Ultimate Ford Escort RS model collection released

Welcome to the latest edition of Corgi Die-cast Diaries, your regular blog review of all the news, updates and topical stories from the captivating world of Corgi die-cast model collecting.

When it comes to our popular Vanguards range, it goes without saying that hundreds of previous model releases now reside in collections right across the world, each example coming in its distinctive packaging, with unique model release code and usually coming complete with its own collector certificate. Throughout the 27 year history of the brand, every now and then, beautifully presented multi-model collector's sets have also graced the range, adding that little something different to the Vanguards collector experience, where the presentation of these sets is almost as important as the models it protects. As new model tooling projects continue to enhance the range, so the ability to introduce new and interesting collection sets presents itself, each one extremely desirable and irresistibly collectable.

In this latest edition of Die-cast Diaries, we proudly showcase a recent addition to the Vanguards model range, one which carries the title of the 'Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection' and is something just that little bit special in the world of 1/43rd scale die-cast model car collecting and a high profile addition to the current Corgi range. In addition to looking at the story of Ford's popular Rallye Sports range and how it influenced both motorsport and the world of popular motoring, we will be bringing you an exclusive selection of product imagery featuring both presentation packaging and models, before looking a little more closely at the details behind each vehicle represented in this fabulous new five model set.

Please join us as we spend a little time with a collection of feisty Fords and some docile family cars which were turned into motorsport inspired performance monsters, all for our driving pleasure. It's lights out for our 'Ultimate' Ford Escort RS Collection.

Ordinary cars given extraordinary motorsport pedigree

Commemorated in scale, this new five model collector's set looks at the success of the Ford Escort RS range over the years.

When it comes to the world of popular British motoring, the name Ford may represent a truly historic American industrial success story, but it would also go on to have influence right across the world of transportation, particularly here in the UK. Since the arrival of the very first Ford Model A in the country back in 1903, the Ford badge has come to represent high quality, affordable motoring for the masses, as they produced an ever expanding range of cars over the years which found favour with generations of motorists, with many models going on to become best-sellers.

Amongst the many famous model types which graced the Ford range over the past 70 years or so, the Ford Escort range has to be considered amongst their most successful, and even arguably the most successful model to ever wear the Ford badge. First appearing back in 1967, the Escort quite literally allowed British families to get motoring, a reliable motor car which featured the latest technological innovations the industry had to offer. For this reason, the Escort could be considered the vehicle model which touched the lives of more people in the UK than the majority of others.

A new Ford small family car which, as already mentioned, was unleashed on an unsuspecting motoring world in 1967, the Escort must have delighted Ford executives in the months following its launch, as it really did seem as if everyone in Britain wanted to get behind the wheel of one of these appealing new cars. This desirability factor would only be enhanced further following the success of the Ford works team in various rally sports competitions and the subsequent release of such exciting new Escort variants as the RS 1600 and 2000 models, introducing the British public to the concept of the attainable 'Hot Hatch'.

The success of the original Mk.I Escort was further enhanced following the release of the updated Mk.II variant in January 1975, a design which was something of a collaboration between Ford UK and Ford Germany. The bodywork facelift gave the new Escort a more angular, purposeful appearance than its predecessor, with the car already occupying an extremely lucrative position in the European marketplace.

Although the base L and slightly higher spec GL models in both two and four door options would continue to be the bread and butter cars for overall Ford sales numbers, the sporty RS Mexico and RS 2000 models clearly highlighted the fact that this car possessed genuine motorsport credentials, even if your particular Escort was much more conservative in its appearance, a link the Ford marketeers were ruthless in exploiting at every available opportunity. 

At that time, it seemed as if hardly a week went by without the sight of a racing Escort taking the chequered flag at some rally/motorsport event or other on TV screens or in the newspapers and as such, who wouldn't want to own a car model which possessed such racing pedigree? Even though the vast majority of Escorts on Britain’s roads were what you would expect a popular small family car to look and perform like, everyone who saw them knew that beneath that plain exterior, there was a rally sport beast just waiting to be unleashed!

A release of this magnitude is deserving of high-quality packaging presentation, which is exactly what this new set can boast.

As the motoring world now knows, the Escort would go on to be a resounding success for Ford and over the course of its 33 year production run, would result in the manufacture of approximately 4.1 million vehicles in six distinctly different variants, produced for the British, European and world motoring markets. On several occasions during that time period, the Escort had the distinction of being Britain’s best-selling car, a fact which serves an indicator as to why the Escort has also made such an effective transition into the world of scale diecast model collectables.

As for Ford's RS vehicle branding, for around 40 years, the European subsidiary of the Ford company had been taking the everyday cars the continent had been driving, transforming them into high performance beasts. Effectively operating free from the tight constraints which bound the mainstream manufacturing sector, like something of a Frankenstein's laboratory, these cars benefitted from the addition of components and technologies which were intended to eke out every last drop of power possible, with the intention of taking on the motorsport world by storm. 

