Innehållsförteckning för July 2022 från Fast Ford

Arare, one-owner Capri RS3100 will roll across the auction block at Classic Car Auctions’s sale on 18 June. The Sebring Red stunner was used by AVO until 1975 before it was registered on a Pplate (with only 500 miles on the clock) making it the only P-reg RS3100 in existence, and the last RS3100 ever to be registered. This car differs from the production 249 examples by having fixed rear quarter windows, flat three-spoke steering wheel, and black rocker covers (production parts were blue). It has a unique chassis number BFECRK, the rest being BBECND-series. In April 1975 the car was sold by AVO (for £1500) and used daily until 1982. During that time the Capri covered 70,700 miles, before it was stored on chassis stands between 1982 and 2022. Thanks…

Ford has announced it is trialling new geofencing technology that automatically limits the speed of your car depending on location. The aim is to reduce speed – akey contributing factor in road accidents – in particularly hazardous areas such as outside schools, hospitals and shopping areas. The system warns drivers of speed limits and automatically reduce the vehicle’s speed when within a geofenced area. The system can be overridden by the driver, though. The trial is taking place in Germany using a new E-Transit, but if successful could be applied to future Ford vehicles. Future possibilities also include speed limits being set dynamically to take into account local hazards, temporary roadworks and the time of day.…

There was a time when 200bhp in a front-wheel-drive Ford was considered a lot of power. In reality it still is, but in recent years we’ve started seeing some really big-power front-wheel-drive cars take to the streets. The Mk2 Focus ST and RS led the way, and the Mk7 Fiesta ST soon followed to confirm Ford could make a hugely capable car that could comfortably put down the power. In fact, it soon became obvious there was so much potential to handle an awful lot more, and this unsuspecting ST180 is a perfect example. Thanks to a touch over 400bhp and nearly 300lb.ft of torque, with virtually standard looks, this build is far from simple, but the well-sorted underpinnings and uprated interior make it the perfect super-hot hatch. Owner Thor…

Ford had hit the spot. After a decade of the Escort’s market share gradually diminishing, the firm’s revolutionary Focus marked a new beginning. Not just for the great Blue Oval, but for the medium-sized car sector as a whole; Ford was suddenly leading the game. The first Focus appeared at March 1998’s Geneva Salon, where its inimitable New Edge design signalled a step up from previous models’ staid styling. Its sharp edges and trapezoidal lights were echoed in the cabin, where its bold fascia was complemented by elevated ergonomics and much-improved build quality. But it wasn’t until it was launched in October ’98 that we found out just how fabulous the Focus felt to drive. Its traditional MacPherson strut front suspension was mated to a funky Control Blade setup at…

D anCammish got his 2022 BTCC campaign back on track at a wet Brands Hatch recently, after earning two podium finishes and a haul of championship points in the NAPA Racing UK Focus ST. Taking his first podium result for the Motorbase Performance-run squad in a damp fourth round, Cammish – who had qualified eighth fastest and just 0.2 seconds shy of pole – finished in a terrific third place. Going one better in a slippery round five, Cammish raced to second position and was tantalisingly just 0.2 seconds shy of the victory, before wrapping up the weekend with another top-ten finish in the final race. He said, “we were hanging in there and suddenly my car switched on. It really was like a switch flicked; with one more lap…

N eil Roskell added the Manx Rally to his list of rallying achievements after dominating in his Fiesta R5. The 2022 Manx Rally proved to be every bit as challenging as previous editions, as this iconic rally returned after a two-year absence. Special stages on closed public roads make for a massive challenge and this was a win that showed just how far Roskell has come in his relatively short rallying career. He took the lead on the opening stages as Friday evening moved into darkness and, with co-driver Andrew Roughead, delivered a faultless performance through Saturday to complete his first Isle of Man victory. He said, “That was only my second time rallying in the dark and this event is another level. I’m still learning.” Out even before the…

NAME JASON DAVIES CAR SAPPHIRE COSWORTH (REAR-WHEEL DRIVE) RACE SERIES CTCRC THUNDER SALOONS HISTORY OF THE CAR “We built the car here at M&S Engineering – our family-run business – from a brand new bodyshell in 2012. After trying out our work in a few select rounds during the 2013 season, we entered the Blue Oval Saloons Series (BOSS) in 2014 and won our class that year. “The following year was a year of development, ahead of a full season in the Welsh Sports and Saloons in 2016. This proved to be our most successful season to date, taking the championship and fastest lap at ten out of the 12 races. “Since then, we’ve raced with a whole host of different clubs and championships, but for 2022 we’re back for…

