VA09532 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam, Ermine White (Ford Press Car)

The Twin-Cam modelled XTW 368F is presented as it was when photographed for the Escort’s launch publicity images wearing a GT40-inspired low-level-stripe and Rostyle wheels, neither of which were featured on production cars. To generate interest in the new car, Ford’s PR supremo, Walter Hayes, shipped a fleet of Escorts to Morocco in early 1968 and invited journalists to drive over a 700-mile route. 

This car was the only Twin-Cam and Autosport’s founding editor, Gregor Grant, was so impressed he placed it on the cover of the January 19th 1968 issue. The magazine featured a report of the Moroccan adventure in which Grant said he was, ‘Impressed by the liveliness of this power-packed little projectile’. XTW 368F, one of the most important early Twin-Cams, was built at Boreham in autumn 1967 using a 1300GT (Type 48) bodyshell. It was the fourth Twin-Cam constructed, although it was rolled in testing and then rebuilt around a new bodyshell in December 1967. 

After its launch PR duties, it was prepared for the Escort’s competition debut, a rallycross event at Croft on February 3rd, 1968, where Tony Chappell took it to victory. Ford then used it for bodyshell strength testing resulting in some spectacular pictures of it flying over bumps. It was gifted by Ford to the driver who’d done most of the testing, Barry Lee, who campaigned it in Rallycross in 1968/9 and then rebuilt it as his first National Hot Rod.