The letters RS stand for Rallye Sport in Ford parlance and initially came into existence as the company looked to match a move by Opel to introduce sportier and more capable models into their range. Ford Germany did introduce several models in response to this challenge, however, it is generally accepted that the 1970 launch of the Ford Escort RS1600 heralded the beginning of the Ford RS story as we know it.

Ford targeted rally motorsport for this project as it offered easy access for the general public and was already a popular sport with the masses. The fact that it pitted motorsport prepared derivatives of the cars found in showrooms the length and breadth of Britain against each other was another huge incentive and as they soon found out, success in motorsport would lead to greater sale activity on the forecourt. There was an old saying at the time that if a car wins on Sunday, it sells on Monday and as far as Ford's RS range was concerned, sportier models brought increased profitability for the company.

New set commemorates RS Escorts through the years

As Vanguards collectors are only too aware, model releases featuring Ford subjects are always incredibly popular, probably by virtue of the fact that more of us either owned, or would have loved to have owned a real version of the subject model produced, but also just because they are just so attractive. This latest set gathers five different presentations of the Escort together from across its production lifespan, each one in RS guise and each one in a different colour. A limited edition release of just 1300 pieces, the models are presented in bespoke, high quality packaging, which gives this set a truly luxurious appeal and something collectors will no doubt cherish for many years to come.

As for the models themselves, although this has been produced as a unique five model set, each one has been produced under its own individual chronological VA model number and is supplied complete with separate collector card. Obviously, if you so wished, you could display your models separately as part of a wider Escort collection, although this is unlikely due to the unique nature of this presentation collection. The inside of the box lid includes a fascinating historic overview of the Ford RS story, and an introduction to a set which makes for a fine die-cast tribute to some of the Escorts which proudly wore the badge.

Let's take a closer look at the introduction and individual model descriptions now.

Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection

The Ford Escort dominated both sales charts and motorsport podiums throughout its 34-year production life. This collection celebrates that success and showcases one iconic sporting incarnation of each generation.  

From the moment Ford motorsport mechanic Bill Mead spotted a prototype being tested at Ford’s Boreham facility one morning in early 1967, the Escort was destined for motorsport immortality. He turned to Ford’s Competition Manager, Henry Taylor, and said ‘Blimey one of those things would go with twin-cam in it!’. They looked at each other and both instantly realised the potential. Shortly after, Ford Product Planner, Bob Howe, managed to ‘borrow’ a plastic mock–up bodyshell so Mead and colleagues could secretly trial-fit Lotus-Cortina running gear into it before hurriedly returning it, empty and undamaged. With the concept proven, Ford PR supremo Walter Hayes got busy and project J25, the Escort Twin-Cam, officially commenced. Roger Clark and Jim Porter took its first victory, the Circuit of Ireland Rally in April 1968, a further 29 International and British Rally Championship wins would follow. 

Victories came on track as well, with drivers such as Frank Gardner and Barry Lee bolstering Ford’s ‘Total Performance’ image. The Advanced Vehicle Engineering factory in Okenden, Essex, was created to manufacture RS Escorts and from November 1970 produced the Cosworth BDA engined RS1600, the ultimate Mk1 Escort; thus, an example is included here. Almost 1.1 million Mk1 Escorts were manufactured before it was crisply restyled for 1975 to create the Mk2. Project ‘Brenda’, as it was known internally, was produced until 1980 and dominated both the sales charts and motorsport podiums as successfully as its predecessor. Ari Vatanen and David Richards’ overall victory in the 1981 World Rally Championship (WRC) in a Mk2 RS1800 was the icing on the cake, however a Mk2 RS2000, in a fashionably bright colour, is surely the era’s most iconic, aspirational sports saloon and is included here.

Ford totally re-invented the Escort in 1980 with project ‘Erica’, which used all-new front-wheel-drive running gear in an elegantly styled hatchback body. The hot hatch XR3i variant was fun to drive but required no sacrifices in comfort, practicality or economy and sold in huge numbers as a result. Rallying had become the preserve of purpose-built four-wheel drive Group B supercars in the early eighties though, so Ford built an Escort-based car for Group A racing, which allowed less modification. The RS1600i was based on the XR3i but was sprinkled with genius by Mike Kranefuss and his team in Cologne and proved a global race winner which is why an example represents the Mk3 in this set. Ford followed the ‘Turbo’ zeitgeist, launching the Mk3-based Escort RS Turbo in 1984. 