Photos FAST FORD ARCHIVES WHY YOU WANT ONE… ■ ST250s are amazingly good all-rounders, as capable on track as they are blasting down B-roads, cruising motorways or popping to the shops. There’s even an estate ST available. ■ Tuning an ST turns it from family wagon into RS-chasing hot hatch, with even a basic Stage 1 remap making for massive grins. ■ Second-hand prices are starting to level out, so there are some real bargain STs on the used market – even previously-modified machines. WHY YOU DON’T… ■ Tiresome comments will always come from people moaning it’s not a three-door and that they prefer the ST225’s burbling five-cylinder soundtrack. Ignore them: the ST250 is a better car in every other respect. ■ Say it quietly, but there’s a reason for…

Many of us know that even the best-laid plans can go off the rails. Sometimes it’s a simple matter of time and money, but often it’s just personal circumstances. If you’re lucky the chance can come around to revisit a particular plan and make it right. Jason Smith knows that well, as he’s the owner of this clean-cut Mk3 Focus ST that’s hiding a forged engine, meaning it’s currently putting out 300bhp without breaking a sweat. And that’s quite the contrast to the unfinished plan for his last Focus, as he explains. Jason says, “I previously owned a Mk2 ST many years ago and my goal with it at the time was to reach the magic 300bhp mark. That doesn’t seem like a lot these days, but back then it…

Ford has joined 27 other companies in a petition to ensure all new cars and vans in Europe are zero-emission from 2035 and calls for targets to grow the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Europe. The appeal insists that removing fossil-fuelburning vehicles from the road is imperative for Europe reaching its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Ford of Europe’s Stuart Rowley said: “At Ford in Europe, we believe that freedom of movement goes hand-in-hand with caring for our planet and each other. That’s why we are targeting all Ford vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035. To successfully achieve this, EU policymakers must also establish mandatory national targets for a seamless electric charging infrastructure that lives up to the growing demand for electric vehicles.”…

The energetic and enthusiastic club scene has to be one of the very best things about owning a fast Ford, so when we heard about a new group that had been formed in West Sussex, we just had to check them out. When we say newly formed, we should probably say newly reformed, as the West Sussex RS Owners’ Club did previously exist before the East and West branches were amalgamated into one Sussex-based group. This new club was started by Colin and Serena Stone earlier this year. The husbandand-wife duo already have a stunning collection of modified Fords, and wanted to start a group that welcomed owners of all Blue Ovals, not just the Rallye Sport specials. CONTACTS For more info on the West Sussex RS Owners’ Club, drop…

Ever wanted to see your car appear in all its glory in the printed pages of a Ford tuning magazine? Well, if so, all you need to do is ask! Simply email us, or post a picture of your car on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages and add the hashtag ‘#printmyford’, and each month we’ll choose our favourites and print them in this aptly named feature. Alternatively, drop us an email with a couple of pics, a full spec list of any mods and upgrades, and a few details about your time with the car to fastford.ed@kelsey.co.uk with the subject heading ‘print my ford’ and we’ll pick our favourites for a slightly more detailed review each month too. In order for us to print your Ford please ensure all…

F rom the very start of this project, we knew that if we were going to pull off the rep-mobileto-race-car goal we would need a custom race-inspired livery to ensure it looked the part. That’s why we drafted in Helen Stanley for some custom artwork of how the project could look when finished. We showed Helen’s drawings to the guys at 3M Films, who said they could make the vision become reality. They suggested using their Approved Vehicle Wrapper (AVW), Popin Graphics in Cardiff, to apply the wrap. Jamie’s own Focus RS (and even the family mumwagon) was wrapped by these guys, so we knew the quality of workmanship on offer. Securing 3M’s coveted AVW status is no easy task, but when you look the stunning facilities at Popin –…

