The Ford Escort saga began in late 1967, as a replacement for the Anglia (of reverse-angle rear window fame). Front engined and rear-wheel drive, it was a simple and rugged platform that responded well to engines more powerful than the original 1.1 litre four. Among the engines shoe horned in were 1.3, 1.6 and 2 litre units, the most famous being the Lotus-developed Twin Cam engine first seen in the Mk I Cortina. Among its competition highlights, the Mk I Escort won two World Rally Championships (1968, 1969) and the London-to-Mexico World Cup Rally in 1970. This success led to the introduction of the Mexico name on some performance versions. The car was the best package in top line rallying in its day and is still considered a rallying icon. Many Mk Is are still going strong in historic and classic rally events.

The only rally version of the Mk I Escort in small-scale was an 1850GT in Works trim, produced by Corgi. It features extra lights up front and the characteristic ballooned mudguards. Note though the square headlights- these should be round lenses within the squared aperture. There are two Rockets versions of this casting. The first is a replica of the 1970 World Cup Rally winner FEV 1H, in white with neat little roll bar extensions on either side of the windscreen and Daily Mirror livery. The second, also white, has blue stripes and the number 007. This one came from the ice racing set tie-in from the James Bond movie 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. Later, the Escort was released as a Whizzwheels version in metallic blue. Both Rockets versions are in the 'Holy Grail' league of rarity, and the blue Whizzwheels version is nearly as scarce. Schuco did both Mk I and Mk II Escorts and even provided rally graphics for their stock models. Polistil also did the stock Mk I.

Despite the name, there isn't a direct link with the GT40 family of Fords. Only six of the mid-engined GT70s were built between 1970 and 1973. It was intended to take over from the Escort Mk I and compete with Porsche's 911 and the Alpine-Renault A110 (at its peak in 1970). With components sourced from the Ford parts bin as much as possible, it was always an option for genuine production. One GT70 was bodied by Ghia as a show car, the others made forays in various European and UK rallies in prototype classes. First fitted with the V6 engine, later on the GT70s had the lighter 2-litre four installed. World Rally Championship rule changes and other goings-on within Ford stalled the development, and the Escort Mk I continued as the leading rally machine. One at least still exists. More info: http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=12409

As an aside, that other great seventies era mid-engined rally racer, the Lancia Stratos, was first seen as a prototype in 1971, so the GT70 predates it by a good year to 18 months. It does show, though, where the GT70 might have gone if the program had continued.

Both Corgi and Tin Toys have made a casting of the GT70 in small scale. Both are based on the competition version rather than the Ghia-bodied one, which looks quite different. This can lead to a bit of confusion as many of the promotional images of the GT70 are of the Ghia car. The key is to look at the rear wheel arches- if they're rounded, it's the competition car. If the arches have an angled cut-off shape, it's the Ghia.

There are at least two versions of Corgi's GT70- one orange and one dark green, both with dot-dash wheels and an unpainted metal engine cover. It has a squat and tubby look about it when compared to the real thing, and the lack of any extra lights or racing livery also counts against it. Under the hatch, it is actually pretty difficult to determine much in the way of engine detail, but my guess it is the V6. Despite its shortcomings, it is still a very interesting piece, and a part of Ford UK's history. I looked long and hard for one, and was thrilled to find a near-mint orange example.

Tin Toys' example looks like it was 'strongly inspired' by the Corgi casting.

Ford Capri V6

While heavier and less agile than the Escorts, the powerful V6 Capri RS saw some success in rallying in the early seventies. It fared better on the tarmac, and small-scale competition Capris are usually circuit racers.

Matchbox produced a Capri, but it was the four-cylinder version (only the V6 had the characteristic bonnet bulge) and none wore rally graphics. Corgi produced a much better proportioned V6 Capri, which included two Rockets versions in rally trim - one in pale green with an orange stripe and number 8, and the second in white bearing the number 6 and a checkerboard roof from the James Bond ice racing set. The casting later saw duty as the Whizzwheels Capri Fire Chief and a modified version appeared as the 'Hot Pants' funny car. Just as for the Rockets Escort Mk I versions, the Rockets Capris are very very rare.

Playart also released a 4cyl Capri and Majorette did a very nice Capri V6 with a plastic roof. Faller Hit Car also offered the Capri in their line but it is a four-cylinder. Grell recently offered another four-cylinder Capri, representing the German example of this famous Ford. A racing version of the Capri was done by Zylmex with another from Tin Toys. Corgi produced the Mk. II Capri in street and racing versions.

Escort Mk II RS2000 and Mk III

The squarer styled Escort Mark II hit the road in 1975. It continued the rallying tradition of the Mk I, winning the World Rally Championship in 1979. With its longer nose and four headlights, the RS2000 was instantly recognizable as a very different beast to the standard Escort Mk II.

