Ford Escort Mk2 (1975 – 1980) Review

Ford Escort Mk2 (1975 – 1980) At A Glance

Sharp styling, simple mechanics, sweet steering and gearbox

Two-door ones exceedingly rare as they were a good supply of rally shells

In the mid-1970s, Ford set about sharpening its act. Not in a marketing sense - because it had been impeccable since at least the end of the 1960s - but visually. Just as the Capri received its straight-edged new styling, so did the Escort, to become the Mk2.

Codenamed Brenda during development, the 1975 Escort Mk2 gained a number of new variations and trim options as well new styling. Although little more than a facelift of the old Coke bottle car, the '75 Escort was considered new in the eyes of most of its customers, and ended up sitting atop its sector in the UK sales charts during its production run. It did well in Europe, too, selling almost a million in five years.

Underneath the boxy body, everything was much the same as the Mk1 model, but the addition of the 1599cc 'Kent' engine at the top of the range created the appeal six-pack dial Escort 1.6 Ghia. The existing 1098cc and 1298cc engines continued as they were.

Ask Honest John

What is my Ford Escort MK2 RS2000 Custom worth?

"I have a 1980 MK2 Ford Escort RS 2000 Custom and have owned it from new, it has 60,000 miles on the clock. It has been parked up outside for a considerable number of years and is in need of a new body shell but the interior is in not a bad condition. I was going to sell it to someone who might want to restore it but I am unsure of how much to ask for it. Could you advise me please?"

It is difficult to value a classic car, particularly one that requires some work, as it can largely come down to what someone is prepared to pay for it and also what the current demand is. We would suggest looking for similar examples for sale as a guide to current market prices, and you can search for classics for sale on our Honest John Classics page here: https://classics.honestjohn.co.uk/classic-cars-for-sale/