Boreham’s New Escort RS Is Not a Restomod—It’s a Homage Car That Costs $400K and Revs to 10,000 RPM

Let’s get something straight: the new Boreham Escort RS isn’t a restomod. It’s not some lovingly restored 1960s Brit-box with modern guts bolted underneath. This is a brand-new car—complete with an officially sanctioned Ford chassis number—that exists purely to celebrate what the original Mk1 Escort performance legend meant, then surpass it with 2020s engineering and absolutely zero digital nannies.

For £295,000 ($393,000 before taxes), you’re getting something that’s genuinely rare in today’s world: a naturally aspirated, analog-first sports car with a manual transmission, no power steering, no ABS, and no traction control. In an era where every automaker is scrambling to cram turbochargers, nine-speeds, and driver-assistance suites into everything, Boreham’s approach feels almost radical.

The Engine Is the Main Event

The headline attraction is the optional Ten-K engine—a 2.1-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder that produces 326 hp (330 PS) while revving all the way to 10,000 rpm. That figure alone tells you everything you need to know about Boreham’s philosophy. In an age where turbochargers have become the default path to power, a naturally aspirated engine that screams to five figures is practically a middle finger to conventional wisdom.

The engineering inside is equally obsessive. Individual throttle bodies, forged internals, belt-driven camshafts (a nod to original Escort fans), and a lightweight flywheel that promises razor-sharp throttle response make this feel like something that escaped from a period race team. Weighing just 85 kg (187 lbs), it’s engineered to feel as alive as possible—every rev, every gear change, every input amplified without artificial dampening.

Power flows to the rear wheels through a five-speed dog-leg manual, a transmission choice that confirms Boreham understands exactly who’s buying this car. This isn’t for people who want easy; it’s for people who want engagement. With a target curb weight of just 895 kg (1,973 lbs), the Escort RS boasts a power-to-weight ratio that should handle modern sports cars without breaking a sweat. Boreham hasn’t released acceleration figures yet, but the math is simple: nearly 3 hp per kilogram suggests this little Ford will embarrass plenty of contemporary machinery.

Not interested in maximum thrills? There’s an updated Twin Cam engine option—a 1.8-liter with fuel injection delivering 182 hp (185 PS) through a straight-cut four-speed manual. Still analog, still theatrical, but more in line with the original recipe.

Analog Philosophy, Modern Execution

What separates this from every other “classic with modern bits” project is what Boreham didn’t add. No power steering. No ABS. No traction control. Just a limited-slip differential and the kind of driver involvement that died somewhere around 2010. In today’s landscape of sanitized, over-engineered sports cars, that’s genuinely provocative.

The chassis engineering backs up that philosophy. The original Mk1 Escort dominated European road racing and rallying throughout the 1960s and 70s, and Boreham’s modern take builds on that pedigree with a bespoke front subframe, a lightweight floating rear axle (aluminum and titanium construction), and revised suspension geometry. The six-link rear setup apparently cuts unsprung mass dramatically compared to period race cars—meaning this thing should handle like it weighs half what it does.

What’s genuinely impressive is that Boreham didn’t strip this down into a track-focused spartan box. The interior is sympathetically updated with carbon and leather trim, bespoke gauges, and a three-spoke steering wheel that looks as carefully engineered as the engine bay. There are even two dedicated helmet stores where the rear seats would be—because this isn’t a race car, it’s a daily-drivable performance machine. That’s a crucial distinction.

Limited to 150 Cars, Priced Like Supercars

Production will be capped at 150 examples worldwide, which tells you something about Boreham’s ambitions. This isn’t about democratizing performance; it’s about creating something scarce and desirable for people with serious money. At £295,000 ($393,000) before taxes—or roughly £354,000 ($474,000) fully loaded in the UK—this car costs more than many entry-level supercars.

That price point is audacious. The original 1960s Escort RS was an affordable performance machine; a car for young drivers who wanted to go fast without spending supercar money. This new version is the exact opposite—it’s a statement of intent, a luxury item dressed up as a tribute. And yet, it’s hard to argue the value isn’t there. You’re getting bespoke engineering, 150 worldwide production, Ford’s official blessing, and an engine that refuses to live in the turbo-era consensus.

Why This Matters Beyond the Money

In a broader sense, the Boreham Escort RS represents something increasingly rare: a performance car that trusts the driver instead of fighting them. No torque vectoring, no hybrid power-boost, no artificial shift points—just raw mechanical sympathy between car and human. It’s the automotive equivalent of a master builder choosing hand tools over CNC machines. Not because the CNC is worse, but because sometimes the tool matters less than the philosophy behind it.

The car industry has largely abandoned this approach in pursuit of efficiency targets, autonomous capability, and regulatory compliance. Meanwhile, companies like Boreham are betting that there’s still a market—albeit a small, wealthy one—for people who want their performance unfiltered. For £354,000, you could buy several contemporary supercars with more power and better 0-60 times. But you’d also get traction control, adaptive suspension, touch-screen infotainment, and a thousand points of computational abstraction between you and the road.

The Boreham Escort RS chooses a different path. It’s expensive, limited, and utterly uncompromising. And in 2025, that’s actually worth something.

Sources: Carscoops