Ford RS200

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ford
Ford RS200.jpg
RS200
Production period: 1983-1986
Class : race car
Body versions : Coupe
Engines: Petrol engines :
1.8 liters
(176-279 kW)
Length: 4000 mm
Width: 1752 mm
Height: 1345 mm
Wheelbase : 2530 mm
Empty weight : 1050 kg
Previous model Development base RS1700T

The Ford RS200 is a two-seater sports coupe from the European branch of Ford Motor Company .

General

The Ford RS200 was designed exclusively for use in rally sport , more precisely in the then Group B , and therefore had the typical peculiarities such as an all-wheel drive and a mid-engine . Only a series of 200 vehicles had to be produced for homologation in Group B, which led several manufacturers to develop pure “racing machines”, the so-called “Group B monsters”.

The RS200 was developed from 1983 after the project RS1700T (with rear-wheel drive) based on the Escort of the third series was prematurely canceled by Ford due to feared failure. By 1985, the parts for all 200 vehicles required had been produced, but presumably only 140 to 146 cars were completed. Also because some of the vehicles that were not yet completely finished were later dismantled into their individual parts for required spare parts. In addition, some test vehicles were scrapped by Ford itself. Nowadays around 140 Ford RS200s are known, which are known as genuine (English for authentic) because they were completed by Ford or on behalf of Ford. In addition, there are so-called Bitsa cars ( bits = English for [spare] parts), which were subsequently created from original parts with Ford serial numbers.

The name originates from the abbreviation for R ALLY S port and the need for homologation numbers. The six prototypes of the RS200, like the remaining 194 series cars, were built at Reliant in Shonstone . The car was delivered as a street and rally version.

The RS200 had a list price of 49,950  pounds sterling (around 92,500 DM (47,300 euros), according to today's value 88,100 euros) and was delivered with various extras. The RS200 remains - together with the Sierra RS500 Cosworth and the Focus RS500 - one of the rarest vehicles from Ford's RS series. Therefore, vehicles of this type have an estimated value of over 150,000 euros today.

technology

engine

The DOHC -Vierzylindermotor of RS200 with 16 valves and turbocharging was 1970 by Cosworth as BDA ( B elt d riven A -Series) developed. For the Kent engine , Cosworth developed a four-valve cylinder head with two belt-driven overhead camshafts. The cylinder head was very similar to the heads of the Cosworth DFV engine used in Formula 1 .

The Cosworth BDT engine of the RS200 has a bore of 86 mm and a stroke of 77.62 mm, resulting in a displacement of around 1.8 liters. The engine block is essentially based on that of the RS1700T, but it has dry sump lubrication and improved water and fuel pumps. The exhaust manifold is a welded part made from heat-resistant steel pipes.

The vehicle's turbocharger came from Garrett and was an evolution of the T03 and T04 models. The boost pressure was increased to 1.2 bar for racing. With a reduced compression ratio of 7.8: 1, at least theoretically 279 kW (374 hp) of power could be achieved.

Later another 20 units of the RS200 were homologated with so-called Evolution-2 engines (2137 cm 3 displacement), which had been developed by the Briton Brian Hart , were used almost exclusively in rallycross and had a maximum output of over 485 kW (650 PS) were attested.

Transmission and translation

Ford RS200 engine - Flickr - andrewbasterfield.jpg

The vehicle has three self-locking differentials of Ferguson to drive to the four wheels. One was installed as a center differential near the five-speed gearbox, the other two were attached to the axles. The center differential distributed 37% of the power on a non-slip surface to the front axle and 63% to the rear axle. In vehicles prepared for rally sport, the center differential can be completely locked using a hand lever in the cockpit, in order to make the power distribution dependent on the grip of the wheels on smooth surfaces.

The 16-inch wheels are made of aluminum and were fitted with the first Pirelli tires of the specification P700 225/50 VR 16.

Suspension and brakes

The brakes were internally ventilated disc brakes with a diameter of 285 mm and aluminum calipers with four pistons. There was no brake booster. The wheels were suspended from wide wishbones with double dampers, which were prepared for double coil springs, although only single springs were used. The rack and pinion steering was derived from that of the Ford Sierra.

Body and interior

The RS200 was produced as a left-hand and right-hand drive.

The body was developed by the Italian design office Ghia in collaboration with the Ford Motorsport department in Boreham (Essex) and built by Reliant.

