Our favorite Canadian automotive journalist (Sorry to the rest you, eh?) is Brendan McAleer. His photos are lovely, and his works more so. His latest assignment appears on the virtual pages of Road and/or Track, and it’s a look back at Ford and the various machines that have been granted the RS badge.
To really learn more about the Blue Oval’s history with those two letters, McAleer drives both the new Focus RS and a 1986 Sierra RS Cosworth.
Head on over to Road & Track to see how this all shakes out… and yes we stole that top photo from Brendan and his R&T piece.
Looking back at the RS badge on the back of a Ford
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Nice article from Brendan even if he did misspell Bathurst.
The Escort RS Cosworth is particularly notable because it has a longitudinal engine instead of the base car’s transverse fwd layout. A lot of work for the homologation! They basically put the Sierra/Sapphire running gear under the Escort body.
A point of trivia is the only 4-door RS car was the RS2000 sedan built in Australia from 1979-80 (alongside the 2-door).-
Aside from the four door Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth, of course.
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I heard a pretty funny story about a guy who bought a used Sapphire Cosworth back in the day. The guy selling actually had two Sierra Cosworths for sale, a three door and a sapphire. The three door was slightly more expensive, and he couldn’t figure out why the seller wanted even more for it as it was an older car, so he plumped for the Sapphire, thinking the seller was nut’s and he’d got the better value car.
I guess it’s the sort of thing that’d happen before you could just easily look up everything on the internet, but it was only later he realized he’d just past on the chance to own a genuine RS500.
He’s still kicking himself.. -
D’oh!
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http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/uploads/cars/ford/6016481.jpg
http://charmansnew.mojom.co.uk/admin/uploads/1407419109P2.jpg
I always liked the looks of the X-Pack and the way it left room for much wider wheels. A friend of mine still races his X-Pack equipped Capri (unfortunately not an original RS Capri)
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=42623&d=1269204551&thumb=1
http://www.turbosport.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=42624&d=1269204590&thumb=1
http://car-from-uk.com/ebay/carphotos/full/ebay896367.jpg
http://files.capri.pl/garage/ford-x-pack.jpg
http://i430.photobucket.com/albums/qq29/abcarpix/P7070074.jpg-
I think the box flares suit the Mk2 Escort better because it is also boxier.
I am torn on what looks best on the Mk1, I’m in two minds about bubble/forest arches versus something that is less traditional but less, well “bubbly”
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Hey, that’s the Mount Seymour! If you drive too fast there, the park rangers may give you a talking to … or call the Police.
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I can’t be the only one to spot the mistake of the MK2 Escort pic when talking about the RS1600,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Ford_Escort_RS1600_-_Race_Retro_2008_03.jpg-
You weren’t.
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I didn’t because I was reading text-only. Strange given he referenced the quite different looking F&F movie car.
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Please tell me that there was a Ka RS, please.
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No but there were Capris, the UK(RHD) RS 3100 and the German/Euro (LHD) RS 2600
http://www.jdclassics.co.uk/images/stock/f4%20-%205_6646.jpg
http://www.autogaleria.hu/autok/ford/capri-rs2600-1970-74/ford_capri-rs2600-1970-74_r2.jpg -
That would have been amazing, the hottest Ka was the SportKa, an insurance friendly “warm” hatch, still good fun though. http://images.car.bauercdn.com/upload/8473/images/1040×585/1fordsportkaf34.jpg?mode=pad
I was at a track day today where someone had taken a Ka lobbed in a 120bhp or so 1.7 Ford Puma engine and stripped any weight out of it (lots of “speed holes”) and it was an incredibly effective little thing, that platform really is great, I had a 1.25 Fiesta Zetec as a beater based off the same platform and it was more fun than a shopping car has a right to be.
It also shared its platform with the Ford Puma, a small coupe, sort of like a MK2 Honda CRX in size, and there was an extreme version of this wider track, bespoke body panels, etc. It didn’t sell in huge numbers as it was so expensive compared to a regular Puma, but it was a very special car, as distant from the basic one as any RS, but it doesn’t count as one as it was built by Tickford.
http://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_slide/public/ford-321212338302191600x1060_0.jpg?itok=26kp_cyI-
Not to forget the Streetka convertible. I’m not sure on the performance of that version, but it does have its attraction!
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*Kylie not shown to scale.
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Hmm I did wonder about that, she is pretty small
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The RS200 referred in that article was also a parts bin special.
Spot the Sierra doors(cut down),with glass and winders,windscreen,windscreen valence and tail lights.And some sundry mechanical parts.
Waste not want not.
http://roa.h-cdn.co/assets/16/04/768×504/gallery-1454253879-ford-rs200-1984-pictures-1.jpg
http://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/plugins/PostviaEmail/images/1986_Ford_RS200_Evolution_For_Sale_in_USA_Rear_resize.jpg-
Quite a lot of Fiesta switchgear, too. Just for added class.
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It wasn’t meant to look pretty. Perhaps the Fiesta stuff was lighter!
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Good introduction; but no need for the ‘lock-stock’ mock cockney: The fast Fords were pure Essex; developed at Dunton but spiritually at home (when not on a rally stage) cruising the esplanade at Southend. They had a brilliant mix of pure performance with an utter lack of pretention: they were halo cars that just made sense whether your daily drive was a Porsche or the school bus.
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