If you’re reading this, chances are you already know why you love the Mk II Ford Escort—you know, the ultra-fun rally legend Mk II. Now, you might have a whole new reason to love it, because two UK firms are teaming up to build an all-new reproduction version that will likely cost you less than what you can find on Craigslist.
Great British Sports Cars and Motorsport Tools have joined together for the express purpose of reviving the iconic car, Piston Heads reports. Here’s more from their article:
The is being billed as a Group 4 rally car; one tested to IVA requirements so it can be registered for road use. How far along are they? Well, Gwynedd-based MT has already built a rolling chassis, which now sits in GBS’s Nottingham workshop awaiting its powertrain – a Ford-supplied 2.5-litre Duratec engine with ATR billet throttle bodies that will drive through a Mazda six-speed manual gearbox.
MT’s Carwyn Ellis told Piston Heads that their new Mk II will put out over 200 hpand will be standard-fitted with roll cages and rally-ready Atlas axles, so you’ll feel like a badass the moment you step inside. In addition, it’ll have AP brake calipers—plus, an option for carpets so you won’t annoy all your neighbors driving it down the road.
It sounds like a damn incredible project—and the fact that things are already in motion means we’ll likely see a finished project sooner rather than later.
Interested buyers will have to bookmark the project for now, though. It’s not coming out for a while:
The prototype is at least six months away from completion, meaning the two British firms won’t be taking orders until next year. Prices are expected to start at around £60,000, which looks like a bargain to us when you consider that rebuilt originals have gone for 20 per cent more than that in recent years. Of course, you can find ready-to-rally originals for a lot less – but a new-build MT/GBS car ought to offer incomparable modern usability.
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I have to say, it’s a pretty awesome deal for car fans, like, everywhere. The Mk II is one of those cars that I’ve lusted after since I was a kid, but watching the prices creep up through the years before I’ve had the chance to invest in one has been painful. This might just finally be my chance.
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