Matchbox's RS2000 is a solid and slightly portly model of the car, and suffers a little from undersized wheels. Released initially in white with Ford and Dunlop stickers (paper, which never stood up to play for long), it was later seen in pale blue and a dark green 'seagull' livery. Matchbox catalogues of the time show a Castrol livery version, but it appears this was never produced. Later on, the RS2000 casting was re-issued in the Super GT budget line, with plastic base and blacked-out windows.

The Mk III Escort changed to a front-wheel drive platform. With the larger rear-drive Sierra taking the limelight in the competition department, the Escort MkIII did not have a top-line rallying career. This did not stop a range of rally liveries appearing on small-scale versions though. Corgi did the Mk III model in at least two different racing graphics. Majorette did the Escort Mk. III XR3i in racing colors. Siku, Guisval, Norev Hot Wheels and Matchbox all did non-racing Mk III models.

RS200

Despite the similar mid-engined arrangement, there does not appear to be any evolutionary link from the GT70 to the RS200. The RS200s design and construction was conventional thinking for Group B- the other major competitors from Peugeot, Lancia, Audi and MG-Rover all presented small mid-engined and be-winged coupes, and almost all were turbocharged. The RS200's front-line rallying days closed in 1986 with the banning of the Group B formula, brought about by a series of driver and spectator fatalities from very nasty high-speed accidents. There may be less than a hundred RS200s still around, so they're a rare sight.

Matchbox's RS200 looks about right- its proportions are good, and it has the nose-down stance and bug-eyed face of the real thing. Available in three liveries that I'm aware of, all are versions of the then-current Ford Motor sport graphic style. Most commonly they wear the white with blue diagonal stripes on the rear flank, it also came in white with otherwise identical red striping or mid blue with white striping.

Escort Mk IV RS Cosworth

Looking just about right despite the eccentric wheel pattern, Matchbox's 1993 release RS with signature rear wing is a respectable model. Matchbox also produced the Sierra XR4i- which shows the family resemblance.

Hot Wheels offered their Escort Rally in 1998, looking the part with nose lights and non-standard roof-mounted rear wing. It has been seen in about 12 different liveries so far. Although none wear genuine liveries, the white and blue first edition looks appropriate. The Hot Wheels car looks fat and round compared to the Matchbox, but its slightly caricatured dimensions do convey something of the stance and presence of the real thing.

Guisval have released a Mk IV Escort RS. The liveries look to be very accurate and the proportions bang-on. Mini-Champs has offered an excellent Sierra RS Cosworth in their cars of Michael Schumacher series but without racing graphics.

Majorette added racing graphics to their stock Escort Mk IV.

Ford Focus RS

With the release of the Focus in 1999, it was inevitable there would be a RS version to maintain Fords WRC presence. With the same turbo 2 litre and all-wheel drive layout, there are very clear links back to the previous Escort RS. An updated Focus RS was released in 2003 with improved aerodynamics and lighter weight.

The Focus WRC is typical of the current offerings from Realtoy - a very crisp, nicely proportioned and well-detailed little model, although some versions lack any racing warpaint. For an inexpensive brand, this is a fine offering.

Majorette has released a WRC Focus in correct rally colors.

The Hot Wheels Focus WRC is an unusual but welcome release from the toy car giant that traditionally has a much more US car culture flavour to its lineup. Part of a four-car special series release, it lined up against a Subaru Impreza, Peugeot 206 and Mitsubishi Lancer. All four bear appropriate and highly detailed liveries. Oddly enough they have metal bases and plastic bodies. The Focus' wheels are Hot Wheels standard issue 5-spokes and look a bit small for the scale of the car. Hot Wheels produced another Ford Focus in a highly modified drag racing style, with a very low stance and an unfeasibly large rear wing.

Muscle Machines has also done the Focus RS in street tuner/drift form. Matchbox offers a stock Focus, without racing graphics so far.

What's missing?

A lot of other Fords have acquitted themselves in rallying over the decades, and some highly significant models are yet to appear in small scale.

Lotus-Cortina Mk I. Ford homologation special and a significant race and rally car of the early to mid 1960s. I'm not aware of any small-scale Mk I Cortinas, Lotus or otherwise. The Cortina name itself comes from a northern Italian alpine resort town and reflects Ford's presence in the great alpine rallies of the fifties and sixties, where Prefects, Anglias and Zephyrs climbed the amazing switchback passes through the Dolomites.

Cortina-Lotus Mk II, replacing the Mk I in 1966. The naming was swapped around to reflect more Ford and less Lotus involvement. Matchbox did a standard production Cortina Mk II in the late 1960s in both regular and superfast versions.

Escort RS1700T. Based on Escort Mk III bodyshell, the RS1700T featured Ford's first turbocharged engine developed for rally competition. Mechanically, the RS1700T had very little connection with the production Escort MK III, with the original front-wheel drive transverse engine design replaced with a rear-wheel-drive floorpan based strongly on the Escort Mk II competition cars. 18 prototypes were built before the project was shelved in 1983 in favour of the RS200. Escort Mk IIIs were released by a few manufacturers, but none had the body modifications or four-lamp nose of the RS1700T. Did any survive?