Leading classic and niche vehicle online platform Car & Classic clocks a new record with the latest auction sale of an immaculate Ford Escort RS1600i MkIII for £40,250, the highest official price achieved for the model by the successful online classic car auction site.
A true ‘homologation special’ and increasingly one of the most coveted sporting Fords of the Eighties, the RS1600i sold by Car & Classic was restored to very high standards not once, but twice in the last decade; its engine has been rebuilt and tuned to ‘fast road’ specification, but the original (and increasingly rare) twin-coil ignition system was retained. Gearbox and running gear were refurbished or replaced accordingly.
“It is clear that models which fired up the imagination of car enthusiasts in the Eighties and Nineties, who perhaps couldn’t afford them when they were launched, are becoming increasingly popular and commanding premium prices,” says Car & Classic Head of Editorial Chris Pollitt.
AutoBrief Snippets
- Immaculate 1983 Escort RS1600i MkIII sells for £40,250 on Car & Classic auction portal
- Restored twice in the last ten years, and tuned to ‘fast road’ spec
- Ford Escort is second most-searched-for model on Car & Classic
- ‘Bread-and-butter’ standard Fiestas also on demand
- Sporting models from the Eighties and Nineties continue to be highly sought-after
