News C30

1976 Ford Escort sells for over £1/4 million

1976 Ford Escort sells for over £1/4 million

Sale price at Historics auction on 19th July was nigh on 100 times the value of the car when new.

An example of the Ford Escort, one of Britain’s most popular small family cars, has sold at auction for close to £279,000.

£2,990 plus tax would have bought a new Ford Escort RS1800 as it rolled off the Ford production line in 1976. What a contrast then at Historics’ classic car auction in Berkshire on Saturday 19th July, when the hammer came down to a cacophony of auction hall applause.

A frenzied bidding tussle over the 49-year-old car escalated the sale price well beyond one quarter of a million pounds, the £278,848 paid by the new owner close to 100 times the cost of the car when new.

After fulfilling its promotional duties as a second Ford press car in 1976 (the first media loan RS1800 was crashed beyond redemption), the Escort on sale by Historics passed into one-family ownership. That was true until it came to sale last Saturday, still bearing its original number plate, ‘ONO 804P’.

After travelling 25,000 road miles, it rested gently under cover in a farm barn for decades. However, this RS Ford was twice painstakingly and professionally restored, all with the accent on originality. In fact, it is probably in a far better condition than when it left Ford’s Essex low-profile side assembly line, nearly half a century earlier.

Astonished eyes at the sale price were not just in the auction hall. Award-winning author of multiple books on the Ford marque including the 2024 title ‘Fast Fords, Up Close and Personal’, and former Ford motor sports press officer Jeremy Walton commented: “I thought this showroom Escort would sell strongly as it is so rare, as most RS1800s were radically modified for motor sports. The company assembled little over 100 showroom examples, purely as a gesture to qualifying the model for an ultra-successful competition career.

Walton continued: “The Mk.II Escort RS1800 is an icon of Ford’s World Championship motorsport history, but this blistering sale result - most surely a world record for a 1976 Ford Escort - is a spectacular endorsement of how few unmodified public road examples of these Escorts remain. Certainly, far fewer original RS1800s survive than many exotic classics, bearing more prestigious badges.”

Stewart Banks of Historics Auctioneers added: “The atmosphere in the auction hall, on the phones and online was electric. After publicising the car far and wide, we had great expressions of pre-sale interest, and bidding on the car was intense - as was to be expected, as the Escort RS1800 was such a star of world rallying. However, nobody could have predicted such a stunning result.".

“On a broader footing”, he continued, “the sale price really underlines the continuing brio in the classic and collector car market and how exceptional cars will continue to be wonderful flag bearers, capable of attracting the gaze of new followers to enjoy great cars of the past.”

For further information and full sale results from Historics’ £3.6 million classic car auction, see www.historics.co.uk

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DBZ Centenary Collection Pair At Auction

The Monterey Jet Center auction returns as a two-day sale this coming August, and Broad Arrow Auctions has an outstanding lot on offer.
Up for auction on Thursday, 14 August 2025, will be this 2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary.

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary. Estimate: $3,500,000 - $4,500,000

1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation
Originally sold as a pair, created for Aston Martin's 2019 DBZ Centenary Collection
One of only 19 DBZ Centenary Collection pairs commemorating the 100th anniversary of Carrozzeria Zagato
A bespoke build, handcrafted at Aston Martin's Heritage Division in Newport Pagnell

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary. Estimate: $3,500,000 - $4,500,000

A left-hand drive example in Caribbean Pearl over Obsidian Black and Connolly Blue leather interior
Powered by a 4.7-liter straight-six producing 390 horsepower, four-speed gearbox, and limited-slip differential
An extraordinary opportunity to acquire the DB4 GT Zagato with 63 test and delivery miles at cataloging
Offered with a Florida title

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary. Estimate: $3,500,000 - $4,500,000

