SIX FOR £6K

Classic Fords aren’t cheap. They might be blue-collar heroes, but our favourite Blue Ovals have become rock-solid investments, pricing some of the most desirable machines beyond the pockets of many enthusiasts.

Thanks to an undeniable cool factor and a need for nostalgia when the rest of the world feels rubbish, old cars are ever-increasing in value — and the fact that classic Fords are generally also great to drive means they’re consistent market leaders. But what if you want a piece of the action? What if you fancy ploughing your cash into metal instead of a boring conservatory? What if you just want an old Ford for some fun?

Yes, you can break the bank with a Cosworth or Lotus Cortina. Yes, you can pick up a cheap project, but whether or not that box of bits will ever see daylight — not to mention how much it will cost to get there — remains to be seen.

So, with a healthy budget of £6000 (enough to buy something decent, but not so much it will leave you homeless) we’ve picked six of the best classic Fords you can buy and enjoy right now.

MK5/MK6 ESCORT RS2000

It’s an Escort RS for under £6000!

Produced between: 1991 and 1994

Price guide: £2000 to £15,000

Pros: The best late-model Escort this side of a Cosworth.

Cons: It’s far from a Cosworth.

The Mk5/Mk6 Escort RS2000 was an unloved runt; the cheapest Rallye Sport machine. Then, almost overnight, the market woke up, and the RS2000 has become recognised as a real driver’s car.

Launched to ‘champ is back’ fanfare in November 1991, Ford pressed all the right buttons with an evocative badge. Critics