Ford's 16-valve Escort

WE HAD hoped last year to try a 16-valve Cosworth Capri, but it failed to appear. But by next April Ford will be selling a detuned version of the F2 Championship-winning power unit in the Escort. Ford’s Advanced Vehicles Operations are responsible for this engine, which has belt-driven twin-o.h.-camshafts, four-valves-per-cylinder in cross-flow alloy head and two dual-choke Weber 40 DCOE carburetters, but uses a normal Cortina block. The Cortina oil pump and sump are also deemed adequate.

Henry Taylor, AVO’s Advanced Programmes Manager, says this Duckworth 1.6-litre engine is quiet, docile, very economical and “very much a road engine”. It gives 120 b.h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m., compared to over 220 b.h.p. of the F2 version. The Lotus 8-valve twin-cam engine is to remain in production and as this engine produces 115 b.h.p. at 6,000 r.p.m. the present commercialisation of the Cosworth-Ford BOA engine is perhaps dictated by the need to homologate it for racing, although the 16-valve unit is obviously ripe for development towards F2 extremes.

As Ford rightly say, it brings to the customer a direct and major benefit from their involvement in motor racing, and presumably this fine power unit will eventually become available for the Cortina and Capri.