Secret Fords: More from the hidden world of prototypes, one offs and cancelled cars

by Steve Saxty

Volume Two picks up the story in the mid-to-late ’80s and then hurtles through time to the early 2000s, concluding with the Focus RS. Incredibly, Ford’s enthusiasm for this unique project went up a gear for the second book in the Secret Fords trilogy. Over 5000 images from Ford Design’s archive were digitised for the first time – many of them marked ‘STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL’ – bringing Volume Two one step, and two decades, closer to the present. The almost-mythical Ferrari-challenging GN34 supercar is revealed for the first time, along with the never-told design stories of the Escort Cosworth and Focus RS.
The tortured tale behind the ’91 Escort is a revelation – along with the cancelled Escort intended to replace it. Fiesta, Scorpio, Ka, Puma, Mondeo – and more – are all there, along with revealed-for-the-first-time surprises like the Escort Cosworth Coupe and Prodrive’s incredible AWD Cosworth-engined Focus RS replacement. The first Volume won numerous awards including Classic Ford Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 – Volume Two changes up a gear. It’s a unique and extraordinary book.

336 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 2021

Reviews

[Phil Roat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book full of lots of lost Fords just like volume 1. I can’t wait for volume 3 but I know what’s coming next will be just as good…