The RS200 cost £49,995 in 1985 ... of those roads that may or may not be a public-domain proving ground for Ford’s chassis engineers. Fast, sweeping, lots of open bends with clear lines ...

A fiberglass composite body. A total weight of just 2,200 lb. A complex 4WD system. This was the Ford RS200, a bespoke racing car created with the singular purpose of beating the fastest rally ...

Canadian dealer Murray DeWert was the brains behind the upscale RS200 S, persuading Ford to offer a more luxurious ... and even air conditioning. Chassis number 138 is a one-owner-from-new example ...

But those cars bore at least loose resemblance to road cars in each manufacturer’s lineup; the Ford RS200 was quite unlike any Escort or similarly humble Ford. Like the 6R4, Ford chose a mid ...