Beaulieu celebrates biggest-ever Simply Ford

By Lizzie Pope

| 9 May 2018

Classic & Sports Car – Beaulieu's biggest-ever Simply Ford

Fabulous sunshine welcomed over 3000 visitors to the grounds of the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, for Simply Ford 2018 on Sunday 6 May.

And with a fantastic 1787 Fords on display, this year's event eclipsed last year's 1500-strong turnout, making it the biggest to date.

The Escort's 50th birthday formed the centrepiece of the event, in the form of an impressive display charting the model's six generations.

Showgoers had the opportunity to get close to an eclectic line-up of Escorts, from good-as-new family saloons and daily-drive Mk1s, to cabrios, vans and rally cars – not forgetting head-turning RS, XR3i and Cosworth cars.

Martin Lewis' RS2000 scooped the Simply Ford People's Choice Award

It was therefore pleasingly fitting that an Escort won the People's Choice Award – and what a stunner it is!

Martin and Rita Lewis' 1979 Ford Escort RS2000 has been lovingly and painstakingly built to competition spec by Martin over the past 13 years, including its period-correct paintwork that echoes that worn by cars that tackled the RAC Rally in the '70s and '80s.

"I always wanted to build this car, it’s a lifelong ambition fulfilled," said Martin. "I can’t believe that I won this award, I’m really made up!”

This van was the People's Choice runner-up as the Escort's 50th was celebrated

And another – albeit very different – Escort was also in the limelight: an Escort Mk1 van was voted the runner-up in the People's Choice Award.

The van has been extensively modified by proud owner Mark Hudd, and he said, "Underneath, it has full four-wheel-drive Cosworth running gear and it develops about 500bhp.” He shared his runner-up spot with Paul Ainsworth's 54-plate Mustang Shelby GT500.

These Escorts were just two of the many that joined the model's half-century party.

It was Escorts as far as the eye could see at Simply Ford 2018

Other standout cars included a well-preserved Cortina Lotus Mk2 that saw service as a police car on the Isle of Wight, and two V8-powered hot rods based on Model Ts.

Owners' and enthusiasts' clubs were well represented, too, showcasing examples from right across the Blue Oval's history.

To find out more about events at Beaulieu, please click here.