- Ford designers have revealed the RS2.00 concept, a homage to the Group B RS200 that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
- The designers worked up the initial sketches in their spare time, before gaining the approval of Ford design chiefs.
- Described as a “friendly monster” like the original Ghia-designed RS200, the RS2.00 features an interior inspired by gaming simulators.
A group of Ford designers, evidently fueled by a mix of nostalgia and their love of video games, have come together to create a concept that pays tribute to the legendary Group B RS200 on its 40th anniversary. Their labor of love? The RS2.00—a coupe that is part homage, part futuristic reimagining, and entirely aimed at making us question why this hasn’t happened sooner.
The RS2.00 was born out of a conversation with author Steve Saxty about cooking up a forward-looking concept inspired by the 1980s classic that could close out his latest book on Ford design. The team began work in their own time, pushing the project forward and refining the concept by stepping from simple sketches to a virtual 3D model, a clay model, and eventually gaining approval from Ford design chiefs to keep going.
Related: Ford MK1 Escort And RS200 To Be Resurrected By Boreham Motorworks
Ford’s original brief to Ghia was to avoid making the RS200 overly aggressive, and the current design collective stuck to that slightly unfashionable philosophy to create what they call a “friendly monster.”
The concept touches on every one of the 1984 car’s most recognizable styling cues, from the round headlights and bumper-mounted fog lights to the roof spoiler and a waistline that continues into the wraparound rear wing. But the RS2.00 manages to be more than a simple rip-off. It’s leaner, more muscular, and more supercar-like, a great design in its own right.
The approval the car gained from Ford’s design top brass doesn’t mean we’ll see the RS2.00 in full production any time soon. But don’t be surprised if it turns up in the polygonal world of your favorite driving sim in the next couple of years.
“Our goal for the RS2.00 concept was to carry forward the challenging spirit of the RS200 into an entirely new realm: video games,” the designers say, claiming that they hope the new concept could help educate gamers about Ford’s heritage.
Some of the designers are avid gamers themselves, and that influence shows itself many times over. The absence of A-pillars on the lift-up cockpit canopy means drivers get an uninterrupted view of the road ahead, just like when playing a racing game, and the active seats can filter or amplify the car’s movements.
The sole screen is located in the steering wheel, along with the car’s brain. The design team imagined that this could potentially be moved from car to car so the driver’s preferred setup traveled with him.
We’d love to rip around a virtual circuit or rally stage in the RS2.00, but we’d love even more to see it turned into a real car. That’s unlikely to happen at Ford, but maybe someone at Lotus is reading and crib some ideas. This would make an awesome new Elise. If, on the other hand, you prefer the idea of driving something closer to an original RS200, you need to check out Boreham Motorworks remastered RS200.
Thanks to Michaël Barthly, Senior Exterior Designer at Fords XLAB for sharing the project with us.
