The RS200 was born in the era of 'Group B' rallying, undeniably the most extreme period in rally history with all competing manufacturers turning every dial 'up to 11'.

The power was immense, the courses dangerous and no matter how high the level of a driver's skill, it was always outmatched by the sheer bravery required to pilot these machines at full chat.

Whilst Ford's competitors developed their rally cars from suitable models in their road car range - Lancia with their S4 Integrale, Audi with the S1 Quattro and Peugeot with their T16 205 - Ford took a more extreme route, building a competitive rally car and then using it as the basis for a well engineered, road-legal version, purely to tick the homologation boxes.

The new car featured a Cosworth-developed 1,803cc four-cylinder twin-cam 16V BDT fitted with a Garett T03/04 turbocharger mounted behind the driver, an advanced/switchable four-wheel drive system, a lightweight composite body (designed by Ghia) and a chassis, built a...