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.
1993ccm, detuned to 270 bhp,
fuel injected front engine and rear-wheel-drive,
5-speed ZF gearbox,
weight: 900 kg
Thomas Schulz, Germany
This Escort was built by MCD Rally in England and made its way to France in the late 70s. There it was used in rallies and later hillclimbs. Late in 2001 it came to Germany in terrible state and was completely rebuilt using a new bodyshell by Gartrac.
1981 WRC season
When Ford retired the Escort MK2 officially at the end of 1979 the David Sutton team took over and continued rallying the Escorts still in 1980 and 1981. These were the Rothmans-Escorts and their star driver Ari Vatanen managed about as many overall victories as destroyed bodyshells in that period. Ari was Driver´s World Rally Champion in 1981.
