Fast Fords - by Jeremy Walton (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

He was on the scene when fast Fords arrived in the early sixties alongside the Blue Oval becoming serious about motorsport. He has tested almost every significant performance derivative ever since, many straight from Ford's competitions department. From Cortinas to Capris, Escorts and Sierras, via the epic GT40s to extraordinary Transit Supervans and into the new Millennium with Mondeo, Focus and Fiesta, Walton was there.

• Populars and Anglias: the 'Berpop' club racing special; Harry Potter boosts Anglia's global fame; future Grand Prix talent within Roger Williamson's Anglia; World Champion Graham Hill's speedy Goodwood endurance week.
• Cortinas in all their variety: from the ex-Jim Clark British Saloon Car Championship winner to the author's later BRM-tuned Cortina Lotus, plus three Uren-modified Savage V6 legends.
• Ford GT40s: driving experiences of two factory-owned examples, a pair of modern tributes and a privately owned example in Gulf colours.
• Supervans: Ford's three generations of ludicrously fast Transits, variously with GT40 and Cosworth V8 engines.
• Rear-drive Escorts: numerous competition versions, including internationally celebrated RS1600s raced by John Fitzpatrick and rallied by Timo Mäkinen.
• Capris in profusion: all generations tested and raced, including the unique story of a 3-litre driven by Royalty and a triple World Champion; tales from the British Touring Car Championship, infamous 'celebrity' events and Belgium's classic Spa 24 Hours.
• Front-drive Escorts: more racing experiences, Princess Diana's immensely valuable Escort RS, plus a trio of wild rides in 550bhp turbocharged four-wheel-drive rallycross versions, setting records for electronically timed 0-60mph sprints.
• Sierras of many shades: from XR4i and XR 4x4 to Cosworth and RS500, including extensive racing, plus a winning factory World Rally Championship RS and the inevitable stolen road-test Cosworth RS.
• Works Escort Cosworth and Mondeo: still testing Ford's finest into the 1990s, including two generations of Focus RS and Fiesta ST.
• American hearts: experiences with V8 Mustangs, Falcons and Thunderbirds, including a thundering NASCAR 'T-Bird' track test.
• American hearts: experiences with V8 Mustangs, Falcons and Thunderbirds, including a thundering NASCAR 'T-Bird' track test.

About the Author

Jeremy Walton is an award-winning author of more than 30 motoring books and one racing-themed novel. His earlier Audi books (2003, 2004 and 2007) were regarded as benchmark works and were published in both English and German. He has worked for Motor Sport magazine and Ford Motor Company's competition and Advanced Vehicle Operations. Besides writing, his motoring activities have included TV advertising, automotive consultancy and race driving in touring cars. He lives in Wiltshire.