This book describes the birth, development, and rallying career of the original Ford Escort, one of Europe‘s Landmark Rally Cars in the early 1970s, providing a compact and authoritative history of where, how and why it became so important to the sport.
Four-wheel-drive was authorised in rallying from 1979, but for a time no serious car manufacturer even tried to harness it to their cars. Soon, though, it was Audi who produced the world’s first rally-winning four-wheel-drive car – the Quattro, although it was Peugeot which designed, developed, campaigned and won with the first truly sophisticated four-wheel-drive Group B Car – the 205 Turbo 16; the first truly great, purpose-designed Group B car. Determined to win at almost any cost, Peugeot hired Jean Todt (who would later transform the fortunes of the Ferrari F1 organisation) in 1981, and set him an ambitious target: his dream car had to be running in 1983, homologated in 1984, and capable of winning World Championships by 1985. Packed with illustrations, technical details, facts, figures and successes of this innovative car, this exciting book is a must for any rally fan.
Starting in 1956 when Ford officially entered motor racing, this book takes the reader on a journey of how and why things happened the way they did. Who were the personalities behind the all the different Ford GT development programs, old and new.
This book describes the birth, development and rallying career of the Lancia Stratos, Europe’s very first purpose-built rally car, in the mid/late 1970s, providing a compact and authoritative history of where, when and how it became so important to the sport. Also tells the story of the team.
Ford's Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts (1967 to 1980) are collectable classics, and this guide aims to aid potential buyers or restorers through the purchasing process. A one-stop package offering great advice, this is the ideal companion for anyone sampling and assessing an Escort, for sale privately, at a dealer, or an online auction. With at-a-glance tips, illustrated inspection guidance, valuation data, specifications, modifications you should avoid, real-world cost considerations - and even checks for spotting a fake.
This book describes the birth, development, and rallying car of the turbocharged, four-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza in the 1990s and early 2000s, providing a compact and authoritative history of where, when and how it became so important to the sport.
The inside story of how Rallye Sport Fords were created by Ford in the 70s and 80s, enabling works’ and private teams to be fully competitive in national and international rallies and races, to win many championships, and for RS cars to be bought by over 100,000 enthusiast customers! With around 200 photos and illustrations, many previously unpublished, this formerly untold story is brought vividly to life.
This book covers the sporting versions of Ford Europe's Escort Mk2, including the Mexico, Sport, Harrier, RS1800 and the RS2000. Model-by-model, with hundreds of pictures, it gives you all the details of correct factory specifications and equipment, including body panels, external trim and badging, paint colors, interior trim and trim colors, dashboard, instruments and switches, under-hood components, engine and transmission, lamps, and all other features right down to the tool kit, from the beginning of production to the end. All this detailed information is vital to the buyer, owner and restorer. Each model's section opens with a brief text introduction followed by specially commissioned color photographs with extended captions. For quick reference to accurate and comprehensive information, this formula is hard to beat.
Between 1968 and 1981 the Ford Escort was probably the most successful rally car in the world. Rallying became progressively more glamorous, the teams and drivers more famous, and the cars became more colourful, in that period. European, then World, Championships were set up and prospered. The Escort won its first major International rally in April 1968, and its last in mid-1981. The brand won the World Rally Championship on several occasions during that time, its drivers won the Drivers’ Championship twice, and the Escort was the standard by which all other rally cars were judged throughout that 13-year period. The Ford-UK factory and its closest associates built no fewer than 113 Mk I cars of all types (1968 to 1974), and 55 Mk 2 cars (1975 to 1981). This new book covers all of these vehicles, car-by-car detailing build details, colour schemes, competition history, technical development. Every individual car is illustrated in its principal liveries using archive pictures and several of the more important cars have been specially photographed in great detail.
This is the story of a man, a team, and their life and times, as well as a complete record of all their achievements and failures. It logs the financial and personal cost of racing in the prewar and postwar periods. It tells of how the mighty car company Renault became involved with them in the late 1950s, and how Amedee Gordini became known throughout the world as one of the greatest engine tuners of his time.