You gotta love this Mk1 Escort experience! The Ford Escort Mark 1 is one seriously iconic car from the 70s. It has rally pedigree through and through and is an absolute classic pocket rocket that’s a joy to drive. In fact it’s a delight to see one in such good condition and still being driven as it should – that’s to say hard and fast!
Here in the UK we think the Escort Mk1 is a legend across the Atlantic the Americans just think this is a ridiculously small car. Remember when mech and tech guru Tej Parker bought one at auction in the Fast and Furious 6 film? Brian O’Connor ended up driving it in hot pursuit of Owen Shaw’s tank. But despite it’s teeny size Brian knew the Escort Mk1 RS had true rallying credentials as he tested the suspension to the limit launching the vintage Escort RS from a makeshift ramp to save his buddy Roman Pearce.
Whilst that’s the stuff of movies there’s more than a nod to Fast and Furious on this Mk1 Escort experience with the same rather lovely sky blue and white coachwork. The car used in the film was a Mk1 Escort RS2000. The one you’ll be driving is a Mk1 RS1600 but with a RS2000 2l engine to give it that extra boost of horsepower in an O’Connor style.
And as with all the factory RS Escorts this one has all the body styling. Those distinctive wide wheel arches are there and those obligatory shiny chrome spot lights feature too. This experience is like wheel-spinning back in time to the days when rally driving was fast furious muddy and noisy too. No fancy onboard gadgets the drivers battled to keep control of their rear wheel drive cars on really rugged surfaces.
On your Mk1 Escort experience you’ll be driving this pristine example around the race track for three or six laps. And remember this is back to basics motoring so no paddle shift dual clutch all wheel drive stuff going on you’ll be on the clutch changing those gears and grappling with the steering all the way. Sure the Escort’s not going to be the fastest car out there on the circuit but it’s so going to be the one that everyone wants to take pictures of!
