More Group B sales action - a Ford RS 200 Evo pops up in classifieds ad
Eric Bryant
Aug 12th 2006 at 9:58AM
If a Porsche 959 is just too commonplace or not quite raw enough to satisfy your primal rally-car lust, how about a Ford RS 200 Evolution? Where as the German vehicle was much like a well-dressed triathlete with social skills, Ford's entry into the Group B madness of the 1980s had a personality more along the lines of a serial killer.
Cosworth was put in charge of squeezing serious power from the turbocharged 2.1L four-banger, and it succeeded to the tune of something in the neighborhood of 650 HP in the Evolution models. Combine that with the weight distribution afforded by a front-mounted transmission (odd for a mid-engined AWD car), and the RS 200 Evo could supposedly scratch its way to 60 MPH in just over two seconds. The distinctive bodywork was designed by Ghia, while a significant number of parts came from the Ford of Europe parts bin.
200 of the vehicles were originally built, with 24 later receiving the conversion to Evolution status. In other words, if something like this strikes your fancy, we'd suggest not passing up the chance.
[Source: Autoweek Classifieds]