1973 Ford Escort AVO Mexico ShellSport

The Ford Escort was launched at the 1968 Brussels Motor Show. Acutely aware that the Lotus Cortina was at the end of its competition career, Ford's competition department had been developing a race and rally version of their new model throughout 1967 and had the 'Twin-Cam' ready and waiting as the standard road cars were released. One of the Escort's most memorable early competition wins was Hannu Mikkola's victory on the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup rally. To capitalise on this victory Ford created the limited edition, AVO built, Escort 'Mexico' in time for the 1971 season. It featured a specially strengthened shell and was fitted with 'Rallye Sport' (RS) suspension and brakes. Powered by a reliable and quick 1600cc 'Kent' engine, the model was given its own dedicated racing series known as the 'Mexico Challenge'.

The Managing Director of Brands Hatch, John Webb, organised a race in 1971 that saw Grand Prix drivers racing against their team managers in a fleet of Ford Escort Mexicos. The event was judged to be a great success and, in February 1973, Ford Motors loaned Brands Hatch twenty mechanically identical Mexicos. After sponsorship had been obtained from Shell and Avon Tyres, the cars were known as the ShellSPORT Mexicos, sported racing liveries and were used for pro-celebrity support races at the weekend and racing school duties during the week. Each ShellSPORT Mexico had a registration number starting with XNO, and it is believed that from the original twenty cars, only a handful now exist. Modifications to the cars were carried out at Ford's AVO facility in Aveley and were limited to the fitting of Britax three-point harnesses on both the standard low-back front seats, Bilstein shock absorbers, roll cage, battery cut-off and four-spoke RS alloy wheels.

XNO 275L, or car Number 3 as it is known, has a detailed history, and according to notes Number 3 competed in 22 race meetings, finishing in 21 of them and DNF in one due to a cracked exhaust manifold. As a pro-celebrity race series, the cars had notable racing drivers and personalities of the era behind the wheel. The racing drivers of Car Number 3 include Tony Trimmer and Tom Belso and the celebrities were, amongst others, Robin Knox-Johnson and Nicholas Parsons. It is believed that most of the cars that hadn't been destroyed by celebrities or over competitive Grand Prix drivers were destroyed by Ford at the end of the ShellSport series.

The car was bought by our vendor on the 15th December 1999 and, as a mechanic he undertook the restoration himself, using professionals when needed. We are informed that the car has its original shell, and period features, such as the locking gearbox in place of the steering lock removed for the race series. The car has covered some 13,000 miles since restoration and is presented to auction with a number of period magazines, receipts and invoices, a photograph album of the restoration and a fresh MOT.