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The Ford Escort remains one of the most successful products in the automaker’s entire history. After a long and prosperous run, the Blue oval decided to drop the moniker in favor of the Focus, its successor which debuted in 1999. To some extent, the Escort is now a symbol of an era in which many buyers chose the compact hatchback as their first ride. Humble on the outside, Escort has a long and glorious history to its name.
During its three-decade lifespan, the Escort was offered in several different hot versions. Even the most powerful of them, however, doesn’t come close to the level of performance this black 1980 Escort offers. And the main reason is because none of the Escorts come with a rotary engine from the factory.
This vehicle started its life as a simple black Escort from the 1980 model equipped with a 1.3 liter petrol engine. After a lengthy and possibly very expensive restoration process involving a complete engine swap, it is now perhaps the only Escort in the world to be powered by a Mazda RX-8 rotary mill. Sure, the engine looks to be in fully stock form but the fit and finish are on a world class level.
From the outside, this Escort looks quite weighty. The paint is clean and only the slightly lowered suspension can show what’s hidden under the skin. There, in addition to the rotary engine, we also find a full roll cage, a modified suspension, a new exhaust system, a new steering rack, and many other modified or new components. In fact, if you take a closer look at the interior, it looks like a tube car chassis.
Needless to say, this red beast is powered by its rear wheels. There’s a large tunnel in the cab where the driveshaft is located and nothing behind the front seats – just a tubular construction to keep the car more composite and predictable in corners. Even the original RX-8 instrument cluster is neatly integrated into the original Escort dashboard housing – all built to exacting standards and perfection.
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