S A L E R E V I E W S
1976 Ford Escort RS 1800 BDA 2-Door sets new £271,040 world auction record for Mk2 road car during Historics £3.9m Windsorview Lakes sale
When new, £2,990 plus tax would have bought the latest Escort RS, one of only 109 off the line in the late seventies, nearly 50 years and 24,186 miles later, close to 100 times more depreciated pounds were needed to capture the still ‘ONO 804P’ Essex registered former Ford Motor Company Press Road Test loan car, one of only four to survive hack abuse in period or retrospective motor sports vandalism.
After the most diligent preservation during one family ownership since 8 March 1977, via 2 pro-restorations without deviation from standard production specification, including Holbay rebuilding the Cosworth 1.8 BDA (Belt-Driven A-Type), the GCATSA04069 numbered Mk2 shell in Diamond White with side-winders in Blue and Black on steel wheels came to market for the first time in 48 years !
Guided by auctioneers Historics to cost a buyer £160,000-185,000, bidding opened at £140,000 in the tent and those in on the Commission Book were soon overtaken by contestants competing for ownership by telephone and internet, £195,000 being the highest bid cast in the seats.
1976 Ford Escort RS 1800 BDA 2-Door sets new £271,040 world auction record for Mk2 road car during Historics £3.9m Windsorview Lakes sale
Historic Auctioneers Consigning Specialist Stewart Banks told C.A.R.: “The atmosphere in the tent, on the phones and online was electric. After publicising the car far and wide, we had great expressions of pre-sale interest, and bidding on the car was certainly intense – as was to be expected – as the Escort RS 1800 was such a star of world rallying. However, nobody could have predicted such a stunning result.
“On a broader footing”, he continued, “the sale price really underlines the continuing brio in the classic and collector car market and how exceptional cars will continue to be wonderful flag bearers, capable of attracting the gaze of new followers to enjoy great cars of the past.”
Astonished eyes at the Escort sale price were not just in the auction hall. Award winning author of multiple books on Henry’s iconic Blue Oval, including the 2024 title ‘Fast Fords, Up Close and Personal’, Jeremy Walton commented: “I thought this Showroom Escort would sell strongly as it is so rare, as most RS 1800s were radically modified for motor sports. The company assembled little over 100 showroom examples, purely as a gesture to qualify the model for an ultra-successful competition career.
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1955 Streamliner fetches 51,155,000 euros
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1955 Streamliner fetches 51,155,000 euros
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