Ford
RS200 Evolution

Why it matters

The RS200 Evolution was the most powerful factory development of Ford's Group B RS200, with a 2,137 cc version of the Cosworth BDT engine tuned to 600 bhp. Only 24 were built, 20 initially set aside for conversion and four more later, and RM Sotheby's notes it was recognised by Guinness as the fastest-accelerating car in the world.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Ford designed the RS200 in 1984 to meet Group B rules requiring at least 200 road cars, with Filippo Sapino of Ghia styling the body and Tony Southgate and former F1 engineer John Wheeler designing the chassis. The mid-mounted Cosworth engine drove all four wheels via a front-mounted gearbox. Twenty cars were initially earmarked for Evolution conversion, with the larger 2.1-litre engine plus uprated suspension and brakes, and four more followed; RM quotes 0–60 mph in just over three seconds.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Evolution cars have the 2,137 cc BDT-E engine instead of the standard 1,803 cc unit, together with uprated suspension and brakes; interior trim (Tickford-trimmed cabin, red Sparco seats, red leather XR3i steering wheel) is shared with standard RS200s and does not identify an Evolution on its own.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   1985 Ford RS200 Evolution | RM Sotheby's Level B

   • 24 20 initially plus four later

   Accessed 2026-11-11
2. 2
   c.1986 Ford RS200 Evolution Group B Rally Coupe (lot 128) Level C Bonhams · 2017-12-02

   • Developed (around a new, thicker-walled cylinder block) by British engineer, Brian Hart
   • Guinness World Record 0-60mph time of 3.07 seconds

   Accessed 2026-11-12
3. 3
   1986 Ford RS200 Evolution - 12 Miles From New (lot 199) Level C Iconic Auctioneers · 2023-11-11

   • larger 2.1-litre version of the BDT, known as the BDT-E

   Accessed 2026-11-12
4. 4
   1986 Ford RS200 Evolution (lot 54) Level C Gooding & Company · 2015-08-01

   • 2,137 CC DOHC Inline Cosworth BDT-E 4-Cylinder Engine
   • Inline Cosworth BDT-E 4-Cylinder
   • DOHC Inline Cosworth BDT-E
   • Bosch Electronic Fuel Injection
   • Single Turbocharger with Air-to-Air Intercooler
   • 5-Speed Manual Gearbox
   • Independent Front and Rear Suspension with Double A-Arms and Twin Coil-Over Shocks
   • 4-Wheel Ventilated AP Racing Hydraulic Disc Brakes

   Accessed 2026-11-12
5. 5
   1985 Ford RS200 Evolution – Amelia Island 2016 Level B RM Sotheby's

   • 2,137 cc DOHC 16-valve turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine
   • Upgraded by the factory to 600 brake horsepower
   • five-speed manual (paraphrase)

   Accessed 2026-11-11
6. 6
   1986 Ford RS200 Evolution (lot R0141) Level C RM Sotheby's · 2023-08-01

   • front-mounted five-speed transaxle distributing power to all four wheels
   • 0-60 mph time of just 3.07 seconds

   Accessed 2026-11-12