This Brand‑New “Escort” Costs More Than A Porsche 911 GT3

If you grew up in the U.S., the Ford Escort probably brings back memories of sensible, unassuming economy cars from the 1980s and '90s, reliable, practical, and pretty unremarkable next to the sportier Fords everyone actually wanted. But mention the name to anyone in Europe, especially the UK, or anyone who’s ever followed rallying, and you’ll hear endless stories of a true legend: a tiny rear‑wheel‑drive warrior that dominated world rally stages, touring car grids, and the hearts of enthusiasts for decades. That’s the car MST is paying tribute to with the all‑new MK1 Evo, and before you ask, no, it’s not a restomod built by patching up an old rusty shell. It’s a ground‑up, brand‑new machine that looks exactly like a 1968 Escort but is engineered to modern supercar standards. And it costs more than a brand‑new Porsche 911 GT3.

Let’s start with the price, because that’s the part that stops everyone dead in their tracks. Back in 1968, a brand‑new original Ford Escort cost just £666 – roughly $1,600 at the time, making it an affordable choice for families, young drivers, and anyone who needed simple, reliable transport. The MST MK1 Evo? It starts at £195,000, which works out to around $260,000 before taxes and any extra options you might pick. For context, that’s comfortably more than the current 911 GT3, which opens at roughly $241,000. But you’re not paying for nostalgia alone; you’re paying for something completely different from almost anything else on the road today.

Unlike most “reimagined” classics that start with an original car, strip it down, and update the bits that are worn or outdated, MST builds these Escorts entirely from scratch. They manufacture brand‑new, period‑correct bodyshells from modern steel, fit a purpose‑built reinforced chassis, and engineer every single component from the ground up to deliver perfect balance, strength, and performance. The MK1 Evo is their latest and most refined evolution, yet it keeps that iconic, timeless MK1 silhouette that everyone recognizes, right down to the slatted grille and boxy wheel arches, but hides serious, competition‑grade technology underneath.

Under the skin, it’s a world away from the humble econobox the Escort started as. The biggest change is a completely redesigned independent rear suspension system, and amazingly, the late rally legend Colin McRae provided early input and testing data for the setup before his untimely passing in 2007, with MST refining, testing, and perfecting that work over nearly 20 years to get it exactly right for both road driving and stage use. It also gets full WRC‑spec Reiger dampers, powerful six‑pot AP Racing brakes, and fully adjustable suspension that can be tuned specifically for comfortable long‑distance cruising, sharp track days, or full‑blown rally competition.

Power comes from a race‑bred 2.5‑liter naturally aspirated Millington engine as standard, putting out 350 horsepower, more than enough to feel ferocious in a car that weighs well under 2,000 pounds. If that’s not enough, MST will bore it out to 2.7 or 2.8 liters, with output expected to push close to 400 hp, all sent through a short‑shift manual gearbox. There’s no automatic option here, for obvious reasons. Every example is built completely to order, so buyers can tailor almost every detail from paint shade and interior trim to suspension geometry, final drive ratios, and even custom badging to exactly what they want.

What makes this so special is that it’s not just a polished old car or a simple tribute. It’s the best possible version of the Escort that could ever exist. It carries all the spirit, charm, and legendary rally heritage of the original, but without any of the rust, wear, vague handling quirks, or safety compromises that come with a 60‑year‑old classic. For anyone who loves the Escort’s story, or just wants one of the purest, most engaging driver’s cars on sale today, that quarter‑million‑dollar price tag starts to make perfect sense.