SHORT TIMELINE OF THE OLD-SCHOOL FORD ESCORTS
FORD ESCORT MK1 RS1600
After the Ford Cortinas’ motorsports success, Ford wanted to build something smaller that could rival the Austin Mini. Thus, the Ford Escort came into production in late 1967, with body variants like two and four-door sedans and two-door estate cars. Ford offered a few sporty editions, such as a 1.6-litre Lotus-Ford Twin Cam (or double-over head cam head design), including a 1.6-1.7-litre Cosworth engine with the 1.6 producing 86kW and 152Nm. One of the well-known versions would be the Mexico, for its racing heritage, but it was detuned and available with a 63kW 1.6-litre engine.
FORD ESCORT MK2
In late 1975 the Mk2 launched in SA as a 1300L (with 42kW) and 1600 GL (52kW), housed by a two or four-door sedan. The differences between the L and the GL were the square lights, back-up lights and body side mouldings on the GL. Both variants had a strong Kent block crossflow motor (Ford Kent engines are cast-iron internal combustion engines from Ford in Europe).
Back in the 1980s the car sold at a retail price of R4 995.
FORD ESCORT MK2 RS2000
These were the 2-litre 85kW varient of the MK2 Escort range. The RS2000 (RS standing for rally sport) came in a two-door sedan globally, but Australia had both a two-door and their unique four-door version. To spot an RS you would have to look out for the slanted nose, with its grill integrated with four headlights.
Today these cars can easily sell for high prices – above R50 000, with some coming in at R120 000 if kept original.
FORD ESCORT MK3 RS1600i
This generation was available in South Africa from 1981 with a 1.3 and 1.6-litre engine. Unfortunately the RS1600i as shown above was not sold on our shores. The South African versions had slight differences from the European ones, due to the local parts content regulations.
In SA the Escort name fell away as these were renamed as the XR3 and later on, the XR3i.
Transition into the Focus
The Escorts reportedly sold over 18 million models abroad during its run from 1968 to 2002. After the fourth and fifth generations of the escorts had concluded their life span, Ford updated the brand under a new badge called Focus. These came in both sedan and hatchback and are well known for their sporty ST and RS models powered by Volvo engines.