Thursday 15th March 2018

Escort Cossie WRC: Time for Coffee?

It's 25 years since the Cosworth made its rally debut; time for a (very fast) trip down memory lane...

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Escort Cosworth. The name might be old now, but the memories and significance of Ford's fastest Escort live on way into the 21st century. It was an exciting road car, it was a successful motorsport car, and it's now a classic asset as well. See this one for sale at £55k for proof of that. Or this one, at £60k. Or this one, at nearly £70k...

This isn't about what Cossies are worth now though, it's about what it achieved as a WRC car. While its debut season in 1993 - yes, a quarter of a century ago - did not result in any titles, Ford did take second in the Manufacturers' Championship and Francois Delecour secured runners-up spot in the drivers' standings. Going without a title during its time as a rally car meant the Escort might not be remembered as a Ford motorsport legend, but that says as much about the exalted standards of the Blue Oval's triumphs as any major failing of the car.

Anyway, this should be a celebration, so here's a video of the Escort Cosworth winning the Tour de Corse in its first season. It's actually a highlights video, featuring both Delecour and teammate Miki Biasion, but it was the Frenchman who triumphed by more than a minute over Didier Auriol in the Celica.

As always he's great value for the victory, getting the #3 Escort bucking, weaving and flaming around the Mediterranean island in spectacular fashion. The livery looks great, the OZ wheels look great, the double headlamps look great... yep, everything about this old WRC car looks pretty great. And we all know proper homologation cars are better. They just are.

So watch and enjoy as the Escort and Delecour romp around Corsica in a small PH anniversary tribute. Should it prompt wistful memories of your own Cosworth experiences, feel free to share them below...

 

[Source:Wikipedia]

[urquattroGus]

Always drooled over these when I was younger, but i seem to remember that they were never as successful as they could/should have been at the time.

I have a signed picture of me aged 11 with Malcolm Wilson and his Blue and Yellow Michelin Pilot Escort Cossie, loved that car and color scheme. Think that colour scheme was actually for national and not WRC rallies though.

[urquattroGus]

I feel quite a lot of nostalgia for the Boreham Rally team, Boreham is just a few miles down the road from where I live.

First knew about it when we went on a school trip to see the police helicopter station, was more interested in the row of RS200's etc parked up near the entrance.

The land is still reportedly owned by Ford Motor Co, they have been trying to get houses on it for a long time.

I've been on that land as I know the farmer, drove part of what is left of the Boreham test track a couple of years ago. Not much left now!

I also donly recall my grandfather talking about going to race events including one Grand Prix there in the 50's.

[urquattroGus]

j4r4lly said:

urquattroGus said:

I feel quite a lot of nostalgia for the Boreham Rally team, Boreham is just a few miles down the road from where I live.

First knew about it when we went on a school trip to see the police helicopter station, was more interested in the row of RS200's etc parked up near the entrance.

The land is still reportedly owned by Ford Motor Co, they have been trying to get houses on it for a long time.

I've been on that land as I know the farmer, drove part of what is left of the Boreham test track a couple of years ago. Not much left now!

I also donly recall my grandfather talking about going to race events including one Grand Prix there in the 50's.

I was there right at the end from 2000 - 2004 when we were building the Puma Super 1600 & Kit Cars. So much history there, the hangar on the airfield (still there & designed by Barnes Wallace of bouncing bomb and Vickers Wellington fame) was like Aladin's cave, full of parts and kit from the previous years cars. Still owned by Ford tough they have nothing to do with the site anymore. It's true that it was used post WWII as a GP circuit and Moss, Fangio, Hawthorn, Clark etc. all competed there with crowds of up to 80,000. It was built by the Americans in 1944 as a bomber base mostly for Mitchells and Marauders and the control tower and memorial are still there. Escort era was the last great era for rallying. Todays cars are fabulously accomplished but the events lack the drama of the past and the TV audience fell away when it all went pay per view. I watched a recent event (Fiesta is busy winning again) and there were endless interviews, tech talks and behind the scenes sections and hardly any actual rallying.......... Won't be watching again.

Fantastic! Shame to think of what was turfed out when then wound it down.

Grandfather also told a story of settling a score with a friend down there who said his Sunbeam Alpine was quicker than his Zephyr 6 with Raymond Mays cylinder head etc etc, score was duly settled...

Did enjoy visiting Cumbria last year and seeing a M sport Fiesta coming towards me though, that took me by surprise at first, then I twigged due to where we were etc

[urquattroGus]

Jon_S_Rally said:

Am I right in thinking that most of the runway/track got dug up as some sort of quarry took over part of it? I work a few miles away, but would love to take a look around, though doubt there is much evidence left now.

Some great little bits of history in the local area though - little workshops tucked away that used to do all sorts. Was so many people based near by - the likes of Gordon Spooner etc.

This is worth a read if you want to know more about Boreham: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boreham-40-year-Story-Mot...

I agree, a lot of history around. We still have Graham Hathaway near Maldon, Geoff Page Racing too.

It's actually quite impressive what expertise there still is about and around Maldon.

Various ex ford rally guys are about, or at least were, and now we have the huge JD classics site too.