restomod? When it’s a “continumod”. That portmanteau has been coined by Boreham Motorworks to describe its recreation of the classic Ford Escort Mk1 RS.
Why continumod? Because it’s not merely a case of taking an old car and fitting it with new bits and pieces to make it faster and more drivable in the modern world. Oh no, this old-for-new Escort might be made by Boreham Motorworks but it has been given the official Ford Motor Company blessing, and the cars will carry proper Ford chassis numbers.
This renewed Escort is, then, less like a Singer 911 and more like the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato “Continuation” cars, where it’s more like the original production line has just been restarted, using new components.
Only 150 of these cars will be built, and all are based on the original Escort Mk1 RS2000, complete with the famous “Dog Bone” grille at the front which is now made from machined aluminium billet.
That’s indicative of the care and attention to detail lavished on the rest of the Boreham Escort. The cars have been built using both laser scans of original cars, and the original blueprints, while the team at Boreham have designed new jigs and templates to ensure that the bodywork is put together with modern-day attention to quality and panel gaps.
Whereas the original Escort was drafted with pen and paper, this continumod has been designed with comluter aided design and lasers.
Where suitable, the Boreham engineers have also found ways of improving and evolving the original design, under the skin at least, to bring some of the Escort Mk1’s dynamics up to date, but — so it is claimed — without diluting the appeal of the original.
The Escort’s weight has been kept down to a target of just 800kg, and that in spite of the more modern bits and pieces going on under the skin. To reach that target, the bonnet, boot and wings are all made from carbon fibre, and the wheels are made from forged magnesium.
While the minimalist interior is true to the silhouette of the original Escort, there have been some serious improvements, not least in the materials used — Alcantara and leather instead of plastic and vinyl — and in what’s going on behind the dash. So, while the original round air vents are present and correct, behind them there’s now an air conditioning system, to go with the heated screens and deep sports seats. There’s even a diddy touchscreen which runs Apple CarPlay.
While the Escort comes with a standard three-point seatbelt, you can spec it with a four-point harness, and for safety’s sake there’s a built-in rally-style rollcage, complete with removable door bars, and you can even have storage space for crash helmets.
Boreham Motorworks might have been staying true to the original Escort shape and styling, but it still brought in the expertise of former Jaguar and Aston Martin designer Wayne Burgess to carefully update the look of the Mk1 RS2000. Burgess took away the original chrome quarter-bumpers and indicators to ensure a sleeker, more race-car-style look, while he has also neatly integrated modern LED lighting.
“From the very beginning, our goal was to honour the simplicity and purity of the original design, while ensuring it met the expectations of a modern performance car. Every detail, from the minimalism of the exterior to the thoughtful functionality inside, is about distilling the essence of what made the Mk1 so special. It’s about creating a car that not only looks back at its heritage but also drives forward into a new era of ‘Peak Analogue’ performance,” said Burgess.
Of course, as with the original Escort RS2000, what really counts is what’s under the bonnet. There will be a choice of two engines, and the first is based on the legendary Lotus-tuned “Twin Cam” unit. Originally a 1.6-litre engine, the capacity has now been increased to 1,845cc and it has been given fuel injection. That means it now develops 183bhp (compared to the 106bhp of the original) and it drives the rear wheels (of course) through a manual four-speed Ford “Bullet” gearbox.
If you want more modern performance than that, Boreham Motorworks will also offer a 2.1-litre Ford four-cylinder engine, tweaked up to a massive 295bhp with a screaming 10,000rpm redline. To handle this extreme performance there’s a beefed up drivetrain and a motorsport-spec wiring loom, with advanced fuel injection, all controlled by modern computers.
This engine is mated with a five-speed gearbox, with first out on a dogleg pattern, and there’s a titanium sports exhaust.
The cars will be available in left-hand drive or right-hand drive and will have a new aluminium and titanium “floating” rear axle, a limited-slip differential and coil-over suspension, and it sits on bespoke 15in wheels.
However, Boreham is as proud, so it says, of what this updated Escort doesn’t have — it has no power steering, no anti-lock brakes, no traction control and no brake servo. All has been engineered to provide the most immediate and unfiltered driving experience. It’s basically been designed to drift and skid as much as you like.
The 150 buyers will have to fork out at least £295,000 for the privilege of owning one of these Escorts, though, with the first cars set to be built late next year.
They will come with a two-year warranty, up to 20,000 miles, which is more than an original Escort ever came with.
Iain Muir, CEO of Boreham Motorworks said: “Recreating the Ford Escort Mk1 RS for a new generation is not just about building a car; it’s about honouring a legacy that has inspired driving enthusiasts for over half a century.
“At Boreham Motorworks, we’ve committed ourselves to not only staying true to the essence of the original, but also to bringing it into the modern age with cutting-edge engineering, precision design and unparalleled craftsmanship.
“Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that every aspect of this car, from its dynamics to its structure, its meticulously engineered to deliver the purest driving experience possible.”
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