When the Mk3 was heavily revised to become the Mk4 in 1986, the RS Turbo was made into a more mainstream model, retaining its amazing pace but improving its practicality which is why a Mk4 RS Turbo is included here. Rallying’s legislators stepped back from the outrageous Group B supercars and by 1992 Ford found themselves contesting the WRC with the fabulous, but over-sized, 4-door Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4. Ford Competition Department Manager Stuart Turner told his engineers they needed the Cosworth 4x4 running gear under the smaller Escort bodyshell. They scoffed, told him it was impossible, then did it anyway, and the outrageous bi-winged Escort RS Cosworth was the result. As a road car it became an instant classic, lauded by Jeremy Clarkson and others, on the rally stage it achieved its aim, scoring nine WRC wins in the hands of legends such as Carlos Sainz; a fitting finale for the RS Escort.

Now, onto the individual model releases themselves, in Mark order:

RS00003/VA09531 - Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection, Ford Escort MkI RS1600
Electric Monza Blue.

The RS1600 was the ultimate Mk1 Escort and, between 1971 and 1974, only 1154 were produced, mostly at Ford's Advanced Vehicle Operations plant (AVO) in Essex. Cosworth’s clever, purpose-built BDA (Belt Drive type A) was originally based on the 1600cc ‘Kent’ block used in the Cortina GT but utilized a 16-valve alloy cylinder head and twin belt-driven cams to produce 120bhp in standard form. In February 1972, the Brian Hart-developed alloy cylinder block BDA was introduced, which meant that the engine could be enlarged to just below 2-litres in capacity. This made the Escort RS1600 an even more formidable force in the hands of rally legends such as Roger Clark and Hannu Mikkola. 

Like so many RS Escorts, the example modelled here was extensively rallied for some years before, in the early 2000s, being rebuilt around a genuine Type 49 Ford replacement service bodyshell in its original colour. In 2008 it was purchased by Hampshire-based enthusiast Kevin Curtis who decided to take the car to the next level and restore it to concours-winning original specification. This involved an enormous amount of detailed work, making sure every aspect was absolutely flawless and as it left the factory. The car was hailed as the most perfect RS 1600s in existence and won a plethora of concours victories at Ford RS Owners Club events as well as overall victory in the National Motor Museum Beaulieu’s 2012 Concours event.

RS00003/VA14905 - Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection, Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 Signal Orange.

The Mk2 Escort RS2000 modelled here has been owned since 2019 by Suffolk-based enthusiast Paul Orriss. He’d wanted one since childhood, after seeing Barry Lee win the National Hot Rod World Championship, the coveted ‘Gold Roof’, at his local oval racing circuit, Foxhall Stadium, Ipswich in both 1977 and 1978. Lee’s famous Burton-Powered RS2000-look National Hot Rods always carried the number 351 and he was the man to beat in a sport dominated by Mk2 Escorts in the late seventies and early eighties. Paul saw this car on eBay and was interested because he’d always wanted one in orange, so contacted local restoration company Bridge Classic Cars (BCC) to see if they could help. 

BCC went to see the car in Chorley, Lancashire, in August 2019 and bought it on Paul’s behalf because it was mechanically and structurally sound. It had covered 112,000 miles but had been well looked after and fitted with a Type-9 5-speed gearbox with RS short shift kit, a desirable upgrade. Once Paul had seen it, he and BCC decided to address the issues needed to make it a truly excellent example. BCC retrimmed the seats using the original materials and carried out a windows-out respray in the original colour with the bonnet, boot, nosecone and doors removed to be painted separately. They also did a full mechanical refresh. Paul was thrilled with the finished car and enjoys using it at every opportunity.

RS00003/VA11019 - Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection, Ford Escort Mk3 RS1600i Black.

The RS1600i modelled here has been owned by its current custodian, Yorkshire-based Stuart Perry, since July 17th 1990. Stuart is a long-time fast Ford enthusiast and RS1600i Registrar for The Ford RS Owners Club. It had covered 22,000 miles when he purchased it from the then well-known independent Ford RS Specialists Mike Youngs in Ilford, Essex. He has covered over 18,000 miles since but maintained the car’s very original, unrestored condition and features. This includes the haphazardly applied small spots of blue paint, used at the Saarlouis plant in Germany where the car was built, to confirm the bolt heads had been torqued down to the correct setting before the car was dispatched.

Stuart bought the car with little knowledge of its early history but met the first owner by chance after parking it outside a Vauxhall garage in York. London-based Cos Makrakis had purchased the car new in March 1983 when owner of independent Rolls-Royce and Bentley specialists CD Carriage Limited, Oslo Court, London. He’d recognised it because of the beautiful wooden trim components he’d made for the radio surround and ashtray. A year later, in the summer of 1995, Stuart accepted his invitation to visit his workshop. On arrival Cos took him to the back of the building where the car’s original spare key had been hanging on a hook for nearly ten years, checked it fitted the car, and presented it to him.

