Jonny Smith’s The Late Break Show has really taken off in the last year, and he has amassed over 233k subscribers at this time of writing. He covers everything from classic cars, modern EV’s, and new restomods. The latter subject comes close to the subject of his latest video, one of the best Late Brake Show episodes to date. He has gone to visit the MST HQ of Motorsport Tools to check out their all-new Ford EscortMk2 .
The legend of the Escort Mk2 in Europe is a bit like the AE86 Corolla on this side of the pond, as a simple light-weight rear drive compact that is easy to tune. But the Mk2 adds a rich rally history to the plate.
MST Catalog Provides Plenty Of Choice For Customizing Mk1 & Mk2 Escorts
MST is not embarking on restorations, or creating restomods, but rather building brand new cars, with a Mk2 badge in full tarmac rally spec. There are plenty of choices for the car as Jonny shows us the catalog, but the most interesting section relates to the bodywork. You can have it in rally spec from the Group 4 era, or in ultimate modern spec, and even the Mk1 Escort style is available. Jonny is actually driving the Mk2 Escort mule car, but it is very similar to what customers will get their hands on.
The MST Mk2 Escort Is A Real Drivers Car
Out on the road, it feels a very much like an Mk2 Escort. Shorter than a modern Fiesta, Jonny says its diminutive size makes it perfect for back roads and it lays the foundations for the future of drivers' cars. "Who needs a 200-mph supercar?" he says. The whole Motorsport Tools UK operation is based on the former farm of Carwyn Ellise, the managing director of the company and the barns became warehouse space.
Under the hood is a 2.5 liter Duratec engine producing around 200 hp. What makes these cars so iconic is the images of them being flung through rally stages in the ‘70s and ‘80s, which is why the Mk2’s, despite not being as visually distinctive as the Mk1, are so popular as driver's cars.
Mk1 Escort Prototype Is Also In The Works
The factory Jonny takes us around has the nearly completed Mk1 prototype from Motorsport tools, alongside a car that’s actually older, an ex-Marcus Gronholm WRC Ford Focus. Jonny asks what do you compare this car to? A Cayman GT4, maybe even an Alpine? He’s not sure. But it also doesn’t matter. It is a stunning example of what can be done, by putting the driver above everything else.
Source: YouTube