ford - Streetwell

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth shouldn’t need an introduction. If, like me, you’ve been obsessed with cars for as long as you can remember, this rally-bred legend has, at some point, held a firm spot in your top three must-own cars. Fast forward to 2025, and prices are only heading in one direction—up. A well-kept example will now set you back a cool €80,000. Those who got in before the hype? Sitting pretty.

But here’s the thing some people don’t care about the skyrocketing values. Some people just want to build their perfect version of an all-time great. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of passion I respect.

Enter Árpád Lakatos of RS-Tuning in Hungary. In his eyes, he’s created the ultimate Escort RS Cosworth. And looking at the result, it’s hard to argue. The first thing that grabs you is the stance—the car sits impossibly low, thanks to a fully custom-built airride setup. No off-the-shelf system exists for this car, so Árpád and his team had to develop their own, opting for a Grinds air management system to control it all.

In today’s automotive world, project cars are the bread and butter of many YouTube channels. But not all of them are created equal. Because this Zakspeed inspired Ford Capri Mk3 is something special. 3 years ago the team at Holyhall saw potential in an old, rusty red Ford Capri Mk3. Their goal was to transform it into a Zakspeed look-alike race car, reminiscent of those that raced across European circuits in the early ’80s. Thankfully for us, they succeeded in turning that vision into a reality, which I first witnessed live at the Essen Motor Show in 2023.

The foundation of this masterpiece is a Ford Capri Mk3, though only the doors and roof remain original. The rest of the car is built on a custom-made tube frame chassis, constructed not from CAD drawings but from photographs of the original Zakspeed race cars. This achievement alone is remarkable, but the work didn’t stop there.

Attached to the tube frame chassis is a custom suspension. Through the rear window, you can catch a glimpse of the pushrod rear suspension, featuring components from H&R Suspension. H&R provided a bespoke set specifically for this car, with spring rates and shock absorber characteristics individually matched to the new vehicle weight of 1300 kg.

Tag: ford

The Ultimate Ford Escort Cosworth by RS-Tuning

Holyhall’s Zakspeed inspired Ford Capri Mk3