Ford Escort that's been with the same family for almost 50 years sells for a new record price

A pristine Ford Escort RS1800 that’s remained in the same family since 1977 has just made history, smashing the auction record for the model.

The rare 1976 MkII, one of just 109 ever built, fetched a jaw-dropping £278,848 ($378,170) at auction. That’s nearly 100 times its original value.

This makes it the most expensive second-generation Ford Escort ever sold.

The sale stunned classic car watchers, as the final hammer price far exceeded the top-end pre-sale estimate.

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Fewer than 500 miles clocked per year

Built at Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations plant in Essex, UK, the Ford Escort RS1800 was originally developed to homologate the Escort for rallying.

Finished in Diamond White, this specific example, was the second of five press cars driven by journalists before being sold to the late husband of its long-time keeper.

He owned and drove it for about a decade before storing it in a farm barn. And that’s where it sat for 35 years alongside a rebuilt engine.

With just 24,186 miles on the odometer, the Escort has averaged fewer than 500 miles per year since new.

While the mileage is certainly low for its age, it doesn’t nearly beat the record of this one-of-a-kind 2006 Ford GT, with just 14.9 miles on the odometer before it was sold for $450,000.

What makes this RS1800 truly special is its originality and provenance.

It has undergone two painstaking restorations, each with a focus on preserving its factory-spec condition.

Classic car auction house Historics Auctioneers handled the sale, attracting global interest and prompting a bidding war in the auction hall.

Jeremy Walton from Historics called the result ‘a spectacular endorsement’ of the RS1800’s rarity and historical importance.

He also noted that fewer of these unmodified examples survive than many exotic classics with prestigious badges.

The Ford Escort RS1800 received global interest

The previous record for a MkII Escort was held by a 1975 rally car driven by WRC legends like Ari Vatanen and Roger Clark, which sold for £85,500 ($115,920) in 2015.

This sale obliterates that figure, solidifying the RS1800’s place as an icon of classic Ford performance.

The atmosphere in the auction hall was described as ‘electric’, and there was apparently global interest in the car.

The winning bidder, who remains anonymous, stated the car will join a private collection of historically significant Ford race and road vehicles, and will be ‘hugely cherished’.

This record-breaking sale makes this one of the most valuable Ford Escorts ever built. Although it’s still less expensive than the secret Escort RS Turbo built for Princess Diana.

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