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| Sale Title |
Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet
Center
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| Location |
Jet
Center, California |
Sale Date |
Aug
18, 2005 |
| Lot Number |
63 |
Sale Number |
1597 |
| Lot Title |
Originally owned by former World Rally
Champion Stig Blomqvist |
| Estimate |
120,000 - 150,000 U.S. dollars |
| Lot Description |
Originally owned by former World Rally
Champion Stig Blomqvist
1986 FORD RS200
EVOLUTION
Chassis No.
SFACXXBJ2CGL00161
Engine No. GL00161
Engine:
four cylinder, in-line, twin overhead camshaft, Garrett
TPL 1807 Turbo, 2,137cc, 628bhp at 7,000rpm; Gearbox:
five speed Endean with straight cut tooth gears,
non-synchro with variable 2/4 wheel drive; Suspension:
independent all round with double wishbones, twin coil
springs over hydraulic dampers on each corner and
adjustable anti-roll bars; Brakes: Formula One
specification four wheel vented and cross-drilled AP
brakes. Left hand drive.
The Group B rallying era
is without compare the most colorful and evocative
period that the sport has ever seen and with the current
iron-fisted WRC regime scaring manufacturers away, the
Group B legacy is not likely to be
threatened.
Rallying historically used
production-based road cars that were suitably modified
to tackle a variety of terrains and climates but a
dramatic change came about in the 1970s when Lancia
unveiled their Ferrari-engined Stratos. For the first
time, a manufacturer had designed a car specifically for
rallying with power, weight and center of gravity taking
precedent over allowances which were usually accounted
for historically. Blisteringly quick, but hard to handle
and with questionable reliability, the dynamic step
taken by Lancia did not spread. But they had made a
point and when the FIA introduced the Group B
regulations in 1982, manufacturers then only had to make
two hundred road-going derivatives in order to
homologate their cars - the technological floodgates
were opened, true rally specials were born and a golden
era followed.
Initially manufacturers stuck with
the age-old rear wheel drive concept but that was until
Audi unleashed their Quattro with full-time four wheel
drive - a new marker was set. Lancia, Peugeot, MG and
Ford all went back to the drawing board but by the
middle of the decade the World Rallying scene was a
nailbiting mix of terrifyingly powerful machines. Sadly
the Group B rollercoaster came to an abrupt end
following the unfortunate death of Henri Toivonen and
his co-driver Sergio Cresto on the 1986 Tour de Course,
and by the following year the formula had been outlawed.
Now cemented in motoring folklore, the Group B era and
the cars that it spawned famously earned the posthumous
phrase 'too fast to race'.
Ford's late entry to
the fray was due to the Quattro phenomenon thus they had
to shelve their Escort-based RS1700T. The RS200 made its
debut on the 1986 Swedish rally where it finished an
enthusing third overall but with limited development
time by comparison to its competitors (and compounded by
the Group B outlaw), the RS200 never got a chance to
show its prowess. Like the majority of other Group B
cars, the RS200 soon found its way to the Rallycross
scene and this was where the RS200 truly excelled with
Mark Rennison proving dominant in the UK and the
legendarily exuberant Martin Schanche in
Europe.
Originally intended for rallying
application, Ford built a limited series of Evolution
RS200s, the majority of which fell victim to the
hardship of Rallycross. The intention was to assemble
twenty such examples but an additional four were
completed by the Boreham Works bringing the total to
twenty-four. Boasting in excess of 600bhp, it was one
such Evolution example that in the hands of the 1984
World Rally Champion, Stig Blomqvist, held the 0-62mph
(100kph) Guinness World Record time of just 3.07
seconds, a record that stood for twelve years!
This
exceptional RS200 Evolution was originally built
specifically for Blomqvist and features a unique mix of
performance and luxury. The Brian Hart-built engine has
been dyno-tested at an amazing 628bhp at 7,000rpm and to
cope with the transfer of power, a close ratio, heavy
duty Endean transaxle was adopted along with suitably
adequate prop and drive shafts. It also has variable 2/4
wheel driveability by which one can alter the drive from
four wheel to two wheel and even a 36/64 split while on
the move using the small red lever nestled along side
the gearshift, this option usually only found on the
Works rally cars. To combat this incredible forward
propensity, the Works looked to Formula One technology
for the braking system, thus vented and cross drilled AP
items were fitted and Aeroquip hoses used throughout. A
full mechanical specification list can be supplied upon
request. Further, this RS200 features electric windows
and mirrors, power steering and uniquely so, has the
seats leather-trimmed.
In 1989 when the current
owner went in search of an RS200 Evolution, the factory
had sold them all but due to his close relationship with
Ford, they asked Blomqvist if he would consider giving
up his personal road car. He had covered just over a
thousand kilometers in the car thus it was barely run
in, but following negotiation a deal was struck and the
buyer was smitten - even Jackie Stewart sent him a
congratulatory letter! Before taking ownership the
current owner was fortunate enough to passenger
Blomqvist for some high speed demo laps around the
Boreham test facility and prior to dispatchment to the
USA a mph odometer was fitted. The initial intention was
to run the car at the prestigious Pikes Peak Hillclimb
but instead this special RS200 was spared from
competition. Displaying a mere 54 miles on the new
odometer (therefore totaling approximately 700 miles
from new) it has been rarely used and has been
privileged with a garaged existence since arriving in
the US. Despite this, servicing has been regularly
carried out, often by respected race specialists Holman
& Moody and while not driven in anger for some
years, the car is described as on the button. It should
be noted that in light of its originally intended
imported use, this RS200 has never been registered for
road use in the USA and is being sold on a bill of sale
only.
Aggressively poised on split-rim Speedline
alloys, condition both inside and out is flawless. Only
146 RS200s are recorded as being sold with only twelve
EVOs known to survive, thus this amazing RS200 is
arguably the best example of the finest and most
powerful RS200 derivative ever built.
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American Indian & African, Oceanic & Pre-Columbian
Art
