Transmission: 4 gears, Manual gearbox
Model year: 2021
Registration number: 05-BA-88

Unique is an often abused description for a car. It is rare that a car truly deserves this status. A special colour or low mileage does not automatically qualify a particular car. That is unless it just happens to be a car that at the time was unlikely to remain in exceptional shape with a low mileage, like this 1973 Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico. The Mexico was a special edition of the Mk1 Ford Escort to celebrate Ford’s successes in the London to Mexico rally. Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm won the 1970 edition of this exacting rally. The Ford marketing department saw a golden opportunity to turn this rallying success into a nice profit in the showroom. Using a special edition of the Ford Escort was the way. Involvement of Ford’s racing department was used in developing the Mexico. Looking at the long list of accessories and choices that came with its introduction, it was no surprise that the Mexico was an enormous sales success. The Mexico had a 1600 cc 4-cylinder engine with a single overhead cam producing 86 Hp. In todays money that may not seem impressive, but with its close-ratio gearbox and a curb eight of just 850 kg, the Mexico was able to achieve very respectable performance. According to todays standards this performance is still good. You can just imagine how it was received in the 70’s! Let us now reflect on the various guises that were available at the time. It would be utterly unthinkable that a current family car manufacturer would allow a buyer the option to spec up a car to be immediately ready for the rally track. Yet that is exactly what Ford did with the Mexico. It is therefore no surprise that many buyers choose the Mexico for rallying. You only needed to add a few flourishes to qualify for a competition. Ford sold over 10,000 Mexico's. You may think that this means that it is not really a rare classic. Nothing could be further from the truth! The first Mexico's used for rallying were usually scrapped before the end of the first season. If not in their first year then certainly the following year. Many of the Ford Escort Mexico's died in harness. The were literally thrashed to death by their owners. The story of our lovely “Olympic Blue” Ford Escort Mexico is however completely the opposite. It has only had two owners over the last 47 years and clocked up just over 1,000 km per year on average. This Ford Escort Mexico has an incredibly low mileage of less than 58,000 km! Besides this low mileage, this Ford Escort Mexico’s overall condition is incomparable. The only way for a 47 year old car to keep its looks is by very good care and keeping her garaged, which is exactly what has happened here. Good condition and low mileage are not the only criteria to make this car unique. We need to appreciate the car’s full history and overall shape. This Ford Escort Mexico is presented in excellent original unrestored condition. It is literally one of a kind. We are sure that it would be quite a challenge to find one in this kind of condition, probably impossible! So let’s have a look at some naked facts and figures. In total 200 Mexico's were supplied in Olympic Blue by the factory. Of these 200, 3 ended up in the Netherlands of which this is the only survivor. This Ford Escort Mexico Mk1 has a perfect configuration. As stated earlier, the ways the Mexico could be configured were almost infinite. In short Ford allowed one the option of building your road worthy dream rally Mexico or a sporty version with all mod cons for use on the main roads and anything in between these extremes. Our Mexico is the happy medium. This car is fully carpeted but also has bucket seats, a deep dish 3-spoke steering wheels, Cibie spots and magnesium Minilite wheels. Perfection? Your decision! The main reason for the Mexico's sales success was Ford’s decision to fit the simple, quirky but powerful 1600 cc 4-cylinder. The purchase price remained therefor relatively low, whilst delivering attractive performance. Looking at the original bill of sales amongst the very extensive documentation, the low purchase price was no gamble. In todays money the car cost a ridiculous low 11,580 Dutch guilders. The first owner used the Dutch Sittard based Auto Könings to order his car. On the 2nd August 1973 the moment was finally there for him to collect his new pride and joy. Looking at the car today it is as if the car used a time-machine to get to 2020 rather than the conventional road. A proper time capsule. The bodywork is in fine original condition with lovely thin and correctly aligned body panels. The mainly original paintwork is well maintained with only minor signs of use. Underneath the Escort everything is in exceptional original condition, free from any rust. The original interior is very neatly preserved. It is lovely to see such simple design, the like of which is now no longer simply possible. Mechanically this Escort is in perfect shape. Thanks to the low mileage and excellent maintenance the engine has never needed to be overhauled. The engine runs perfectly smooth. The transmission is supple and as sure-footed as expected from a car of this caliber. The suspension, brakes, steering mechanism all underpin the car’s exceptional state and is a testament to the good care and attention lavished by its two previous owners. By now you must have realised that this is a very special car. Impossible to find and originality can not be bought! Except upto now that is, so do not delay! Gallery Aaldering is Europe’s leading Classic Cars specialist since 1975! Always 400 Classic and Sportscars in stock, please visit www.gallery-aaldering.com for the current stock list (all offered cars are available in our showroom) and further information. We are located near the German border, 95 km from Düsseldorf and 90 km from Amsterdam. So easy traveling by plane, train, taxi and car. Transport and worldwide shipping can be arranged. No duties/import costs within Europe. We buy, sell and provide consignment sales (selling on behalf of the owner). We can arrange/provide registration/papers for our German (H-Kennzeichen, TÜV, Fahrzeugbrief, Wertgutachten usw.) and Benelux customers. Gallery Aaldering, Arnhemsestraat 47, 6971 AP Brummen, The Netherlands. Tel: 0031-575-564055. Quality, experience and transparency is what sets us apart. We look forward to welcoming you in our showroom