This new Ford Escort Mk1 revs to 10,000rpm and costs £295k
Boreham Motorworks will create 150 ‘blueprint-accurate’ Escorts from scratch, and has Ford’s blessing
The iconic Mk1 Ford Escort has been remastered by British outfit Boreham Motorworks using motorsport know-how, modern technology and a bespoke four-cylinder engine that spits out 325bhp and revs to an astounding 10,000rpm.
Almost every classic car is getting the restomod treatment these days, with highlights including Singer’s take on the Porsche 911, and the bonkers TWR Supercat. A company called Analogue Automotive has even created a radical new Lotus Elise S1 that weighs just 600kg and has a central driving position.
However, Boreham Motorworks calls its Mk1 RS a “Continumod”, because each of the 150 “blueprint-accurate” examples it will produce is to be built completely from scratch, rather than based on a donor car, and have an approved continuation chassis number from Ford itself.
County Durham-based Boreham Motorworks says it’s “dedicated to preserving and enhancing the legacy of some of Ford’s most iconic vehicles”. It adds: “This is the ultimate evolution of the Mk1 and its RS lineage, a machine crafted for driving enthusiasts.”
There’s no power steering, ABS or traction control, and not an electric motor in sight, either. The Escort Mk1 RS is offered with two pure-petrol engines, the first being a reimagining of Ford’s Twin-Cam four-cylinder unit with fuel injection and expanded to 1.8 litres. It produces 182bhp, can rev to 9,000rpm and comes paired with a four-speed, straight-cut manual gearbox.
The other option is the ‘Boreham TEN-K’ – a bespoke motorsport-derived 2.1-litre four-cylinder engine that weighs just 85kg. It features individual throttle bodies, lightweight internals such as a billet crankshaft, dry sump lubrication and a 16-valve head that uses F1-inspired port geometry to optimise gas flow and power delivery.
All of this helps the engine spit out 325bhp and rev all the way to 10,000rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a five-speed, dog-leg manual gearbox, while the engine’s presumably glorious sound will resonate through a titanium exhaust system.
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.
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 the car’s all-steel body has improved torsional rigidity, while the bonnet, bootlid and other elements are made from carbon fibre.
Some more modern elements have been woven into the design, such as the LED headlights, which are inspired by the way 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. A two-year/20,000-mile warranty is included and potential customers will see the car properly next summer, with production 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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