RS200, behind the scenes
Discussion
s m said:
storminnorman said:
AAGR said:
the ronin said:
Me old ride...
12v3pot said:
Why didn't you like it - how did it drive, and where was it lacking?
If you're just saying "meh" on its looks, rather dated spec and your limited budget (mine, too, BTW), then you can do the same for Stratos, SWB Quattro, 037, Lotus Cortina, etc. The prices of all of these reflect their rarity* and their place in racing history. These are no mass-produced R8 (to pluck a current £100k example out of the air).
* yet another example, where something that was hard to sell when new eventually ends up being worth the investment
The car just does little for me. If I had that kind of budget I'd much rather have a Delta, Cosworth Escort and Quattro UR.If you're just saying "meh" on its looks, rather dated spec and your limited budget (mine, too, BTW), then you can do the same for Stratos, SWB Quattro, 037, Lotus Cortina, etc. The prices of all of these reflect their rarity* and their place in racing history. These are no mass-produced R8 (to pluck a current £100k example out of the air).
* yet another example, where something that was hard to sell when new eventually ends up being worth the investment
To all those people who think £100k is too much for a piece of automotive history, the likes of which will never be seen again - in our 'Nanny-State', oh so P.C., think about the children, crazy grey World of boredom, WTF are you doing on PH?
I know I have a personal interest in the RS200 specifically, but how can a true petrol-head not appreciate the no-limits, balls out, approach to going as fast as is humanly possible, on a surface with no grip?
Some of the technology in this car is pretty cutting-edge even today - let alone in 1983 when it was developed!!!!
Can't find it now, but I have a picture somewhere, of the engine on the dyno - with the exhausts glowing WHITE hot
That presented a few turbo lubrication challenges, I can tell you
I know I have a personal interest in the RS200 specifically, but how can a true petrol-head not appreciate the no-limits, balls out, approach to going as fast as is humanly possible, on a surface with no grip?
Some of the technology in this car is pretty cutting-edge even today - let alone in 1983 when it was developed!!!!
Can't find it now, but I have a picture somewhere, of the engine on the dyno - with the exhausts glowing WHITE hot
That presented a few turbo lubrication challenges, I can tell you 
fttm said:
Small Car said:
Couldn't quite believe the car was fitted with a phone but sure enough the aerial is there. Wow wow wow.
I have a few stories about the RS200, which as a kid I was obsessed with.
A local van hire guy in south Wales had two. One for rallying with, and one for the road. He rallied on the Welsh before they were banned, and ran course car a few other times after. I got to sit In one and it was immense. The road car never saw light of day and was lost I recall, once the guy went bust. He ran JC Van Hire if any of you were / are from the Valleys?
Jeff Churchill ,also used to run some tasty RS1800's on hire . His RS200 was somewhat restricted compared to the Group B cars .I have a few stories about the RS200, which as a kid I was obsessed with.
A local van hire guy in south Wales had two. One for rallying with, and one for the road. He rallied on the Welsh before they were banned, and ran course car a few other times after. I got to sit In one and it was immense. The road car never saw light of day and was lost I recall, once the guy went bust. He ran JC Van Hire if any of you were / are from the Valleys?
Haha , wouldn't forget that guy in a hurry . Those sorts of cars never go AWOL for too long , just have to strip the engine down to discover the real ID , then try finding anyone worth their salt to touch it .
Had it with an Escort BDG stolen from me , took a while but it did resurface
Had it with an Escort BDG stolen from me , took a while but it did resurface
Small Car said:
And an interesting article in this month's Classic and Sports Car about the RS200 development. How it progressed through 1983 once the RS1700T had been dropped. Quite timely with the reemergence of this thread!
thanks for the heads-up... I haven't bought that mag for many years: Will get it now 
Circa 1990, I was working at Ford Tractors, Basildon. We took a development tractor to Boreham for some brake trails work. We were given the end of the West hanger to work in. One lunchtime, having eaten my sandwiches, I went for a walk. There was a door into the other half of the hanger. When I opened it, what a surprise. A row of at least 20 RS200's sat there. Standard cooking ones to all out rally versions. On top of that, there were spare chassis, engines, gearboxes, brakes, suspension bits, and tons of other stuff in crates. There were even the patterns to make new castings. Whilst I was there on tractor trials, on a few odd occasions, one of the RS200 would be brought out, and the cobwebs dusted off. We were told they were being sorted before sale. I presume they all eventually found an owner. Wonder what happened to all the goody bits though.
robinessex said:
Circa 1990, I was working at Ford Tractors, Basildon. We took a development tractor to Boreham for some brake trails work. We were given the end of the West hanger to work in. One lunchtime, having eaten my sandwiches, I went for a walk. There was a door into the other half of the hanger. When I opened it, what a surprise. A row of at least 20 RS200's sat there. Standard cooking ones to all out rally versions. On top of that, there were spare chassis, engines, gearboxes, brakes, suspension bits, and tons of other stuff in crates. There were even the patterns to make new castings. Whilst I was there on tractor trials, on a few odd occasions, one of the RS200 would be brought out, and the cobwebs dusted off. We were told they were being sorted before sale. I presume they all eventually found an owner. Wonder what happened to all the goody bits though.
I was there in early 1988 when there was a lot more there. I got several laps of the test track in one as well with Bob Howe driving.
k-ink said:
Ronin, was the RS200 the fastest car you ever owned? In acceleration terms anyway...
To be totally honest I've never timed any car I've owned. My Butt dyno puts the Lotus RS211 side by side with the Ford RS200E.The RS200E was a monster coming out of the corners with so much torque steer to deal with while the RS211 is just a slingshot out of the corners and just flies into the next...
There is nothing I have ever driven that can compare to these two.... I would have probably killed myself by now if I still owned the RS200E.
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