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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The Ford RS200 Evolution was the late, 2.1-litre sporting development of Ford’s purpose-built Group B rally car. Its timing shaped its story: the FIA validated the Sporting Evolution on 1 December 1986, after it had banned Group B cars from rallying, so the revised RS200 found its competition role chiefly in European rallycross. Its power depends on which version you mean: the FIA lists 250 hp for the road car and 420+ hp for the 1986 racing version, while a near-600-bhp Evolution figure is a secondary-source estimate, not an official rating.
What is a Ford RS200 Evolution?
The RS200 was designed specifically to meet the demands of Group B competition, not adapted from a production Ford. Its layout put the engine amidships, drove all four wheels and placed the gearbox at the front. The FIA Historic Database records the RS200 under Group B homologation number 280 and describes a two-seat coupe with a bespoke chassis.
According to the FIA, Formula One designer Tony Southgate and engineer John Wheeler developed the chassis concept. It used an aluminium honeycomb lower structure and alloy subframes, with twin-wishbone suspension and twin dampers at each corner. Cosworth supplied the turbocharged BDT engine; Ghia designed the composite and carbonglass bodywork, and Reliant assembled the cars. The FIA explains that “200” referred to the number of road-legal cars theoretically needed for homologation.
How much power does a Ford RS200 have?
There is no single useful horsepower figure for every RS200. The road car, the 1986 competition version and the later 2.1-litre Sporting Evolution are distinct configurations, and the available figures do not have equal certainty.
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| Configuration | Engine or change | Power | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road RS200 | 1.8-litre Cosworth BDT | 250 hp at 6,500 rpm; 215 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm | Figures listed by the FIA Historic Database for the road version. |
| 1986 racing version | Competition specification | 420+ hp | Output described by the FIA; this is not the road-car figure. |
| Sporting Evolution | 2.1 litres; increased cylinder capacity | Near 600 bhp, reported estimate | Evo says close to 600 bhp was mooted depending on boost, while noting no official power figure was quoted. Treat this as an estimate, not a verified factory rating. |
The FIA Historic Database is the source for the road and 1986 competition figures and the Evolution’s displacement. The near-600-bhp claim comes from Evo and should not be substituted for an official specification.
Was the RS200 Evolution used in Group B rallying?
No: the key point is that the FIA validated the 2.1-litre Sporting Evolution on 1 December 1986, after Group B had been banned from rallying. The revised car therefore arrived too late for Group B World Rally Championship use. The FIA says Group B cars remained permitted in the European Rallycross Championship through 1992, where the Evolution was widely used.
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The RS200’s earlier rally career was brief. The FIA says it first appeared publicly in road-going form at the 1984 Belfast Motor Show and first took part officially in the FIA World Championship at the January 1986 Monte-Carlo Rally. Evo adds that the RS200 took third at the 1986 Swedish Rally. That result belongs to the car’s WRC-era story, before the later Evolution’s rallycross role.
How many RS200 Evolution cars were made?
Evo reports 20 road-use Evolution conversions, describing them as conversions from stock road cars after the rally category ended. That is a secondary-source account of conversions, not a definitive FIA count or a verified individual-car build list. It should not be taken to establish the provenance or build date of a particular RS200; the title “1986” alone does not prove when an individual car was built or converted.
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Where to read more about the RS200
For a dedicated history, Graham Robson’s RS200 – Ford’s Group B Rally Legend is a 160-page hardcover published by Herridge & Sons and distributed by Simon & Schuster. The publisher page lists Amazon among retailer options; availability can change. It is a history book, not a workshop manual.
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