Ford’s Escort Mk1 RS Returns With a 10,000-RPM Redline

The original Ford Escort was about as humble as cars got. It was a cheap, cheerful economy car that also happened to be a devastating rally weapon in the right hands. So there’s something gleefully absurd about Boreham Motorworks reviving the Mk1 RS as a six-figure supercar that revs like a superbike.

Debuting today at the London Concours, it’s the first new road-going Escort Mk1 RS in over half a century. And no, it’s not a restomod.

Working under an official Ford license (rare for a project like this), Boreham insists the car is neither a restomod nor a continuation. It’s built new from the ground up on a bespoke chassis with a certified Ford chassis number, so they’ve coined their own word for it: “continumod.”

The body keeps the Mk1’s bubble arches and ducktail spoiler, then drapes them over a carbon hood and bootlid. The wheelbase has been extended an additional 30mm in an effort to mirror the 1968 Alan Mann Racing cars that turned the Escort into a touring-car legend.

Two engines are on the menu. The standard 1.8-liter twin-cam makes a respectable 185 PS (~182 hp), but nobody’s buying this car for that. We’re for the headliner, which is the optional TEN-K: a naturally aspirated 2.1-liter four that makes 330 PS (~325 hp) and, as the name promises, winds all the way to 10,000 rpm.

Boreham leaned on F1-inspired port and valve geometry, individual throttle bodies, and enough billet and 3D-printed trickery to get the whole engine down to just 85 kg. Power runs through a five-speed dogleg manual to the rear wheels. No turbos, no hybrid assist, and no drive modes. This thing just revs.

Underneath sits a fully floating aluminum-and-titanium rear axle that halves unsprung mass, plus custom springs and dampers co-developed with R53. The power steering even backs off its assistance as speeds climb, all in service of feel. Boreham calls the philosophy “Peak Analogue,” which we’re happy to see more of.

Inside, the tiny cabin gets soft leather, carbon door cards, and a bespoke gauge cluster reading past 10 on the tach. You can even option a pair of dash-mounted Breitling rally chronographs, because at $400,000, sure.

Limited to 150 cars worldwide in both left- and right-hand drive, the Escort Mk1 RS starts at roughly £295,000 before tax (around $400,000), with the TEN-K engine a paid option on top of that. Head over to Boreham Motorworks’ website for the full commissioning rundown.

2026 Ford Escort Mk1 RS by Boreham Motorworks

Boreham reimagines the Ford Escort Mk1 RS as a 330-PS, 10,000-rpm “continumod” built new from the ground up and limited to just 150 examples worldwide. The people’s car, reborn as an exotic.

Learn More: Boreham Motorworks