I fthe previous two sprint rounds at Oulton Park were about outright pace, the prestigious Silverstone 500 is an endurance round where strategy plays a greater role. For Silverstone, the Mustang was prescribed a small but helpful change to its balance-of-performance parameters, giving the Academy Motorsport team even more reason to be optimistic ahead of the three-hour event. The team’s new-for-2022 driver Marco Signoretti had never previously driven the full Grand Prix circuit, but there was no cause for concern, as Marco had the full track mastered during Friday’s practice when the Mustang was the fastest of the participating GT4 cars. Signoretti and teammate Matt Cowley were impressive in qualifying, taking a front-row starting position on combined times. Racing on Sunday was robust, and Signoretti was rudely but uncharacteristically punted…

A Sierra Cosworth RS500 that never raced in Europe in period is back in the UK in the hands of racer Paul Smith, and is now racing in the Historic Touring Car Challenge. The car was originally built by Andy Rouse and it went to Japan from new, before later spending time in Australia. In period in Japan it was raced by the late Jeff Krosnoff and Mauro Martini and came back to the UK two years ago. It hadn’t raced in Europe until the Donington Historic Festival, when Smith and touring car ace Steve Soper shared it to take fifth place. Smith has had the car for two years, but a first test at Donington in the spring of 2021 ended in disaster when the car caught fire when…

O ulton Park is one of the most challenging, picturesque and enjoyable circuits that British motorsport has to offer. Situated in Cheshire, it’s a favourite of BTCC fans and drivers alike. It’s a track that commands precision and bravery from the driver; it’s easy to get it wrong, but it’s also one of the most rewarding laps you can drive when it all comes together. Corners such as Cascades and Druids require a high level of commitment to get right, and the whole lap is incredibly intense. 1 -OLD HALL The first corner is Old Hall; a fast, narrow, and slightly banked right-hand bend. The start/ finish straight curves to the left, so you’ll want to position the car around the middle of the circuit as you cross the start/finish…

A cloud of acrid steely blue smoke pours off the screaming 175-section Yokohama tyres as the outer layer of rubber is vaporized by Robert Casebrook’s right foot. The short wheelbase of the Mk1 Fiesta, combined with its low weight and almost 200bhp going directly to the rear wheels, makes light work of pulling bonkers burnouts and dizzying donuts. And it’s this innate ability to slap a huge toothy grin across its owner’s face that was why 45-year-old Rob decided to take on the part-finished project back in 2018. “I’ve always been into fast Fords and have owned a string of Fiestas and Escorts over the years, all of them modified in some way or another, but a few years ago I decided to take a break from modified cars and…

See what’s going down in the world of fast Fords... Ford has recently opened its order books for the nextgeneration Ranger Raptor, with first deliveries expected to arrive in late summer. The latest version of the performance pickup introduces the twin-turbo 3.0-litre EcoBoost V6 engine to the model, along with 1 FOX Live Valve dampers, and seven selectable drive modes to offer optimised performance on a variety of terrains. Like other Ford Performance models, the Ranger Raptor also benefits from an active exhaust system with adjustable engine sounds and four exhaust modes to suit different driving scenarios – an exclusive for its class. Prices for the second-generation Raptor start at £57,340 (including VAT), but buyers can customise theirs with the optional Raptor Splash Decal Pack (£600) and exterior Raptor Pack…

EAGLEMOSS DIE CAST MUSTANG Kits 1 & 2: £2.99 (Regular price, £10.99 per kit plus £1.49 postage) Ever wanted to build your own 1968 Mustang GT from the ground up? While that may no longer be possible with a full-size car, thanks to Eaglemoss’s Die Cast Club, Mustang fans can build a 1:8 scale replica of a factory-specification 1968 Mustang GT Fastback. Officially licensed by the Ford Motor Company, the model is constructed from high-quality die-cast metal, ABS, rubber and other materials; when complete, the replica will measure 59cm in length and weigh 8.3kg. Pre-orders are now open; the introductory offer starts at just £2.99 for the first two kits, with remaining kits costing £10.99 plus £1.49 postage. Subscribers will receive four new kits every three weeks, plus exclusive gifts.…

I t’s easy to forget things have come a long way in the tuning scene over the last 20 years. There was a time when 600bhp in a road car was virtually unheard of, with those kinds of ballistic figures reserved for out-and-out race cars or expensive supercars. But now we’re seeing a new wave of modified cars on the streets that not only produce serious power but also look so understated that anyone would be hard pushed to guess what they were capable of. Ian Morris’s clean-cut Focus RS falls firmly into that category, as with just a handful of small modifications on view from the outside, only the eagle-eyed will notice the big brake setup, which hints at the car’s huge performance. Sure enough, the extra stopping power…

