THE FORD ESCORT RALLYING LEGEND

For more than 50 years, the Ford Escort has been a mainstay of rallying. The design may have its roots in the 1960s but the Escort remains as popular today as it ever has been.

The origins of the Escort are remarkably humble. Back in the 1960s, run-of-the-mill family cars were pretty dire and the average British motorist was faced with a choice between an Austin 1100, a Vauxhall Viva and a Ford Anglia as key offerings from the biggest car producers.

Though successful, the late 1950s’ Anglia was very long in the tooth by the time England won the 1966 World Cup and in 1967 Ford revealed that a brand-new model of family car was about to be launched. Production of the first Escort was already up and running at Halewood in Merseyside by December 1967 and the Escort Mk1 made its public debut at the Brussels Motor Show in January