Rallye Sport Fords

Born in Birmingham, Mike studied at Wrekin College, Shropshire, going on to National Service for the Army Infantry Commission in Korea, Kenya and Japan, acquiring a taste for speed and danger along the way. A Rootes-qualified mechanical engineer, and always interested in cars, Mike ran the family dealership, plus built and club raced an MG TA and two quick Specials. Mike worked as a design/development engineer for Vauxhall in Luton before spending 23 years with Ford, where he was involved in engineering, product planning, marketing and motorsport. It was during his time there that he project-managed and planned the Ford Rallye Sport cars in the 70s and 80s, and was first inspired by his boss, Stuart Turner, to write this book. Mike has also worked for TWR/JaguarSport, where he was project manager for the Jaguar XJ220 and acted as operations director for Aston Martin. Mike is now Managing Director of KBD Design. In his spare time he is designing/renovating an old house in France, where he moved in 2002.

Foreword Introduction & acknowledgements 1. Early inspiration 2. National Service and club racing - Garage life 3. Training, racing and special building 4. Facing reality and change 5. Engineering at Vauxhall 6. Ford product development 7. AVO evolution and creation - Escort RS1600 - Escort Mexico Mk I - Capri RS2600 - GT 70 8. Rallye Sport, AVO, and survival - Escort RS1600 - 3.0-litre Cortina - Frua-bodied Escort Mexico - Escort 1300E - Escort RS2000 Mk I - Capri RS3100 - Vignale - Granada RS2800 - Granada Coupe for the UK - Off-road Marshal - Pantera for AVO - Personalities 9. AVO goes out fighting - Escort RS2000 Mark II - Escort Mexico Mark II - Capri RS2800 - AVO closes - Some temporary reprieve - Escort RS1800 10. Times for change 11. Motorsport, Escorts RS1700T & RS1600I 12. New generation Rallye Sport - Escort RS Turbo - Sierra RS Cosworth 13. RS200 international rally car 14. Sierra RS500 Cosworth race car 15. Motorsport - where next? 16. Something different 17. Life after Ford Index