A LEGENDARY fast Ford will be reborn 40 years after it was discontinued, with more iconic models to follow soon.
The revived model will enjoy a limited production run this year, with a British firm having received backing from the American manufacturer to build it.
Boreham Motorworks has been given a licence by Ford to “produce and remaster” one of the most beloved cars of all time.
They will reveal the reimagined motor later this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the model, which was only originally produced between 1984 and 1986.
Like many sporty Ford at that time, the RS200 was only produced to allow the company to enter one into touring car competitions.
The sport’s regulations required at least 200 of the model to roll out of the factory to qualify for a place in the championship.
They were actually built by Reliant, famed for the Robin three-wheeler and Del Boy’s van in Only Fools and Horses.
Only the minimum of 200 were ever made, making the RS200 a serious collector’s piece.
The juiced-up, inline-four engine gave the car a 118mph top speed and a 0-60mph time of 3.8 seconds, which was pretty swift for its day.
Today, they start at around £70,000 while the super-limited edition S model has been estimated at up to £350,000 at auction.
However, a “remastered” version of the car is now set to go into production, again in a highly restricted run.
Boreham has said it is looking to provide a “peak analogue driving experience”, implying that much of the design will remain as it was four decades ago.
Preview images show the car covered in a blue cloth, but you can make out a unique, diagonal four-headlamp facade.
And the shape of the car looks remarkably similar to original RS200 motorsport fans know and love, with the upward-flicked rear end and air intake on the roof.
A second variant has been properly unveiled in full rally spec.
Snaps show the car in the original white, with a bank of powerful headlights strapped to the front and stocky, rally-style bumpers.
It will also be released alongside an as-yet-unrevealed revival of the MkI Escort, expected to be seen later this year.
But that’s not all, as Boreham told Autocar that “at least five further iconic Ford vehicles” will follow the RS200 in “very limited numbers”.
These will include a “blueprint-accurate” version of the iconic MkII Escort, with other legendary models like the Capri and Sierra Cosworth rumoured to be lined up.
Will Ford, general manager of Ford’s Performance motorsport division, added: “From the first time we met with Boreham Motorworks and the DRVN team, it was clear that they had an exciting vision for how to bring some of our most iconic historical nameplates to life for the modern era.
“It will be exciting to see this relationship flourish and to see how Boreham Motorworks brings the vision to life at a time when there is so much passion from enthusiasts for great experiences.”
