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Saturday, 5th July 2008

www.iow-rsoc.co.uk

The RS Cars

In 1968, Ford introduced its first-ever RS-badged car, the Escort RS1600. To the right is a timeline (past to present) from when the RS badged Fords came into production along with a photo, short description of each model and other important events that occurred for RS and Ford.

If you would like to know more on this subject you can carry on reading here .

Other RS Fords produced not included in the timeline were.

January 1968

Ford Introduced a new Escort range, which included the Escort Twin-Cam - This was the start of the roots of RS (Rallye Sport). The 110bhp Lotus-powered Escort Twin Cam was conceived and developed by Ford's Boreham based competitions department during 1967 and unleashed on an unsuspecting public during January 1968. It went on to achieve many international race and rally victories during its short production life. Continue reading ..

January 1970

Introduction of the new Escort RS 1600, Twin-Cam still in production - 1970 was a very important year for the Ford Motor Company of GB. This was the year in which the Ford Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO), and the Ford Rallye Sport (RS) dealer network were setup: AVO to build performance versions of the Ford range of cars and manufacture tuning equipment. The Rallye Sport dealer network to merchandise the AVO products to the public. 1970 was also the year of the Daily Mirror World Cup Rally - won by Hannu Mikkola driving a Ford Escort. In fact Escort took not only 1st but 3rd, 5th, 6th positions. Continue reading ..

March 1970

Production of 50 lightweight Capri RS2600 (plastikbombe) - The production approval for the first RS Capri the Capri RS2600 was received by FAVO at South Okendon in Oct 1969 by March 1970 a car had been completed in readiness for the Geneva Motor Show albeit with a mock up injection system, the next group of 50 cars built for Homologation purposes at the Niehl Plant were all lightweight models these cars did not have fuel injection but they did have the long throw crankshaft to give them over 2.6 litres as required for competition. Continue reading...

April 1970

production of lightweight's completed

September 1970

First production of the Capri RS2600 was produced at Niehl

November 1970

Introduction of Escort RS Mexico, assembly at new AVO factory at South Ockendon, Essex - The cars that won the World Cup Rally were RS1600's fitted with 1860 pushrod engines (X-flows) instead of the BDA unit. The reason behind this was the pushrod engine was built to be bullet proof and was Ideal for a long distance event. With the success of the World Cup Rally gave us the MEXICO road car. Continue reading...

Spring 1971

End of Twin-Cam production

October 1971

Major changes to the Capri RS2600

Autumn 1972

Escort RS1600 engines now had aluminium cylinder blocks. Facelift Capri RS2600 introduced.

July 1973

Introduction of the Escort RS2000 (LHD version) - The Escort RS2000 was the last car to be introduced to the AVO production range. The car fitted nicely into the AVO range with its performance almost comparable to the complex RS1600, but with the reliability and ease of maintenance as the Mexico. The original name for the car was to be the "Puma", but it was decided to keep with the RS tradition and so it was re-named the RS2000. Continue Reading...

October 1973

Introduction of RHD RS2000 began

November 1973

250 Capri RS 3100's produced at Halewood - September 1973 FAVO received approval to build the second RS Capri, the Capri RS 3100 was to be built at Halewood. A total of 250 cars were built there during November 1973. These cars featured many of the parts used on the last RS2600 ie. - Brakes, suspension (although the spacer/ lowering block was in a different position on the RS3100 raising the ride height at the rear), wheels and front spoiler. Continue reading...

December 1974

Assembly of MK1 Escort ended, AVO factory closure announced. End of Capri RS2600 production

January 1975

Preview of Escort RS1800 - This is Fords most successful rally car ever, almost 25 years after it launch this car is still capable of winning Clubman & international rallies today, although in a much different spec. The RS1800 was in production from March 1975 to September 1977. The press cars and the very early road cars were British built using the same body shell as the Escort Sport. These early cars from March 1975 to December 1975 will have the chassis number starting BBAT. Continue reading

March 1975

Preveiw of RS2000

January 1976

Official launch of MKII RS2000 - the RS2000 was based on the two door MKII Escort. It used a 2 litre in-line four SOHC engine mounted longitudinally in the bay. The gearbox was bolted to the rear of the engine. Power was then fed to the diff by a prop shaft then onto the rear wheels. A single twin venturi 32/36 DGAV Weber carb was fitted with the option of a Group 1 dual Weber 40 DCNF or IDF. Twin 45 DCOE's could be fitted but the battery had to be relocated. Continue reading...

