More than half a century after the last Mk1 Ford Escort left the Essex assembly lines, a limited run of 150 officially licensed Escort RS—Rallye Sport—cars is being built by Coventry-based specialist Boreham Motorworks. The first example, finished in British racing green with gold stripes, has just been completed and costs an eye-watering £295,000 ,according to the report.

The £295,000 price tag: 13 times the inflation-adjusted original

In 1970, a new Mk1 Ford Escort RS1600 cost £1,600—equivalent to about £22,533 today after adjusting for inflation. The Boreham Motorworks continuation car, which is built from the ground up as a brand-new vehicle, carries a price roughly 13 times that figure. As the source notes, even a cherished original RS1600 now sells for around £80,000, so the 'continuumod' represents a significant premium over both the historic inflation-adjusted cost and the current collector market for original examples .

Two engine choices: a 1.8-litre homage and a 2.1-litre 10,000rpm screamer

Boreham Motorworks offers customers two powertrains. The first is a reimagined twin-cam four-cylinder 1.8-litre unit with an 8,500rpm redline producing 182bhp, paying direct homage to the Alan Mann Racing motorsport engine of 1968. The second—fitted in car number one—is Boreham's own 2.1-litre four-cylinder motorsport engine with forged steel conrods, a billet crankshaft, and advanced fuel injection. It revs to 10,000rpm and generates 295bhp,the report states. The former uses a reproduced 'Ford Bullet' four-speed straight-cut manual gearbox, while the latter gets a period-correct close-ratio five-speed 'dogleg' manual racing transmission.

How a 'continuation' differs from a 'restomod'—and why the Ford badge matters

Unlike many restomod businesses that reproduce classic cars using modern parts but cannot legally affix the original manufacturer's logos, the 150 Escorts bear genuine Ford badges thanks to an official licence from Ford Motor Company. iain Muir,CEO of Boreham Motorworks, said the car is engineered to deliver 'lightweight engineering, immediate response, usable naturally aspirated performance and genuine driver connection.' The vehicle tips the scales at just 895kg dry (without fuel or fluids), eschewing power steering, ABS, and traction control to retain the raw character of the 1970s original .. This places the £295,000 Escort RS in a niche category of officially sanctioned continuation models, similar to Jaguar's Lightweight E-Type or Aston Martin's DB4 GT contination series.

Who is the unnamed buyer of car number one?

The report does not identify the purchaser of the first completed Escort RS—only that it has been delivered. With 150 cars to follow, key questions remain: Are reservations open to the public, or has Boreham Motorworks pre-sold the entire run to a select group of collectors? What warranty or after-sales support comes with a £295,000 hand-built vehicle? And how will the car's value hold up when all 150 examples are in circulation? Without disclosure from Boreham, the collector market is left to speculate on the buyer profile and availability of subsequent units.