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Intended as intermediate between old Gr-A Escort RS Cosworth and all-new Focus, Escort WRC was first official Ford rally car built by Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport. First examples, which appeared in Monte Carlo 1997, were built in extreme haste and under enormous pressure. No wonder Malcolm described those weeks as "fraught".
First version was built hastily from Group A Escort RS Cosworth and saw gradual development through-out the 1997 season. For 1998 new engine was introduced, co-developed by TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing, force behind Arrows F1 team).
Car was rallied for two seasons and ended the glorious Ford Escort rallying heritage, though not too proudly. It was evident that M-Sport resources were directed towards new Focus and despite valiant efforts of Sainz and Kankkunen Escort could not hold it's own against new breed of rally cars.
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| Debut WRC event: | Monte Carlo 1997 |
| Best WRC result: | 1st by Carlos Sainz in Acropolis 1997
1st by Carlos Sainz in Indonesia 1997 |
| Rallies contested: | 28 | (works entries) |
| WRC starts: | 55 | (works entries) |
| Outright wins: | 2 | (wins to rallies ratio 7.1%) |
| Podiums: | 23 | (podiums to starts ratio 41.8%) |
| DNF's: | 14 | (DNF's to starts ratio 25.5 %) |
| Points scored: | 152 | (manufacturer championship points) |
| Avg points per rally: | 5.4 | |
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| Group and class | World Rally Car |
| Engine |
| Location: | Front longitudinal |
| Turbo: | Yes |
| Cylinders: | 4 in line |
| Valves: | 16 |
| Bore x stroke: | 90.8 x 76.9 mm |
| Cubic capacity: | 1993 cc |
| Power: | 300 hp |
| Torque: | 490 Nm |
| Compression ratio: | 9.6:1 |
| Dimensions |
| Length: | 4211 mm |
| Width: | 1770 mm |
| Height: | 1425 mm |
| Wheelbase: | 2550 mm |
| Front track: | 1530 mm |
| Rear track: | 1530 mm |
| Weight: | 1230 kg |
| Transmission |
| Drive: | 4WD |
| Gears: | 6 |
| Sequential: | Yes |
| Clutch plates: | 3 |
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Carlos Sainz, Acropolis 1997
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