The RS1600 returned to the mainline in 2018 as part of the Hot Wheels 50 th Race Team set. There were 10 different castings in all, some of which came in multiple colours, including the Escort, which had both a regular release in matt French blue and a Super Treasure Hunt issue in a darker, spectraflame shade. As you’d expect, the Super is a real beauty –one of the very best of all the RS1600s. I was fortunate to get it in a trade.

The first STH item for 2024 is the Ford Escort RS2000! Fraser Campbell designed this casting, first appearing in the 2023 Retro Racers series. The First Edition release is the most beloved, with its mismatched wheels and simple livery. Mattel came up with three designs in 2023, and it was only a matter of time before a new one emerged. With such a long rally career behind it (and getting longer by the week), the livery and customizing possibilities for this model are pretty much endless, but we’re starting with a white-and-blue Ford scheme from Steve Vandervate that matches not only the other models in the set (’70 Escort Mk1 RS1600, C-800 transporter and Transit Supervan) but also the new Team Transports RS200, trailer and Rally Van combo. Mark also sent this shot of the Mk2 with Fraser Campbell’s Mk1, which is already one of my favourite Hot Wheels castings (see my earlier Collection Update article for the full rundown on this model). Detailed taillamps, eggshell blue, mid blue & navy blue stripes, "RS2000X" on sides, "HWS RS2K" license plate

The Escort made its bow as #221 in the 2015 mainline, in a blue-and-white scheme that we’ll see plenty more of in the listings to come. I’d have liked to see the white stripe extend right across the arches, but it still looks brilliant. What a start! I was probably the one who added the Escort as a model submission prior to when the movie license was even considered,” remembers Fraser. “When the project was started, I think the license deal for the movie was still in the works. Getting the Ford license was no big deal so first and foremost, the reference we used had to be from an RS1600 – just in case we couldn’t get the movie license. That explains some of the differences from the movie car. The two Gumball 3000 issues from 2019 are nicely done. I especially like the off-white version, which has a vintage rally look about it and would make a good basis for a custom rally car, if I had the time and talent! With the exception of the Super, I’ve been fortunate that all the Escorts issued so far have been relatively inexpensive to find. I’ll continue to hunt down future versions of the RS1600, too. The real cars were raced and rallied so extensively that there are still plenty of untapped ideas for future decos. I’m getting a little tired of the recent Gulf overload, but there was a real racing Escort in Gulf colours that would make a great model, for example. The distinctive Alan Mann racers in gold and red would look fantastic, too, as would one of Ford’s most famous rally machines, Hannu Mikkola’s London to Mexico World Cup Rally-winning car from 1970. How about it, Hot Wheels? The following year saw another premium release of the Escort, this time in the best of the Fast & Furious versions seen to date. It’s a special model, with great detail printed all around the car (including the correct London license plate at the rear, YLV 7J), fantastic weight from the metal base and some well-chosen Minilite-style wheels. All it needs (again) is a continuous white stripe!

Detailed taillamps, pale pink, red & maroon stripes, "RS2000X" & "RED" on sides, "HWS RS2K" license plate Our version of the Ford Series X rally vehicle. This Escort put Ford on the rally map with its customizable wheels, engine and other car parts! The Ford Escort is a small family car manufactured by Ford of Europe from 1968 to 2000. Frequently the best selling car in the United Kingdom, the Escort was also used for motorsports, especially rallying to great success. Many drivers such as Björn Waldegård, Hannu Mikkola and Ari Vatanen used Escorts and won numerous races with them.Fraser adds that the Escort may have been his first licensed car with chrome bumpers. “One of my favourite castings is the Matchbox 1972 Lotus Europa Special, which was created by Ryu Asada,” he explains. “He had a lovely method to get those thin bumpers so I used it on this.” Ryu himself adds that the Matchbox Lotus was a favourite project. “I had to fight hours or days to keep those chrome filler caps as separate parts,” he says. Here’s a look at the Europa and Escort together. If you tuned in to the Lamley IG Live last month with Hot Wheels designer Mark Jones (IG @designspeed744) then you’ll have seen the first pictures of the upcoming ’78 Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2. This model will be released in the Ford Car Culture Premium set later this summer. This pair brought a race-style deco to the RS1600 for the first time. Both Broadspeed and Zakspeed raced Castrol-sponsored RS1600s in the 1970s so the choice of Castrol here is spot on. The hood of the white car in particular is very close to an actual Broadspeed livery. You’ve seen this one before, right? Well, kind of. With its 5SP rims, it’s very similar to the debut release and has a lot in common with both the earlier, metallic Fast & Furious car and the Car Culture edition. Note that this one has tinted windows compared to the mainline debut’s clear ones and there’s no Hot Wheels logo ahead of the rear arches.