04/09/2022
Following its arrival in late 1967, the Es**rt became one of Ford’s best-selling models.
During the next 13 years, over three million were sold, initially in Mk1 trim (1967 to 1974) and then as the Mk2 (1974 to 1980).
In addition to the somewhat mundane variants that made up the bulk of production, Ford also offered Mk1 and Mk2 Es**rts in high performance RS specification. Cars like the RS1600, RS2000, RS1800 and RS Mexico became highly sought after and were frequent winners in competition.
By the late 1970s, the Mk2 Es**rt was beginning to show its age. To replace it, Ford developed the all new Mk3.
Unlike the rear-wheel drive Mk2, which used the same antiquated live rear axle as its predecessor, the Mk3 was front-wheel drive and had fully independent suspension all round. It was launched in September 1980 and proved extremely popular.
A sporty XR3 variant was offered from the outset. However, it was the RS1600i Group A homologation special produced from September 1981 that really got the hardcore drivers excited.
The RS1600i was created principally to allow a series of performance modifications for racing. It came with uprated suspension, a tuned engine and revised aero pack. The RS1600i ultimately proved so popular that Ford sold over 50% more than was needed for acceptance in Group A.
Unfortunately, in a sporting sense, the RS1600i achieved relatively little. Aside from the cars prepared for the British Touring Car Championship by Richard Longman, the RS1600i was a bit of a dud.
To replace it, Ford quickly developed what they hoped would be a more effective successor: the RS Turbo.
By adding forced induction, it was expected that competition variants would be able to produce between 250bhp and 300bhp whereas the RS1600i had struggled to top 200bhp.
