Forgive me for sounding a little over-excited, even self-indulgent, but we don’t talk about Ford Escorts in Magneto nearly enough. I’d almost forgotten how much I like them. And then this came along; the Boreham Motorworks Alan Mann 68 Edition, a Ford-sanctioned ‘Continuation’ copy of the 1968 British Saloon Car Championship-winning Ford Escort XOO 349F driven in 1968 and ’69 by Australian Frank Gardner.
When I was in my teens, most of my friends opted for Minis, air-cooled VWs or motorbikes – save for Dave and his Peugeot Challenge rally car. I bought a Mk2 Escort, and swiftly dived deep down a rabbit hole of Twins Cams, RS1600s, Mexicos, RS2000s and the like, although all I could afford was a twin-choke Weber and dodgy ‘performance’ exhaust on my 1300L. Which I promptly rolled while attempting to slide round a corner six weeks after passing my test.
I ‘fixed’ the Mk2 with the aid of filler, a respray and a vinyl roof to hide a crease or two. Then I sold it and bought a Mk1, into which I fitted a home-built 2.1-litre Pinto engine and a wealth of budget rally parts. When the Mk1 was stolen (of course) I bought a Mk2 with X Pack boxed arches.
All this because when I was much younger, the slot-car set I shared with my siblings included a bubble-arched Mk1 racer. I had no idea at the time that it was inspired by XOO.
In 1968, the year of the Escort road car’s launch, Alan Mann Racing built XOO to exploit every limit of the Group 5 regulations of the day, to the point that it ran a double-overhead-camshaft Formula 2 FVA engine and suspension that used GT40 components at the front and torsion bars at the rear. Even the bubble arches, much-copied ever since, were an XOO first.
The recreation differs only in having a modern cage, seats, harnesses and fire-extinguisher system to allow it to race on an FIA Historic Passport, although an even more period-correct version can be ordered without the safety gear. Otherwise, it’s just as the late Frank Gardner would have experienced XOO, which as it turns out is as raw, visceral and responsive a car that you’ll ever drive.
My chance to drive this near-perfect copy of my childhood inspiration comes at the challenging, twisty private track of M-Sport in Cumbria. Strapped in tight by the five-point harness, I’m faced with an early race version of the classic six-dial dash and trademark deep-dish steering wheel.
On correct Elektron Magnesium-style aluminium-alloy 13 x 8in front wheels (the rears are 13 x 9in), the steering is initially heavy and the twin-cam engine vibrates the bare shell, but the clutch is easy and there’s enough torque to set us into motion without drama. That’s a relief in itself, for Alan Mann’s son Henry, who now runs the team, is watching.
Down to the first corner and the unservo’ed brakes – solid discs all round – need a hefty shove, but the car turns in exactly as expected and the engine picks up instantly, sounding glorious as the revs rise.
The four-speed ‘Bullet’ ’box can’t be rushed, and it needs a heel-and-toe throttle blip for the perfect shift, but it’s so direct that it feels like the cogs are in the palm of my hand.
As the laps go by on a damp track, I gain confidence and take increasing enjoyment in being able to place the car so accurately – although really mine proves to be a truly unheroic drive. It is instructor Karl Jones who really demonstrates what the Escort can do, flicking it from initial understeer to perfectly throttle-controlled oversteer in every corner. Epic!
I’ll never get the chance to drive the original XOO in anger, but this brief encounter with the Alan Mann 68 Edition still felt like a dream box ticked. It could be as satisfying for an experienced racer as for a complete novice. Indeed, as part of the package, Boreham Motorworks will invite buyers to events, and offer training and racing fully supported by an Alan Mann Racing pit crew.
Boreham Motorworks and, since late 2024, Alan Mann Racing, are part of DRVN Automotive Group, which has engineering and production facilities around the UK. Its in-house teams have scanned and digitally modelled every component of XOO, while all-new panels and parts are being manufactured using state-of-the-art tooling and hand-built on new modern jigs for precision.
Next up is a road-spec restomod version of XOO, which will be followed by a ‘reimagined’ RS200 and further Alan Mann models – all officially approved by Ford, which shows the respect for DVRN in the industry. For more on the 68 Edition, visit www.borehammotorworks.com, while you can read about the planned road car here.
