Vehicle Description
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One of 24 Evolution variants built
Major Canepa mechanical restoration and upgrades totaling over
$212,000
Delivered new to California in left-hand drive
615 horsepower 2.1-liter turbocharged engine, 5-speed manual
transmission w/variable 4WD
Produced to meet FIA Group B racing homologation requirements
Conceived by Ford Motorsport and built in limited numbers, the
RS200 was among the most exclusive and exciting sports cars of its
era. Unveiled to the public in 1984, the new purpose-built Ford was
an engineering tour de force, with an advanced four-wheel drive
system, a turbocharged Cosworth engine, and a sophisticated
suspension system intended to cope with the punishing conditions of
rally racing. Not only was the RS200 a technical marvel, its
Ghia-designed bodywork was visually striking and, even in standard
street form, the car's performance was truly staggering. For many
years, The Guinness Book of Records listed the RS200 as the world's
fastest accelerating production automobile, achieving 0 to 60 mph
in less than 3.2 seconds and a 0-100-0 time of just 12.6
seconds.
The 1.8-liter RS200, and its full-out competition variant, the more
powerful 2.1-liter Evolution, marked Ford's attempt to conquer
FIA's popular Group B formula. Though the series was canceled
before Ford had a chance to fully develop the RS200's potential,
these extraordinary cars went on to achieve great success in
rallycross, ice racing, hill climbs, and many other forms of
motorsport.
Of the 146 RS200s sold - including the 24 Evolution variants -
chassis 106 might well be the finest example ever to leave the Ford
Motorsport works in Boreham, UK.
According to factory records, chassis 106 was custom-tailored to
the exacting standards of its first owner, Frank Profera of Sherman
Oaks, California. Intended for use as an exhilarating road car,
this RS200 was specified as a left-hand-drive Evolution model,
finished in white and outfitted with a fully trimmed interior,
Speedline split racing wheels, power steering, a suede-wrapped MOMO
steering wheel, and rally-spec AP Racing brakes. As indicated on
the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin, this bespoke RS200
developed 600 hp - nearly 100 hp more than a standard Evolution -
through the use of a ported Mk II head, larger turbocharger,
IMSA-spec intercooler, cockpit adjustable-boost dial, and 4" works
rally exhaust system. Completed and prepared for delivery to
California in spring 1989, this specially tuned RS200 commanded a
lofty retail price of £63,357.55 ($93,509.)
Amazingly, the RS200's initial performance was not enough to
satisfy Mr. Profera, who eventually sent the engine to Brian Hart
Limited in Essex, UK, for further tuning. Mr. Hart had overseen the
development of the RS200 Evolution engine for Ford Motorsport, and
his reputation for creating high-performance engines was well known
throughout the racing world. Working in tandem with East Coast
Racing, Mr. Hart designed a second ECU, with full mapping for
street use, along with other modifications for reliability and
strength. The result was an engine that produced 704 bhp at 8,000
rpm with 535 lbs./ft of torque at 5,550 rpm.
In a letter written by Bob Howe, a former vehicle development
manager who worked on the RS200 project with Ford Motorsport, he
testifies to chassis 106's revered status. "In my opinion the
changes Frank made turned this car into the most unique example of
the RS200 anywhere; certainly, I don't know of another which has
been boosted so much, made safer and legal for road use as well as
having been made 'civilized,'" Howe wrote.
Since leaving Mr. Profera's hands in 2003, the RS200 was owned and
maintained by prominent collectors including David Kedward, a noted
UK enthusiast with a passion for historically significant rally
cars.
In the care of the previous owner, chassis 106 was faithfully and
sympathetically restored. Autometric European & Exotics in Pontiac,
Michigan, refinished the RS200's exotic bodywork while Hall of Fame
Designs of Dearborn, Michigan, carefully re-trimmed the interior in
correct OEM materials. Once the cosmetic restoration was completed,
RM Motorsports of Wixom, Michigan, a firm specializing in Ford
racing cars, oversaw the final assembly process and meticulously
overhauled the car's chassis and mechanical components.
The EVO was later acquired by one of Canepa's long-time clients who
has one of the significant automotive collections in the United
States. Driving the Group B rally car seldomly, he kept it for a
few years before sending it to Canepa so that a new caretaker who
would continue to enjoy the car would be found. Naturally an
extremely rare car such as the RS200 EVO did not take long in
finding a new enthusiastic owner, but Canepa and this new owner had
big plans for the Ford.
The new owner had every intention to drive the Ford often and
wanted to ensure that it would drive in a manner that would allow
him to spend a significant amount of time in it on the road. It was
decided that while the RS200 EVO was a fantastic car it was much
like original Porsche 959s, with their original technology being
cutting-edge at the time that now was becoming outdated.
Undeterred, Canepa made the plan to continue to develop this RS200
EVO beyond what has been seen before, with the ultimate goal
ensuring that the drivability would be improved dramatically. Being
that the RS200 EVO was built as a race car for the street, greatly
improving the drivability without sacrificing performance would be
paramount. During the span of more than a year and a half,
countless components were designed, upgraded, and installed on this
Group B street car that resulted on the highest-developed RS200
Canepa has ever seen.
During this development, Canepa and its technicians looked
throughout the car to see what could be improved upon and began
making a comprehensive checklist. The RS200 EVO benefited from a
complete engine rebuild in-house with new camshafts to prepare for
the other upgraded components to support it. This included a new
Motec engine management system with a new wiring harness, a new
ignition system complete with CDI box, wires, and spark plugs,
modern turbocharger, new air filter housing inlet, new custom
exhaust system, new custom headers, and a new pressure plate and
release bearing. Other items were upgraded as well, with the brake
system receiving a noticeable amount of attention in the form of
Nikasil-coated brake caliper piston bores, and new cryo-treated
brake pads and rotors. A full service was also done of all usual
systems such as oil, transmission, coolant, etc. After completion
of the Canepa-upgraded RS200 EVO, the car was fully tuned on
Canepa's dyno that yielded an astounding 615 horsepower and 510
lb-ft of torque, with a greatly improved power and torque curve
that dramatically improved drivability. In all, the complete set of
upgrades designed and built for this RS200 EVO tallied a total of
over $212,000.
With the upgrades completed, the RS200 EVO was a true monster of a
road car but now more agile and livable on the street. With more
road-car manners but retaining its race-car performance, it lives
the best of both worlds for its owner. The happy owner took
delivery of the car after the upgrading at Canepa's facility,
citing its excellent driving dynamics and sheer amount of fun that
he could now have in it. After enjoying the EVO for a year and a
half, he decided that someone else should be able to enjoy the car
in the same way that he did.