RideLust

For some nutter, yes, probably. Because for those of you who think Escort is synonymous with “complete and utter pile of steaming excrement,” we’ve got news for you – the Escorts sold in the Old World were entirely different than the Mazda-based crapboxes we got over in the States. And by “entirely different” we mean “completely badass” – this little AWD hatch was making a full 227 HP back in the early to mid 1990s, on par with what a modern Subaru WRX puts out. While our heart beats slightly more strongly for the Sierra Cosworth, this Escort Cossie is no shed, it’s a bloody tarmac rocket. Plus, it’s 100% USA grade “A” road-legal, at least in Oregon. Who knows what your local vehicle inspection goons are going to demand for you to register it in your particular state (if you’re in California, you should be aware that sexual favors or suitcases full of cold hard cash probably won’t cut it). That being said, this wild road-legal rally car is for sale as we speak, for a cool $26,500. The only reason we’re not personally hacking off a limb as we speak is that we’d need all of them to drive the damn thing. Shame. There’s always the black market for body parts …

[Source: BAT]