SPARK S9458 Ford Escort RS1800 n°2 Nicolas Tour de Corse 1977 %

Spark — S9458 | Ford Escort RS 1800 MKII No. 2 (Ford Motor Co. Ltd. — Tour de Corse 1977)

The benchmark of Group 4 rallying throughout the late 1970s, the Ford Escort RS 1800 (MKII generation) was engineered to perfection by Ford's motorsport division at Boreham. It was powered by the legendary 2.0-liter 16-valve Cosworth BDA inline-four engine, breathing through twin twin-choke Weber carburetors to deliver over 245 horsepower. Mated to a heavy-duty 5-speed ZF gearbox and a precisely located four-linked live rear axle, the lightweight saloon (under 1,000 kg) offered explosive acceleration and razor-sharp handling on twisty mountain passes.

Carrying start number #2 for the works Ford squad, this Escort was entrusted to French tarmac master Jean-Pierre Nicolas, alongside co-driver Vincent Laverne. Tackling the relentless, narrow ribbons of asphalt across the "Rally of 10,000 Turns", Nicolas ran in strong contention against the works Fiat 131 Abarths and potent privateer Porsches before being forced into retirement during the second leg due to rear axle/transmission failure.