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato
Sold as a pairing created for Aston Martin's 2019 DBZ Centenary Collection
One of only 19 DBZ Centenary Collection pairs commemorating the 100th anniversary of Carrozzeria Zagato
Based on the DBS Superleggera and finished in Caribbean Pearl with a Dark Knight leather Monotone interior
Equipped with nearly £47,000 in optional extras that include an exposed Gloss Carbon Fiber “Double Bubble” Zagato Roof
Powered by an uprated 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 producing 760 horsepower
A sophisticated instant classic from Zagato's 60-year relationship with Aston Martin, with just 227 miles at cataloging

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary. Estimate: $3,500,000 - $4,500,000

Aston Martin and Carrozzeria Zagato
The relationship between Aston Martin and Carrozzeria Zagato began not as a romantic collaboration, but as a practical one. In 1960, Aston’s Race Department Manager, John Wyer, had transformed the DB4 into a lighter, shorter GT race car and saw room for improvement.

Enter Zagato and 23-year-old designer Ercole Spada, who crafted aerodynamic aluminum Superleggera coachwork for the DB4 GT, reducing weight and delivering one of the most beautiful GT racers ever. Debuting at the 1960 London Motor Show, the DB4 GT Zagato set the tone for a decades-long, occasionally polarizing but always desirable partnership between Aston Martin and Zagato.

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary. Estimate: $3,500,000 - $4,500,000

1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation
The DB4 GT Zagato was a stunning evolution of the standard DB4, combining beauty with racing performance. Powered by an uprated 3.7-liter straight-six making 314 hp, it competed in early 1960s GT racing against rivals like the Ferrari 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO. Only 19 were originally built, but nearly 60 years later, Aston Martin and Zagato revived the legend with 19 Continuation models to mark Zagato’s 100th anniversary.

Unveiled at the 2019 Audrain’s Newport Concours, the DBZ Centenary Collection paired each Continuation DB4 GT Zagato with a modern DBS GT Zagato, priced at £6.1 million per set. Each DB4 GT Zagato Continuation required 4,500 labor hours and was built by Aston Martin Works using period-correct craftsmanship with modern performance updates.

Chassis DB4/GT/0239/L was finished in Caribbean Pearl with a Connolly Blue and Obsidian Black leather interior, period gauges, and subtle modern touches like carbon seats and a roll cage. Its 4.7-liter engine produces 390 hp and 360 lb-ft, paired to a non-synchro four-speed gearbox and Borrani wheels. With only 63 test miles and a Florida title, it represents a rare, hand-built masterpiece capturing the essence of Aston Martin and Zagato’s enduring legacy.

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato and 1963 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Continuation: DBZ Centenary. Estimate: $3,500,000 - $4,500,000

2020 Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato
The 2020 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera was already a stunning achievement, 715 hp from a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12, 0–60 in 3.2 seconds, and a top speed of 211 mph. Yet, for the DBZ Centenary Collection, Zagato elevated it further with the DBS GT Zagato, limited to just 19 units.

The DBS GT Zagato features the signature double-bubble roof in carbon fiber, replacing the rear window with cameras. Unique design elements include bold rear haunches, a reimagined grille, and exclusive aluminum wheels. Power increases to 760 hp and 664 lb-ft, paired with an eight-speed ZF automatic.

Inside, the car debuts 3D-printed carbon and metal trim, reflecting a blend of tradition and innovation. Finished in optional Caribbean Pearl with a Dark Knight leather interior, it mirrors the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation. Notable features include exposed carbon details, custom wheels, and embossed headrests.

With just 227 miles, this DBS GT Zagato exemplifies the pinnacle of the Aston Martin–Zagato partnership—both modern and timeless, and a fitting tribute to 100 years of Zagato design.

At Classic Motors For Sale, we make it easy. For over 15 years, we've connected passionate collectors, dealers, and enthusiasts with a global audience of serious buyers.

Trust the platform that's been driving classic car connections worldwide since 2009.

I can be contacted at the details below:

Nick Aylieff, Owner & CEO, Classic Motors For Sale

+44 (0) 7453 354260 | Mobile +66 (0) 864 054 536 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.