FORD

In terms of its “R”performance heritage Ford has three distinct personalities. One is that of the traditional Detroit automaker: stuffing big V-8s into rear-drive sedans and coupes in order to go fast in a straight line. Another spawned from Ford’s German and British divisions and followed European trends favoring superior-handling compact cars with rev-happy small-displacement motors, and finally a series of Mustangs that shared aspects of both. As it happens, Ford developed an R-themed series of performance models for each: The R-Code cars for the domestic market, the “Rallye Sport” (RS) Fords built in Europe, and the R model Shelby and Cobra Mustangs—all at virtually the same time!

1965-66, 2016-PRESENT SHELBY GT350R

The 36 GT350Rs that Carroll Shelby built in 1965 are the reason all other Shelby Mustangs even exist. The more prolific road cars homologated the GT350 for SCCA B-production competition, and thanks to stripped-out interiors, Plexiglas windows and the removal of bumpers and exhaust systems they weighed just 2550 pounds. With a Shelby-tuned 289 making well over 300hp, it easily took the B-production championship three consecutive years (1965-67). Fifty years later the name would be revived with a modern Mustang that channeled the spirit of the race-bred original.

1963 ½ -66 GALAXIE R-CODE

Ford’s very first R-Code arrived mid-year 1963 when a new 425hp 427 became the top engine option in the full-size Galaxie. Ford built 200 special versions with lightweight bodies using fiberglass hoods and front fenders, and aluminum bumpers. Ford built 50 more lightweights for ’64 with a new “high-riser” manifold that necessitated the now famous teardrop bulge in the hood (’63 hoods are flat.) The Galaxie was redesigned for ’65 and the lightweights discontinued, but a little over 400 came with R-code 427s in the final two years of R-code availability, making it a collector favorite as well as a fearsome performer.

1966-67 FAIRLANE R-CODE

The 57 R-code Fairlanes built mid-year 1966 weren’t the first offered with a 427. That distinction goes to the ’64 Thunderbolt, but those race engines were not R-codes. The ’66-67 cars were Rs—perfectly streetlegal and relatively unmodified, aside from special lift-off fiberglass hoods. Production rose slightly to 92 for 1967, but the R-code Fairlane remains one of the rarest Ford muscle cars.

1968 ½ -70 MUSTANG R-CODE

In the late ’60s Ford had big-block schizophrenia: 427-, 428-, and 429ci engines were offered concurrently across multiple platforms. To make things even more confusing, an “R” code was assigned to completely different engines depending on the model and year! An R appeared on a Mustang VIN for the first time midway through 1968 and indicated something special: the drag-strip terror known as the 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air. With a functional cold air shaker hood scoop, big-valve heads and a solid-lifter cam adding high-rpm breathing to the 428’s killer low-end torque, the R-code was the quickest classic Mustang down the ¼-mile.

1970-74 ESCORT RS1600

The British-built Mark I Escort is the car most people think of when discussing classic RS Fords. With its Cosworth-developed 1.6L inline-4 making 115hp in a car that weighed barely 1600 pounds, it was a force in international rally competition, winning the RAC Rally—the British leg of the World Rally Championship—three consecutive years from ’72-’74. It returned to prominence in recent years by starring in the

1993, 1995, 2000 MUSTANG COBRA R

The three Cobra Rs were track-prepped versions of the Special Vehicle Team (SVT) Mustang Cobra. The ’93 Cobra was the last-hurrah for the Fox-body 5.0 Mustang, but 107 of them received Koni racing shocks, bigger brakes, and a competition cooling system. The 1995 model was more extensively modified, adding the 5.8L V-8 out of the SVT Lightning muscle truck to take the horsepower up from 240 to 300. Of course, even that pales compared to the wild 2000 Cobra R. A deep front air dam and giant rear wing are the obvious visual changes. Huge brakes, rock-hard track suspension, a 6-speed transmission, and an exclusive DOHC 5.4L V-8 making 385hp cackling through factory-installed sidepipes hide within. 20 years later it remains one of the greatest performance

Mustangs ever!

2016-18 FOCUS RS

Europe has enjoyed an RS version of the Focus hot hatch since 2002 when it succeeded the last Escort RS, but it wasn’t until 2016 that its turbo 2.3L inline-4 is put AWD system and suspension tuning that allows neutral slip

R-code Mustangs like this '69 Mach I featured a torquey 428 Cobra Jet with functional ram-air through a shaker hood scoop. [Photos courtesy of Ford Media Center] In Diecast: With so many different R and RS Fords many manufacturers have produced at least one. Some notable brands include: Auto World, Greenlight, Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning, and Matchbox (1:64); AUTOart, Greenlight, IXO, Minichamps, Norev, Solido, Starter and TSM (1:43); Bburago, Maisto, M2 Machines, New Ray (1:24), ACME, AUTOart, Auto World,GT Spirit, Minichamps,New Ray,Shelby Collectibles, and Welly (1:18).

Auto World digs deep into muscle car minutiae with its Premium 1:64 series, even producing several colors of R-code 1964 Galaxie Lightweights. ACME now owns the lovely Exact Detail ’65-66 Shelby tooling, and has produced several good GT350Rs, most recently this signed edition of Charlie Kemp’s B-production no. 23.

GMP made this sinister black ’67 Fairlane XL street car with a beautifully detailed R-code 427, and they make several Super Stock race versions as well.

Greenlight makes F&F Escorts in several scales, but we much prefer the Minichamps 1:18 version with opening panels and great engine detail.

Years ago GMP made a nice ’93 R. No one has yet done a proper ’95 model, but AUTOart and Maisto both did the 2000 R shortly after its release. This is Maisto’s, which remains one of the company’s nicest 1:18 efforts.

Several companies make R-code Mustangs but our go-to in 1:18 is Auto World. They make a ’69 version as well as this ’68.

OttOmobile's 1:18 model depicts Ford's ultimate hot-hatch Focus RS with appropriate ferocity.