One to Buy: 3500 mile 1986 Ford RS200 (SOLD)
Having abandoned the Escort RS1700T soon after his return to Ford as boss of the company’s Motorsport department, Stuart Turner commissioned a designed-from-scratch Group B car capable of taking the fight to the likes of Peugeot, Lancia and Audi.
The resultant RS200 made its WRC debut on the Swedish Rally in February 1986 where Kalle Grundel and Benny Melander finished third.
Unfortunately, the car’s second World Championship appearance, Rally Portugal in March, was marred by the death of four spectators after a privateer RS200 ploughed into the crowd. Along with all the other manufacturer teams, Ford withdrew from the event.
By the time the factory RS200s next appeared, on the Acropolis Rally in June, Lancia’s Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto had died in a fatal accident on the Tour de Corse, the FIA had announced Group B cars would be banned from participating in the 1987 World Championship and Marc Surer’s co-driver, Michel Wyder, had been killed in a fiery RS200 crash in Germany.
Neither of the works RS200s finished the Acropolis and afterwards Ford announced they would only participate in one more event: the RAC Rally.
Despite its unfulfilled promise on the special stages, the RS200 ranks among the ultimate expressions of Group B art. However, Ford struggled to sell the road cars required for homologation and many languished at the factory for several years.
One such example is chassis 169, a rare left-hand drive example which is currently on offer at The Barn Miami.
Believed to have been the last customer car delivered, chassis 169 remained at Ford Motorsport until 1994, since which time it has covered a mere 3500 miles.
Reprinted below is The Barn Miami’s description for this spectacular Group B homologation special:
VIN: SFACXXBJ2CGL00169
Mileage: 3,500
1 of 200 produced
Believed to be the last customer car delivered
This 1986 Ford RS200 is one of approximately 140 examples sold to meet homologation requirements for the 1986 season of World Rally Championship Group B competition.
Chassis 169 is thought to have remained at the Ford Motorsport Boreham facility in the UK until 1994 and believed to be the last customer delivered car. Only 3500 original miles with a recent full service.
Price: $409,900