RS00003/VA14306 - Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection, Ford Escort Mk4 RS Turbo - Diamond White.

The Series 2 RS Turbo, based on the Mk4 Escort, was launched in 1986 and was produced at Ford’s Saarlouis plant in Germany. The example modelled here was first registered by Ford main dealers Invicta Motors, Canterbury, Kent, on January 4th 1989 and was initially owned by the garage’s Service Manager. Consequently, it featured most of the optional extras Ford offered for the RS Turbo. The second owner, local enthusiast Carol Coomber, was given the car as a birthday present by husband Greg in March 1992, after the couple had seen it advertised by Invicta Motors. It was very low mileage and in perfect condition, having been looked after meticulously by the company.

A white RS Turbo may have been the ultimate status symbol of the late eighties but it was also a serious performance machine developed by Essex-based Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE). The SVE team’s aim was to develop a competitive racing machine that was also practical enough for Ford to sell at least 5,000 examples of in order to homologate it for Group A motorsport. The resulting RS Turbo was Ford’s first production turbocharged car and the first production front-wheel drive car to use a viscous-coupling limited-slip differential, which tamed the power. It was more commercially successful than anticipated and 8,064 examples were produced. The Series 2 offered improved civility and was even more successful, with 22,108 being manufactured for the UK market alone.

RS00003/VA14804 - Ultimate Ford Escort RS Collection, Ford Escort RS Cosworth Luxury - Radiant Red.

The Escort RS Cosworth modelled here was supplied by Ford RS dealers Mogil Motors of Stirling, Scotland, on August 5th, 1995, to first owner Stuart Cassells who ordered the car in Radiant Red, one of nine colours Ford offered at this time. He kept this late model second generation small turbo example until 2020, looked after it meticulously and covered only 33,000 miles. Nottinghamshire-based dealers Parkway Specialist Cars offered it for sale in 2020 having collected it from Scotland and local fast Ford enthusiast Trevor Stokes snapped it up when he realised what a good example it was. He plans to keep it and use it for classic car events and shows.

The Escort RS Cosworth was a combination of shortened Sierra floor pan and radically altered Escort bodyshell so production inside Ford was ruled out as being too complex. All of the 7,145 produced were therefore manufactured by trusted coachbuilders Karmann of Osnabruck, North Germany, between April 27th, 1992 and January 12th, 1996. Three specifications were offered to keep the process relatively simple, Roadsport (aimed at motorsport customers and fitted with a removable fuel pump access panel), Standard and Luxury. This car was ordered in Luxury specification meaning it was equipped with a sunroof, electric front windows, Recaro seats trimmed in Raven Leather, body-coloured mirrors and door handles, rear seat arm and headrests, and an RDS radio/cassette, although the CD player it has was an optional extra.

This stunning addition to the current Corgi range is available now and is a fine tribute to the motorsport heritage of one of Britain's best loved range of cars.

Don't forget to download

Just before we end this latest update, could we please just take this opportunity to remind readers to download their digital copy of the latest September to December 2023 catalogue, if they have yet to do so. As we are all collectors at heart, the many Corgi catalogues produced over the years are just as important to us as the models they feature, be that as a simple aide-memoire, or as a historic record of the Corgi brand itself. Although not a printed copy, the digital version is a modern and extremely versatile way in which to keep track of various Corgi ranges, accessible to anyone with access to a computer or smart device and displayed in all its glory.

With printed media now rapidly declining in popularity, even the fact that we are all probably guilty of being a little resistant to change is not holding back the popularity of our digital catalogue and with each successive release, several hundred more downloads are logged through our website, so we know many people are now collecting them. More convenient to store and allowing those of us with less than perfect eyesight the ability to zoom in just that little bit more, we wanted to save our readers the need to go searching for the download link by including it here once more, but to also ensure you pick up your copy before it's relaced by the January to April 2024 edition. As we all know, the next few months tend to get a little hectic and we'd hate for you to forget.

If you get a couple of spare minutes this weekend, please do make sure you have your edition of the latest digital Corgi catalogue safely filed away on your computer.

That's all we have for you in this latest edition, however, we will be back as usual in two weeks' time, with a further selection of model project updates to bring you. Between editions, we are always interested to hear your views on all things Corgi, so if you feel like dropping us a line to comment on anything blog, collecting or Corgi model related, or even to suggest a topic you might like to see us cover in a future edition, please do drop us a line at diecastdiaries@corgi.co.uk.

If you can’t wait for the next blog, you will find plenty of Corgi model collecting discussions taking place on our official social media channels, access to which can be obtained by clicking on the respective links at the foot of the Corgi website homepage. 

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Thank you for continuing to support our Die-cast Diaries blog. Our next edition is scheduled for publication on Friday 6th October.

The Corgi Team