Ford GT70 - The forgotten beauty

50 years ago, the Ford GT70 debuted at the Ronde Cévenole. Beautiful and efficient, the “rally” equivalent of the GT40 seemed to have a bright future before the lack of reliability and development decided otherwise.

Published on 22/09/2021 à 09:00

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At the beginning of the 70s, Ford America, full of victories in 24 Hours of Le Mans (four successive victories from 1966 to 1969), decided to retire from competition. Conversely, Ford Europe remains involved, with its British and French subsidiaries in rally and German in the European Tourism Championship. In the latter, the Capri will become the car to beat, while in rallying, the Escort is already showing its limits. If it is robust, its mass-produced design does not allow it to fight on equal terms with the rear-engined GTs (Porsche 911S and Alpine A110) who reign over the International Rally Championship. At the 1970 Monte-Carlo, which inaugurated this new competition, Roger Clark, the highest ranked Ford driver, could do no better than 5th, the victory in Group 2 (Tourisme Speciales) being only a small consolation. On the way back