Fast Fords : 50 years up close and personal with Fords finest

http://www.renaud-bray.com

http://www.renaud-bray.com

In over 50 years as a renowned motoring journalist and racing driver, Jeremy Walton has driven many, many hundreds of performance cars, but Fords have always been prominent among them and particularly close to his heart.He was on the scene when fast Fords arrived in the early sixties alongside the Blue Oval becoming serious about motorsport. He has tested almost every significant performance derivative ever since, many straight from Ford’s competitions department. From Cortinas to Capris, Escorts and Sierras, via the epic GT40s to extraordinary Transit Supervans and into the new Millennium with Mondeo, Focus and Fiesta, Walton was there. Populars and Anglias: the ‘Berpop’ club racing special; Harry Potter boosts Anglia’s global fame; future Grand Prix talent within Roger Williamson’s Anglia; World Champion Graham Hill’s speedy Goodwood endurance week. Cortinas in all their variety: from the ex-Jim Clark British Saloon Car Championship winner to the author’s later BRM-tuned Cortina Lotus, plus three Uren-modified Savage V6 legends. Ford GT40s: driving experiences of two factory-owned examples, a pair of modern tributes and a privately owned example in Gulf colours. Supervans: Ford’s three generations of ludicrously fast Transits, variously with GT40 and Cosworth V8 engines. Rear-drive Escorts: numerous competition versions, including internationally celebrated RS1600s raced by John Fitzpatrick and rallied by Timo Mäkinen. Capris in profusion: all generations tested and raced, including the unique story of a 3-litre driven by Royalty and a triple World Champion; tales from the British Touring Car Championship, infamous ‘celebrity’ events and Belgium’s classic Spa 24 Hours. Front-drive Escorts: more racing experiences, Princess Diana’s immensely valuable Escort RS, plus a trio of wild rides in 550bhp turbocharged four-wheel-drive rallycross versions, setting records for electronically timed 0–60mph sprints. Sierras of many shades: from XR4i and XR 4x4 to Cosworth and RS500, including extensive racing, plus a winning factory World Rally Championship RS and the inevitable stolen road-test Cosworth RS. Works Escort Cosworth and Mondeo: still testing Ford’s finest into the 1990s, including two generations of Focus RS and Fiesta ST. American hearts: experiences with V8 Mustangs, Falcons and Thunderbirds, including a thundering NASCAR ‘T-Bird’ track test. American hearts: experiences with V8 Mustangs, Falcons and Thunderbirds, including a thundering NASCAR ‘T-Bird’ track test. Presenting his extraordinary expertise and experience in his trade-mark colourful writing style, he puts the reader in the driving seat for a rollercoaster of exciting rides. Any enthusiast who has ever enjoyed a fast Ford will love this entertaining feast of nostalgia.