Ford Escort Twin Cam (1968 – 1971) Review

Although the Cortina-Lotus Mk2 was still on the Ford price lists when the Escort Twin Cam was unveiled in 1968, it was effectively replaced - or rendered obsolete - by the young upstart.

The new car - the ‘Lotus’ name was only silently attached to the Escort Twin Cam - was for all intents and purposes, the Cortina-Lotus engine and running gear clothed in the svelte two-door Escort bodyshell. There was little in the way of external ornamentation, meaning this was one of the era's finest Q-cars. 

Available from the start of MkI production in 1968, the 1558cc-engined machine had a very usable 106bhp – more than double that of the standard Escort 1100 – and a GTI-matching maximum speed of 115mph, and a 0-60mph time of around 9.0 seconds. It was a homologation special, though, and a sometimes fragile one at that. Good luck finding one today.