The Mk2 Escort was the successor of the MK1 but had a 1800cc engine insted of the 1600 and could be bored up to 2 litres giving an easy 240bhp. From 1975 until 1981 the MK2 was always a winning car wherever it started, one of the main reasons for it was its foregiving drivabilitiy. The pilots could squeeze everything out of the car and get away with it, so they did. The MK2 won the 1979 Manufacturers World Titel and with Ari Vatenen the 1981 the Drivers World Championship.

Ursula Kleinmanns, Germany
After the Safari in 1977 STW203R stayed in Kenya and was locally to KPU002. It was sold to Basil Criticos who drove it on the 1983 Acropolis endeing with a roll. Ursula Kleinmanns found the car in Kenya in 1992 on her yearly visit to the Safari Rally and brought it back to Europe. It was restored to its orginal condition including the detuned BDA engine with small valves for 90 octane fuel and all the relevant Safari bits and pieces.

1977 Safari Rally
In 1977 Ford brought four specially prepared Mk2 Escorts to the Safari, which was one of the toughest and wettest of all times. The teams drove the 3,750 miles in two legs non-stop from Thursday until Saturday morning and then from Saturday night until noon on Monday. Björn Waldegaard drove one of the Escorts to outright victory while Vic Preston was second overall for a long time until the clutch broke.