In an industry full of high-end restomod projects, Boreham Motorworks has turned its attention to something a little more humble. The brand teamed up with Ford to pelt the first-generation Escort into the 21st century with updated styling inside and out, a lot more power, and an old-school analogue feel.
Boreham prefers to call its born-again Escort a Continuemod rather than a restomod, and it might be on to something. While many restomods start with a donor car, its Escort is built from scratch like, say, a new 2025 Mustang. Ford provided period blueprints of the original car and, crucially, gave the project its blessing. It even approved the chassis numbers that Boreham will assign to each new Escort it builds.
Starting with a blank slate allowed Boreham to make structural improvements to the shell, though it notes that it went to significant lengths to replicate every curve, line, and angle on the original car. You don’t need to be a seasoned Ford-ologist to tell that the styling has been updated, however. The front end has new-look LED headlights and gains a pair of cooling slots, while the back end gets new lights as well.
Carbon fibre parts, including the bonnet and the boot lid, help keep the Escort’s weight down to roughly 799 kilograms, with a 55:45 distribution. That’s about 270kg less than a new Mazda MX-5.
The interior also looks like a well-balanced blend of old and new. Boreham fitted heated sport seats, a full roll cage, and an Alcantara-upholstered carbon dashboard. The driver faces a re-imagined version of the original Escort’s instrument cluster (there’s no screen in sight!) as well as an attractive three-spoke steering wheel. Air conditioning is standard, while the list of options includes four-point harnesses and helmet storage bins.
Buyers will have two engines to choose from. First is a 1.8-litre twin-cam four-cylinder rated at about 185bhp thanks to fuel injection. It’s linked to a four-speed manual transmission, and of course it spins the rear wheels. Alternatively, there’s a 2.1-litre four-cylinder that makes around 300bhp and spins to 10,000rpm. It features forged steel connecting rods, a billet crankshaft, and electronic throttle control, and it exhales through a titanium exhaust system. It’s linked to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Production is limited to 150 units. Pricing information hasn’t been announced but don’t let the Escort’s working-class roots fool you; nothing suggests the modernised version will be cheap. The brand claims it’s “taking applications” for a build slot, so it seemingly expects demand to exceed supply by a wide margin.
And, don’t worry if you prefer the second-generation Escort. You’re covered there, too.
