The MST Mk1 Sports Could Be The Perfect Sports Car For Modern Britain

Let’s begin with the usual disclaimer that no, this isn’t a Mk1 Ford Escort. It just happens to look like a Mk1 Ford Escort, and be built by a company that has all the tooling to make spare parts for the Mk1 Ford Escort. It’s the MST Mk1 Sports, the latest creation of Welsh outfit MST Cars, and going off numbers alone, it’s the least serious thing it’s built yet.

In sharp contrast to the 350bhp rally-ready maniac it unveiled a few weeks ago, the Mk1 Sports seems quite tame. Its 2.0-litre twin-cam 16-valve four-pot engine makes a modest 180bhp, although we can’t imagine it’s carrying a huge amount of weight around. That engine should sound rather sweet too, as it breathes through a set of Jenvey ITBs. The power goes to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual and an Atlas limited-slip diff.

Underneath, it gets what MST calls ‘Group 1’ suspension (a reference, we presume, to the old Group 1 category of rallying that saw near production-spec cars compete) with adjustable dampers, an anti-roll bar and vented brake discs with four-piston callipers.

It’s the looks that are really catching our eye, though. As standard, you get a set of front arch flares, an exterior chrome pack and a set of dinky 14-inch four-spoke alloys, which can optionally be swapped out for the classic Minilite design.

The Mk1 Sports comes in white as standard, but you can swap that out for various period-correct and modern colours, complete with stripe packages. Other options include a strut brace, an alloy sump guard and – an absolute must-have, in our books – a set of Cibie spotlights up front.

Unlike the car that (very directly) inspired it, the Mk1 Sports is a strict two-seater, with reclining sports seats and a luggage storage area where the rear bench would otherwise go. It comes with a standard suede-wrapped steering wheel, and you can even optionally spec an in-car entertainment pack – although we’re not sure exactly what this entails.

Its power output might seem small by modern standards, then, but in a Britain full of traffic and speed cameras, something small and lightweight with a fizzy engine that likes to be worked hard sounds more appealing than ever. With a starting price of £74,500 plus VAT, it’s even bordering on the realms of attainability compared to other recreations and restomods.

You’ll have to be quick if you want one, though: MST is only going to build 25 Mk1 Sports, starting next year. Then, in 2027, there’ll be a Mk2 Sports, and we bet you can’t guess what car that’s going to look almost identical to.