1995 World Champion, Colin McRae, is still competing regularly in rallies, although his WRC days seem long gone.

These days, aside from irregular drives in Rally Raid events, McRae contests events in the UK in his pride and joy – a Mk 2 Escort that is, more than likely, the best Escort ever built.



McRae’s car is an ever evolving machine, but in a nutshell features a 330bhp Millington engine, independent rear suspension, a six-speed paddle-change gearbox and plenty of carbon fibre.

Not surprisingly, the car goes like sand off a shovel, as McRae explained recently after a run in the Manx Rally.

“It was still damp on Saturday morning, but the stages were drying. The best stage for me was Tholt-y-Will. It’s a very fast stage, mostly 5th and 6th gear, with only a couple of hairpins,” McRae said on his website.

“That meant we didn’t lose out as much to the 4WD machines. They really score on the twisty stages where exit speed from corners is much greater than a 2WD car. So we were only 1.2 seconds behind Kenny McKinstry in the WRC Impreza - the Escort was working well in there!

“If that was my best stage, Campbell’s (his co-driver) was possibly stage 12, although he got a bit nervous when I started looking for 7th gear. The Escort is geared for 139 mph in 6th and it was on the rev limiter at times, but it only has 6 gears - I could really have done with a 7th gear!” McRae said.

As you can see, it’s a fair piece of kit!

RallySport Magazine photographer, Mark Simpson, managed to get some fantastic technical shots of McRae’s mega Escort before the start. However, according to Mark, that wasn’t without its problems.

“I didn’t get any inside shots because Colin was messing about with his beloved in car camera for three hours (yes really!!),” Mark said.

“Everytime I went back to get the shots he was in the car messing with wires and getting typical Colin grumpy! Still, it was awesome to watch.”

Here then, are Mark’s shots of Colin McRae’s pride and joy. Enjoy!

COLIN McRAE'S ESCORT PHOTOS

SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY

RallySport Magazine Subscription
Select Subscription Level
Select Subscription Length
Recurring Subscription Cost
A subscription to RallySport Magazine give you access to all our rally content from Australia, New Zealand and around the world – with news, features and experiences nobody can match. Our team are dedicated to providing an unrivalled experience which shares, supports and promotes the sport of rallying.
Already have an account?

By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.

We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires. If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period. You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.

Account Details
Payment Information

By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.

We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires. If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period. You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.

Show Your Support

Author

Title