Boreham Motorworks revives Mk1 Ford Escort as an officially licensed, all-new ‘continumod’, with prices starting at £295,000
Once again, you can order a brand-new Mk1 Escort – if your pockets are deep enough. Boreham Motorworks has announced it is going to produce 150 continuation versions of what is being called the Ford Escort Mk1 RS, with applications are now being accepted to buy one.
Despite its name, Boreham Motorworks is based in County Durham rather than the village in Essex where the original Works team performed its magic, but is an official licensed partner of the Ford Motor Company.
Its new Escort is not what has commonly become known as a ‘restomod’ that endows a restored donor car with modern upgrades, but will be a brand-new vehicle. Defined as “a blueprint-accurate, period-sympathetic vehicle built new,” the company is describing the car as a ‘Continumod’, and to this end, they will even wear continuation chassis numbers.
Via a combination of laser scanning an original car and referencing Ford’s Mk1 Escort blueprints, the model has been re-engineered using computer-aided design, so while it will be true to the 1960s model, it will be built to 21st-century tolerances, with modern technology and quality control. It will have an all-steel body, but its bonnet, bootlid and other items will be carbon-fibre to achieve a target weight of 800kg. Forged magnesium wheels will be available as an option.
Inside, a driver-focused cabin is promised, blending classic style with select creature comforts such as leather, Alcantara, heated ’screens and air conditioning.
And to keep it authentic, there will be no power steering, no ABS and no traction control – not even a brake servo. It does have big discs brakes with four pots tough, and coil-overs at the rear – no cart springs here.
Two engine choices will be offered: the Twin Cam and the Boreham Motorworks Bespoke. The former is the standard choice and has a 182bhp, 1845cc variant of the famous Twin Cam motor with fuel injection. For the latter, an all-new motorsport derived 2.1-litre cast and billet DOHC engine weighing in at under 85kg kicks out 296bhp, channelled through a five-speed dogleg gearbox.
“From the very beginning, our goal was to honour the simplicity and purity of the original design; while ensuring it met the expectations of a modern performance car,” said design director Wayne Burgess.
Production starts in the third quarter of 2025. Prices start at from £295,000, each car coming with a two-year, 20,000-mile warranty.
There’s another Ford to come, too: Boreham Motorworks is set to reveal its take on the RS200 in the second quarter of 2025.