Autumn 1977

End of production of RS1800

September 1977

End of MKII RS Mexico assembly, RS2000 revised into 'Base' & 'Custom' models

July 1980

End of all rear wheel-drive Escorts

October 1980

Design of RS1700T begins at Boreham - In 1980, following the launch of the MKIII Escort, Ford plans were started to produce a rear wheel drive Escort to replace the MK II Works rally cars, the RS1700T, with a full programme expected in 1983. As all Ford rally enthusiasts will know, the development was hindered by all kinds of problems, and ultimately the project in the UK was cancelled. Continue reading...

Summer 1981

Capri RS 2.8 Turbo production started - actually known as the Capri RS Zaxspeed Turbo featured a COLOGNE V6 engine which pumped out 188bhp at 5,500 rpm and a max torque of 2061bs.ft at 4,500 rpm. The Zaxspeed Turbo sat on Ford AVO four spokes alloys 7.5in X l3inch, Tyres: 235/60VR13. Continue reading...

September 1981

Preview of RS1600i, LHD cars on sale shortly after. Escort RS1600i was the first RS Escort since 1980. Ford planned to build only 5000 for homologation requirements, but it sold so well that 8659 cars were made (2600 sold in the uk). RS1600i engine had great tuning potential, and Group A racing Escorts produced over 160hp. Continue reading...

September 1982

Capri RS 2.8 Turbo ceased 200 units built

October 1982

RHD RS1600I, for sale in UK

March 1983

RS1700T cancelled

Summer 1983

End of RS1600i

October 1984

Preview of Series I RS Turbo, On sale at the end of year. The Ford Escort RS Turbo is based on the 3-door Ford Escort Saloon and was supplied in a Diamond White body colour only, except for a very few one offs.The RS Turbo is given a distinctive sporty appearance by body coloured front grill, bumpers and aerodynamic aids; the deep front spoiler contours are continued around the car by front and rear wheel arch spoilers and interconnecting door sill extensions. Continue reading...

November 1985

End of Series I RS Turbo

July 1986

Announchment of Series II RS Turbo. Based on the success of the previous model known as the Series 1 the later RS Turbo was more suited to the road where the S1 was a pure homologation car for group A racing & rallying. Many new features were adopted on the newly styled car. Most components are common with the XR3i from the same period, not many standard examples survive today due to the boy racing image the cars attracted in the 90's. Continue reading...

Summer 1990

End of production of Escort RS Turbo

September 1990

Preview of next generation RS2000 & Escort RS Cosworth

November 1991

RS2000 on sale. Ford had big plans for this to be worthy successor to the Mk1 & Mk2 Escorts. Ford launched the RS 2000 into it's own one make motorsport series. The events covered rally stages & race circuits around the UK. But lack of commitment from Ford brought the Series to a close after 2 years of running. It was proven over time that the RS2000's all new I4 engine was a hard package to tune, works cars had engines developed by Mountune Race engines in Essex, UK. The RS2000 had a very chequered career but did win a few rally events in Ireland & Isle of Man. Continue read.

May 1992

Escort RS Cosworth on sale. The Escort Cosworth was based on the outgoing Sierra Cosworth floor pan, although this Escorts basic shape looks the same as the every day Mk5 Escort the rear 1/4's were built to be a little longer. This made the mating of the shell to the floor a little easier. Later a limited edition was available named 'Monte Carlo', these were produced in a new range of colours and included Oz styled wheels as used on the WRC cars, a new cloth trim with Monte embroidered in the seats and various other items exclusive to the Monte. Continue reading...