1970 Ford GT70

You know the story of the GT40, the Le Mans winner and recent movie star, but have you heard of the prototype GT70? Maybe not if you’re from outside the UK.The idea was for Ford of Europe to replicate the success the GT40 program had on the track, but on the rally stage, following a string of wins for the Escort throughout the 1960s. The problem, and why the car might be so little-known, was that to qualify for rally competition according to FIA regulations, a car had to have a minimum production run of 500 homologated cars. The GT70 had six. It fell victim to circumstance; the WRC rules changed, production costs climbed, and the Escort continued to improve performance, making the GT70 an expensive “what if?”