Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2
The Ford Escort RS1800 stands as one of the most successful and revered rally cars in World Rally Championship history. Built by Ford's Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) at Aveley in Essex, the RS1800 was a purpose-built homologation special designed to provide the basis for Ford's World Rally Championship campaign in the late 1970s.
At the heart of the RS1800 was the legendary Cosworth BDA (Belt Drive A-type) engine. This 1,835cc twin-cam four-cylinder was derived from the Lotus-Ford twin-cam but featured a belt-driven overhead camshaft arrangement rather than the original's chain drive. In road-going trim, the BDA produced approximately 115 horsepower, but in full rally specification the engine could be tuned to produce over 270 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful naturally aspirated rally engines of its generation.
Ford built the minimum required number of road cars, approximately 109 units, to satisfy the FIA's homologation requirements for Group 4 competition. These road cars were essentially hand-built by AVO technicians and featured numerous competition-oriented features that set them apart from the standard Escort range. The bodyshell was reinforced with additional spot welds and seam welding, the suspension featured fully adjustable components, and four-wheel disc brakes provided stopping power far beyond what any standard Escort offered.
In competition, the Escort RS1800 was devastatingly effective. With drivers like Bjorn Waldegard, Hannu Mikkola, Ari Vatanen, and Roger Clark behind the wheel, the RS1800 won the World Rally Championship manufacturers' title in 1979 and countless individual rallies throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s. The car's light weight, responsive engine, and rear-wheel-drive handling balance made it supremely effective on both tarmac and loose-surface events.
The RS1800 represented the pinnacle of rear-wheel-drive rally car technology. Its success prompted rival manufacturers to develop more powerful turbocharged and four-wheel-drive alternatives, ultimately leading to the Group B era. But until those cars arrived, the RS1800 was the benchmark against which all rally cars were measured.
The road-going RS1800 was a challenging car to drive in everyday conditions. The BDA engine required regular maintenance and was happiest when revved hard. The close-ratio gearbox had stiff, precise shifts that demanded a firm hand. The suspension was firm to the point of being uncomfortable on rough roads. But for those who appreciated the car's competition-bred character, there was nothing else quite like it.
Today, the Escort RS1800 is among the most valuable and sought-after Ford vehicles ever produced. With only 109 road cars built, genuine examples rarely appear for sale. The car's rally heritage, combined with its extreme rarity and the Cosworth BDA engine's legendary status, have elevated the RS1800 to the highest echelon of collectible performance Fords.
Genuine RS1800s are extremely rare and provenance is critical. Verify against the known chassis number list maintained by the RS Owners Club. Many standard Escorts have been converted to RS1800 specification using period BDA engines. Check for correct AVO-specific bodyshell reinforcement, unique BDA engine stampings, and correct ZF gearbox. Competition history cars command the highest prices. Be wary of cars claimed to be ex-works rally cars without comprehensive documentation.
Only approximately 109 road-going RS1800s were built by Ford AVO at Aveley, Essex, to satisfy FIA Group 4 homologation requirements. Each car was essentially hand-built. The Cosworth BDA engines were assembled at Cosworth's Northampton facility. Production ran from 1975 to approximately 1977 for road cars, though rally versions continued in competition through the early 1980s.