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Ford RS200 Evolution Heading to Amelia Island Auction

RM Sotheby’s will auction one of the most desirable rally-bred machines at the beginning of March. This 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution is it, one of 24 ever built.
Ford RS200 Evolution 30 photos
Photo: RM Sotheby's
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Based on the Group B rally car and produced in limited numbers, the 1.8-liter RS200 became an instant bedroom poster hero for British lads in the 1980s. The Evolution, on the other hand, is motivated by a 2,134 cc BDT-E engine which produces up to 815 horsepower. Depending on the gearing of the five-speed manual gearbox, the RS200 Evolution can accelerate to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2 seconds or so.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, the Ford RS200 Evolution and its Cosworth engine held the Guinness world record for the fastest accelerating production car in the world. This example of the breed didn’t leave the factory at full tune, but its 600 horsepower should be enough for a sprint to 60 mph (96 km/h) in almost 3 seconds. Two other differences over the standard Ford RS200 models come in the form of uprated suspension components and better brakes.

The mid-engined, four-wheel-drive coupe featured in the photo gallery is estimated to fetch anything from $475,000 to $675,000 at Amelia Island on March 12 and I can’t question that. After all, it’s one of the most desirable Evolution models considering that the odometer shows 430 original kilometers (267 miles).

The original owner, philanthropist Dennis O’Conner, purchased three other RS200s from Ford to acquire this car. He passed in 1997 and the RS200 Evolution was sold to Steve Rimmer, the second owner and founder of the DirtFish rally school, in 2010. In 2014, the rally-bred machine was sold to a car collector in the U.K., and now here it is today, waiting for a new owner.

Because of its place of residence, this translates to a 2.5 percent import duty on the highest bid provided that the buyer lives in the United States of America. On the upside, RM Sotheby’s notes that the DirtFish rally school in Snoqualmie, Washington, agreed to offer the highest bidder for the 1985 Ford RS200 Evolution a One Day Rally Fundamentals course. Owning an RS200 has its perks, I guess.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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