QUICK SPEC MSD live map ■ Wasted spark, closed-loop L8 and grey injectors ■ Autodynamix loom ■ T38 turbo ■ Gizzmo electronic boost controller ■ Gaz Gold coilovers ■ MC Fabrication six-degree beam ■ Fifteen52 Tarmac alloys In my last update, I was nursing my wounds after everything went wrong once again with the Cossie’s engine. Too many component parts of the engine were simply old, covered high mileage, and just generally past it. So, a set of nice new Wossner conrods and pistons were installed to freshen things up and also future-proof against my heavy right foot and fondness for smoking tyres. Couple that with a nice (rare as rockinghorse poo) unground crankshaft, a full selection of beefy ARP fasteners, and a mild rebore to freshen the cylinders, it…

FORDS IN MOTORSPORT W ith more than 40 original ex-works rally cars from the 1970s to 2010, Jiri Jirovec has what is unofficially the largest private collection of race and rally cars in the world. The huge, purpose-built warehouse in the Czech Republic is not open to the public, but we have been given privileged access to wander around slack-jawed to stare appreciatively at such jewels as four ex-McRae WRC Focuses, Malcolm Wilson’s 1993 Group-A Escort Cosworth, and a Sierra that came close to winning the DTM. This month we look at the legendary RS200 in his epic collection. If, by some chance you don’t know what an RS200 is, don’t be fooled by its innocent frog-like eyes and the cute little bunny ears; it is a real beast. The…

T he Modified Fords series held an away round across the border at the Scottish circuit of Knockhill. Well-known for its place on the BTCC calendar, drivers in the series travelled up to 500 miles to experience the same thrills on the alwaysentertaining racetrack. The series dedicated to fast Fords drew a substantial grid, attracting everything from a brace of Pumas right through to the flame-spitting Cosworths and a thunderous Australian V8 supercar. Unfortunately, oil pressure trouble saw the Falcon of Andy Robinson absent from the grid, meaning all eyes were on Dave Cockell’s 700bhp-plus Escort Cosworth on pole. Although by no means an easy ride, Dave demonstrated commanding lights-to-flag victories in both races, setting the fastest lap time of the weekend to add to the accolades and really show…

Photos M-SPORT A fter a stunning victory on the Monte Carlo earlier in the season, in the new Puma Rally1’s first competitive event, the M-Sport team welcomed back nine-time champ Sébastien Loeb as the World Rally Championship headed to Portugal. Loeb was once again joined by Isabelle Galmiche, and the pair set some blistering times through the early stages, taking a stage win on SS4 and moving into the lead of the rally after Friday morning’s runs. Unfortunately, it didn’t last; a collision with a wall on SS5 broke the rear suspension and halted progress for the day. The French pairing was back out on Saturday after the M-Sport crew rebuilt the rear end during service, but a loss of power on SS11 meant they were forced to retire from…

T he Mondeo ST220 is one of the most underestimated fast Fords ever to exist. For the last 20 years or so, the crowds have been jumping up and down, ranting and raving over the new Focus and Fiesta models, and all the while the humble ’220 has been plodding along quietly in the background doing what it does best – offering an almost unrivalled combination of comfort, practicality and raw power. Jeremy Clarkson once pointed out in an episode of Top Gear that Aston Martin sold more DB9s in 2005 than Ford did Mondeo ST220s. But that only tells half the story, because the few that Ford did sell all went to proper petrolheads who appreciated the package it offered. In fact, you could go as far as saying…

G N- 3 4 SUPERCAR I tcould have all been so different. If this mid-engine supercar had entered production in 1990, the world of fast Fords would have been crowned by a supercar able to beat Ferrari. It’s one of the more remarkable stories in Secret Fords Volume Two, so naturally features on the new book’s cover. Back in 1984, Ford’s Special Vehicle Operations team were looking for the next project to follow their highly acclaimed Mustang SVO. They toyed with using the chassis of the Sierra Cosworth, but to tackle the Italians they needed a bespoke midengine style body. Italdesign, the famous Italian designer led by Giorgetto Giugaro, crafted a stunninglooking creation for SVO. But, no surprise, Ford’s designers wanted to keep such a juicy project for themselves and…