The 1986 Ford RS200 is one of the most ballistic road cars to be spawned during the Group B rally era and a spectacular Evolution example is currently up for auction in the United States.
Approximately 140 examples of the RS200 were produced and of these, just 24 are Evolution variants. This particular car is chassis 070 and was ordered new alongside a trio of other RS200s by a Texas businessman. The car has been under the stewardship of the current owner for the past six months and is available in Charlotte, North Carolina with a clean Montana title.
Powering the RS200 Evolution is a 2.1-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces around 600 hp. This engine is mated to a five-speed manual transaxle that sends power to the ground through three viscous-coupling limited-slip differentials. The car is blisteringly quick in a straight line and capable of hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3 seconds flat, not bad considering it is almost 40 years old.
Ford built the RS200 to comply with Group B rally homologation requirements and the Evolution is the ultimate version. The car incorporates an aluminum honeycomb substructure with a stressed composite center tunnel, steel subframes, and an integrated steel roll cage. Helping to keep the weight down are fiberglass body panels and a simple interior with red cloth racing seats and five-point harnesses. The cabin also has a fire extinguisher, a Pioneer cassette player, and a special red shifter used to adjust the torque split.
Watch: Tim Allen Drops By Jay Leno’s Garage With His Super-Rare Ford RS200
Given how quick the RS200 Evolution is, one could excuse the previous owners of this example for driving it hard and frequently. However, the listing reveals it has just 370 miles (~600 km) on the clock and is likely one of the lowest-mileage RS200 Evolution models that will ever hit the market.
