THE RACE AND RALLY ICONS WHICH HAVE STARRED GENERATIONS
Ford has been a bedrock of competition and competition cars for more than 100 years and can trace its roots back to motorsport in the USA. And European fans have not been starved of some of the brand’s most inventive and well-loved machines too, and that has prompted us to take a wander down memory lane. It is a highly appropriate time to do it too, with Kelsey Media’s Ford Fair taking place at Silverstone this weekend, where all that is good about the
Blue Oval will be there to be admired. More than 5000 cars will be on display, and it is a great weekend to feed the passion.
Paul Lawrence takes a look at the story of one of the brand’s most iconic competition cars, the Ford Escort. All iterations of the car have taken to the circuit and the rally stages and the Mk2 in particular is the machine that is still the go-to for so many. It isn’t about the brute power, and it isn’t about the styling. It is about the smiles-per-hour that racers can get from the boxy saloon. While it might have been something rather vanilla for the roads, stick a competition motor in it and he becomes an entirely different animal.
We unearth the remarkable story of Andy Rouse’s original Ford Sierra RS500 that has been reborn. National racer Michael Caine had no idea what he had purchased when he collected the sporty tin-top. However, some meticulous preparation and some painstaking research have completed the circle.
Rouse himself is the subject of our readers’ Q&A. The four-time BTCC title winner is known for turning his engineering hand to so many successful products, but it is his liaison with Ford that stands strongest in the memory. He brought Ford into the two-litre era too in a decorated career.
Deputy editor Graham Keilloh checks out the history of another lasting legacy from the Blue Oval, which was Formula Ford. The first race took place in July 1967 and the category is still going strong today. Indeed, the end-of-season showdowns at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone can genuinely claim to be the launchpad for the next generation of race superstars too.
The sportscar arena was also a happy hunting ground for Ford, and David Addison takes a look at the firm’s heritage in the long-distance world, something that led to the creation of the ultimate sportscar, the Ford GT40.
We also need your help too. We have launched another Motul-supported MN poll where we are aiming to unearth your favourite Ford sporting machine from the shortlist we have drawn up. We hope you enjoy our reflections.