Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 - Classic Car Review

The Mk2 Escort is unquestionably one of the most iconic cars ever conceived. A car that would transform the lives of ordinary families, and motorsport superstars alike.

And yet questions remain over Ford's decision to replace the famous flat grille with a 'droop snoot' nose cone for the Mk2 RS2000.

With prices sky rocketing, it's not a question of popularity or value. So what is the story behind 'that grille'?

Motoring presenter, Paul Woodford goes back to his rally roots to take a fresh look at Ford's take on the pointy-nosed 'droop snoot' revolution that took hold in the 1970s.

The real question, is would the RS2000 ever be this good again?

Thank you to Mike Wilding, owner of this Escort RS2000.

Credits:

Rally footage - thanks to the Special Stage Rally TV Show

Soundtrack - thanks to the following royalty-free artists:

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

[friendlypiranha]

Love that grill. I still remember when it was launched. Didn't think there was anything cooler at the time.

[assistantto]

Doyle drove the RS in The Professionals - not Bodie

[chrisbaxter]

One of my favourite cars of all time and that one looks stunning

[spannerssockets]

The mk2 RS2000 was my dream car when I was in my teens albeit the insurance for me would have been in the stratosphere.

The mk3 Escort simply didn't have the same charisma as the mk2 but that's just my opinion.

As for the Sierra taking over from the Cortina, I was very disappointed.

[Balenzo]

I suspect you'll find another reason for there being so many flat front RS2000's in works team rallying during the 70's was due to the technical restrictions in place at the time around the number of forward facing lights that could be fitted to a rally car (from memory I think it was 6), remembering that in the 70's rallies were run over day and night stages, the latter being where you needed as much light as possible, the twin 5" headlights on the droop snoot looked amazingly cool on that car but didn't produce the amount of light that 2 x 7" Cibie quadoptics coupled with 4 x7" Cibie Oscar's or Iode's could, therefore remove the droop snoot and install the flat front. Either way the droop snoot on the Mk 2 was and IMHO still is one of the best looking cars Ford ever made.

[SAP]

Had 3 RS's 2 MK1's and 1 MK2. Wish I had them now. They go for silly money. True classic, in my view.

[okayraif]

I’ve had my rs2000 custom for 32 years loved it then sill love it today original and in mint condition

[inquisitor]

Couple of additional points. The bonnet is unique to the RS2000 along with the droop snoot and the front wings. And the car did not only spend time on the rally stages. Overall winner of the famed Nurburgring 24 hours in 1979 and 1980 plus almost clean sweep of the class at the same event between 1976 and 1982. Ditto the class wins at the even more famous Spa 24 hours up until 1980. I had one, and it was very great fun to drive, although a 5 speed gearbox and better brakes and rear suspension would not have gone

[paulscoolroroo]

The front on the RS 2000 mk2 is the best looking out of all the escorts!

[strongbowism]

Another good review. I loved my Venetian Red/Black Fishnets Custom back in the mid 80's, such a simple car and so easy to drive. They look so small nowadays. 'CTG355V' dead and buried but not forgotten...

[BarryBethal-yvoz]

That blue is a fantastic colour I can't ever remember seeing one in that colour in reel life.

[laurencemoore]

The worst Richard Hammond
In the world.

[austingreen]

I was offered an immaculate beige rs2000 custom (non sunroof) mk2 escort with chocolate interior for £2000 back in 2004, but i just couldn't get over the horrid council estate colour combo, yes i kick myself regularly for not snapping it up.

[GRAHAMAUS]

I used to road rally in a RS2000 with the nose cone. It was a liability - one whack of a high bank and it came away, leaving the car unusable. Repairs were a pain because of the unusual wings (and this was when they could still be found easily, around 1987). We converted to a flat front and it was just better - better lights, more robust, better cooling, could take the odd knock without a problem.

[northeee]

Richard Hammond gets younger and younger. Escort mk2 then flat front 👍🏻.

[TheGrungeChild]

Nice video. I was reminded of hammond but that is a credit to him and you. Plus i love rs2000. Keep it up

[francisgalang]

Oh my.. memories of our first car.. sadly it had to disappear from our family.. and me as a 2 year old son by the had no idea what it would be such a classic car of ages.. hopefully ill find it again soon ans restore it..

[lawrencethompson]

What a handbag I only clicked to see a classic car rip the shit out of the road and got this handbag miss daisying along to the coast for a sandwich

[gutworm]

2:08 The Harrier didn’t have the same chassis as an RS 2000. A Harrier was just a tarted-up 1600 Sport sold as a run out model at the end of Mk2 production. All RS cars had a strengthened chassis. Fail.

[Gandalf]

Oh, so want an RS2000. My dream car as a kid in the 1980s. Eventually got a Mk2 1.6 GHIA and did a lot of things to her but had to sell in the end. But I never stop thinking about owning an RS2000 one day. But boy are they expensive now.