The outer shape was completely redesigned. A lattice frame served as the chassis , the shell was made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic . The headlining and door frames were made of plastic reinforced with a mixture of glass, carbon and aramid fibers. To save weight, PMMA was used for the side and rear windows.

Since the regulations of Group B mandated the derivation of the body from a production car and required that the windshield, roof area between A and B-pillars and the doors in shape and material had to come from a production model, these parts were used by the Sierra . The material could be freely chosen within the framework of evolution models, which is why the latter were later converted to a new construction made of fiber composites.

The double-walled aluminum fuel tank was behind the seats.

The street version contained Sparco seats in either red or black and a leather-covered XR3i steering wheel. It was also provided with floor mats and door panels, and less powerful engines that lasted a little longer were installed. Parts of the dashboard, in particular switches and air vents, were taken over from the Ford Fiesta '84 , the design was also based on the instrument panels of the Escort and Sierra from the 1980s. The road version was only available in the colors white and blue and both right and left-hand drive.

Motorsport

Ford RS200 E2 with more than 475 kW (646 hp) in the Rallycross -Use

The RS200 made its debut in the World Rally Championship in 1984 and found at least equal opponents with the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 , the Lancia Delta S4 , the ARG MG Metro 6R4 and the Audi Sport quattro S1 . As part of Group B, ever more powerful engines were possible for the vehicles, with outputs of up to 378 kW (500 PS). The arms race for the leading position in this group motivated even Ferrari to try a fresh start in rallying with the GTO .

But the high speeds made the sport far more dangerous than before. A number of serious fatal accidents occurred in 1985 and 1986. The RS200 was also affected when the Portuguese Joaquím Santos got off the track in his car at the 1986 Rally Portugal . This accident killed three spectators and injured another 33. The Swiss Formula 1 driver Marc Surer also had a serious accident with a Ford RS200 in 1986 at the Hessen Rally in Germany, in which his co-driver Michel Wyder was killed. As Lancia driver Henri Toivonen and his co-driver Sergio Cresto had an accident at the Corsica Rally of the same year and were burned in the flames of their Lancia Delta S4, the FIA decided at the end of the 1986 season, in the World Rally Championship, the Group B vehicles to disallow. This was the end of the RS200 and its competitors. The best result of an RS200 was the third place of the Swede Karl-Erik Grundel at the Rally Sweden 1986.

From 1987, attention was focused on the vehicles of the new Group A, the homologation of which requires 5000 series vehicles. As a result, all manufacturers were forced to derive rally vehicles from series models built in larger numbers.

However, the RS200 continued to be used in other motor sports and, in particular in the European Rallycross Championship, it helped racing drivers achieve further successes from the beginning of 1987 to the end of 1992. In recent years the vehicles have rarely been used in sports, mainly in hill climbs (such as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb ) or in national rallycross races in Great Britain and Ireland .

Technical specifications

Ford RS200 - street version
drive
Design type: R4
Mounting position: lengthways, mid-engine
Valves per cylinder: 4th
Displacement: 1803 cc
Power: Street version: 184 kW (250 PS)
at: 6500 min −1
Torque: 292 Nm
at: 4500 min −1
Power to weight ratio: 4.4 kg / hp
Particularities: Dry sump lubrication, oil cooler, electronic fuel injection, Garrett exhaust gas turbocharger, boost pressure 0.8 bar (rally version 1.2 bar), electronic Bosch engine control
Power transmission
Drive: Rear or all-wheel drive
Transmission: Five-speed
landing gear
Front back: lower and upper triangular wishbones, coil springs (height adjustable), adjustable cornering stabilizers, telescopic dampers, stabilizers
Brakes
Front back: Discs, internally ventilated
tires
Front back: 225/50/16
Readings
0-100 km / h: approx. 5.0 s
V max : 237 km / h
particularities
Specialty: The RS 200 is a high-performance sports car that was specially developed for rallying, only the windshield and doors come from the Ford Sierra.
Price: around 150,000 euros

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The figure was based on the template: Inflation was determined, has been rounded to a full 100 euros and refers to the previous calendar year at most
  2. ↑ https://www.aronline.co.uk/the-converters/tickford/tickfords-ford-rs200-road-car-production/

Web links

Commons : Ford RS200  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files