This 1986 Ford RS200 Evolution Is a Pristine Group B Homologation Rarity
It’s currently listed on Bring a Trailer with a bid of $270,000 USD — and there are still 11 days left.
FIA Group B homologation rules dictate that 200 road-going versions of any rally racing cars must be built for general use, and back in the 1980s this rule resulted in the production of some of the world’s most loved and sought-after cars. Now, Bring a Trailer harnesses the raw power of these homologation cars in the form of a 1986 Ford RS200 Evolution, which sees the super-rare car hit the auction block.
Out of the 200 Ford RS200s built, only 24 were converted to Evolution spec. This meant an exterior that was almost near-rally spec, an interior that was relatively stripped out but trimmed in more user-friendly fabrics, and a Cosworth-developed engine that was, essentially, good to make this a rally car for the road.
In typical Ford RS200 Evo fashion, this model is finished in white over a gray fabric interior and features a turbocharged 2.1-liter inline-four that produces around 600 HP. While the top speed may only show up to 240 km/h (150 MPH) on the speedometer, the car was — for a very long time — the Guinness World Record holder for the “fastest accelerating car in the world,” hitting 60 MPH in just over three seconds.
This low-milage example shows just 500 miles on the mechanical odometer, meaning it’s barely been driven over the last 35 years. As a result, power output should be potent, while elements such as the five-speed manual transmission with straight-cut gears and all three of the limited-slip differentials should be working perfectly. Elsewhere, we find 16” Speedline multi-piece wheels, Hella front fog lamps, and fixed-back bucket seats, as well as rally-spec four-wheel disc brakes and a double-wishbone suspension with dual shock absorbers at all four corners.
Altogether, the Ford RS200 Evolution is one of the best-homologated rally cars to come out of the ’80s. Because of this and the car’s rarity, don’t expect to pay anything under a few hundred thousand dollars for an example as clean as this. Back in 2019, a similar model was listed on RM Sotheby’s between $500,000 USD and $700,000 USD, while as of writing, this version seen above is currently sitting at $270,000 USD on Bring a Trailer’s listing with 11 days still to go.
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