Ford Escort RS2000 Turned into a Time Capsule Due to Fear of Theft (17 photos)

A surviving example of a two-door Ford Escort RS2000 with just 17,000 miles (27,300 km) on the clock has been spotted for sale in the UK. Escort time capsules are nothing new. However, this particular example has an interesting history. The 1979 car spent 36 years locked in a garage not because its owner dreamed of future collectible value, but simply because he was afraid of theft.





It is alleged that in the early 1980s, the owner of an Escort RS2000 noticed three suspicious men near his two-door car, who were scared off by the people approaching the car. However, they allegedly continued to follow the Ford even when the owner drove it home. It is specified that the motorist managed to shake off the pursuers, after which the Escort was hidden in the garage. The forgotten Ford was discovered only in 2021.

The car is in exceptional condition both inside and out, and even has the original Pirelli Cinturato CN36 tires on 13-inch RS Mexico steel wheels.

The RS2000 is powered by a 100-horsepower, 2-liter naturally aspirated engine paired with a 4-speed manual. In the early 1980s, this combination could accelerate the Escort to 100 km/h in just under 9 seconds.

The dealership selling the car plans to sell it for about $121,000, which is quite a lot for an Escort of that era.