Ford RS200 to be reborn as limited-run special for 40th anniversary

The legendary Ford RS200 is about to be reborn as the first in a series of Brit-built restomods with official backing from the Blue Oval itself.

Boreham Motorworks, part of London-based DRVN Automotive Group, has signed a licensing agreement with Ford to "produce and remaster" some of the car maker's most revered historic models.

Boreham's "remastered" take on the RS200 – to be revealed later this year to mark the model's 40th anniversary – will be built in Coventry from the ground up as an "entirely new" creation, rather than using components from existing cars.

Much like the similarly conceived Kimera Evo37, HWA Evo and Maturo Stradale, the Boreham RS200 will be a close match for its 1980s inspiration in terms of silhouette and mechanical make-up, but the LED lights visible in a preview image suggest it will be subject to some heavy modernisation and upgrading. 

Boreham cites the RS200's mid-mounted engine, composite bodywork and four-wheel drive system as among its defining attributes, and so is highly likely to maintain these - but with a smattering of modern equipment and most likely a boost in output.

Importantly, though, Boreham says it is committed to offering a "peak analogue driving experience", and so is unlikely to stray too far from the raw, bare-bones billing of the Group B rallying legend. 

In addition to the all-new, "remastered" cars, Boreham has also been granted permission to build a run of "blueprint-accurate" continuation versions of some of Ford's most revered historic models, beginning with the MK2 Escort later this year. 

These will be made to the same technical specifications as the original cars, and will even have period-correct VIN numbers, thanks to Ford's backing.

"At least five further iconic Ford vehicles" will follow, said Boreham, without hinting at potential candidates for revival. The Capri, GT40, Sierra Cosworth and XR2i would all seem like logical candidates. 

The company has not said how many of each it will build, but says they will be sold in "very limited numbers".

Will Ford, general manager of the Ford Performance motorsport division, said: "From the first time we met with Boreham Motorworks and the DRVN team, it was clear that they had an exciting vision for how to bring some of our most iconic historical nameplates to life for the modern era.

"It will be exciting to see this relationship flourish and to see how Boreham Motorworks brings the vision to life at a time when there is so much passion from enthusiasts for great experiences."

Boreham's RS200 has been previewed just as Welsh firm MST is putting the finishing touches to its own modern-spec reworking of the MG Metro 6R4, one of the RS200's chief rivals in period.