There are few names in the world of classic motoring that stir the heart like the Ford Escort RS1800. Born out of motorsport, bred for the road, and limited to just 109 examples, the RS1800, the pinnacle of Seventies fast Ford legend.
At this year’s NEC Classic Motor Show, two exceptional RS1800s will share the spotlight and the auction block a headline event for any collector. Iconic Auctioneers are projecting hammer prices as high as a quarter-million pounds for each car.
The first headline car is the very first production RS1800 ever built. Painted in Diamond White, it left the Advanced Vehicle Operations Pilot Plant at Aveley in 1975 and quickly became the measuring stick for all others. It is unarguably the best surviving example, with multiple Concours d’Elegance wins and a file of documents confirming every step of its history.
Adding to the drama, there is another RS1800 in the mix the legendary registration ‘KPR 111P.’ It is the first RS1800 to roll out of the Advanced Vehicle Operations Pilot Plant at Aveley back in 1975. That provenance pushes it way up the desirability list. History, pedigree, and sheer rarity collide in one beautiful package.
Iconic Auctioneers expect bids to break all previous records. The anticipation is sky-high, collectors are sharpening their paddles, and the NEC is buzzing with the kind of excitement only proper performance cars can generate.
No one is buying an RS1800 just for show. Under that simple bodywork lies a Cosworth-engineered heart, designed for dirt and tarmac alike. Its character shaped an era of British rallying, making heroes out of weekend warriors and legends out of champions.
If you ever doubted that “car culture” could bring a room to a hush, wait for the moment these two Fords roll into the NEC. The world is watching, chequebooks open, eager to snag a slice of genuine fast Ford history.
The auction is about to prove what many collectors already know, there is simply nothing like a perfect Seventies RS1800. Numbers are thin, provenance is everything, and the appeal is evergreen.
