- The vehicle is the earliest surviving model from Ford’s SVO production plant
- It will be sold alongside an Aston Martin used to promote a 2000s Bond film
- Classic Jaguar owned by Madonna – used in social media post – also being sold
A 1970 Ford Escort Mexico that has a very important place in the company’s British car making history is set to go under the hammer next month.
The stunning motor, which has covered just 15,000 miles from new, is expected to sell to the highest bidder for a sum in the vicinity of £60,000 to £70,000.
However, following an extensive and expensive restoration, the vendor isn’t likely to see a huge profit on the Fast Ford.
It will go under the hammer at a Cambridgeshire auction alongside a couple of celebrity motors, including an Aston Martin used to promote a James Bond film and a classic car previously owned by Madonna.
The Fast Ford with historic ties to UK car making: This stunning 1970 Escort Mexico is the earliest surviving motor produced at the brand’s Advanced Vehicle Operations – or AVO – factory in Aveley, Essex
Having undergone an extensive restoration, it is now heading to a Cambridgeshire auction with a pre-sale estimate of £60,000 to £70,000
What makes this Escort Mexico particularly special is that it is the oldest known surviving vehicle production by Ford’s in-house Advanced Vehicle Operations – or AVO – factory in Aveley, Essex.
AVO was opened in 1970 as a dedicated facility for the production of Ford’s high performance road cars, notably the rally-famous Escort.
This was because the main assembly line in Halewood, Merseyside, struggled to carry out the additional work required to make its Fast Ford specifications, which required a separate team of specialists to churn out RS1600s and Mexicos.
The latter models took the name after Ford’s successful 1970 World Cup London to Mexico rally victory, and this example – registration ‘LVX 900J’ – is the oldest known surviving model built at the AVO plant.
AVO was opened in 1970 as a dedicated facility for the production of Ford’s high performance road cars, notably the rally-famous Escort. This is one of just four homologation cars built at the plant in October that year before full assembly started a year later
Being the earliest known example produced by AVO, it will likely draw huge attention from Fast Ford collectors when it enters the bidding room
Registraton ‘LVX 900J’ was retained by Ford for a short period after being made, where it went on to have an interesting early life. It was lent to Hendon police college to test against trainee pursuit drivers, and in December 1971 was sold to a police officer from the driving school
It was produced in October 1970, meaning it is one of just four pre-production examples before the assembly line official rolled into action a month later in November.
LVX 900J was then retained by Ford and went on to have an interesting early life.
It was lent to Hendon police college to test against trainee pursuit drivers, and in December 1971 was sold to a police officer from the driving school, Jack Collett.
Purchased by the second private owner in December 1972, the vendor has been in contact with the gentleman who fondly remembers the Mexico.
But when the vendor purchased the Escort in 2006, it was far from the condition it appears today.
In fact, it was described as being in a ‘poor state as a bodyshell’ in a dilapidated condition with the floors rotting. Most of the parts had been stripped and were kept in boxes.
Fortunately, the front wings – including the original Vehicle Identification Number stamp – endured the test of time to prove the provenance of the machine.
The vendor purchased the Escort Mexico in 2006 – but it was far from the condition it appears today
When the keeper bought it, the car was described as being in a ‘poor state as a bodyshell’ in a dilapidated condition with the floors rotting. Most of the parts had been stripped and were kept in boxes
The Escort Mexico used the same bodyshell as the RS models but was powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine that developed 86bhp and 92lb ft of torque. The top speed – when new – was a claimed 99mph
The enthusiast, aware of the significance of LVX 900J as the earliest existing AVO car, bought it with the intention of carrying out a comprehensive restoration, which took some 11 years when finally completed in 2017.
The estimated cost to rebuild it to the exacting original specification – including the Sunset Red paintwork – was around £60,000; some £20,000 of this was renovating the crumbling shell.
The repair bill, on top of the purchase price of the car, means a £60,000 to £70,000 sale estimate will see the owner unlikely pocket any money from their considering rebuild.
Despite being registered in 1970 and therefore over 40 years old and MOT exempt, the vendor has routinely had it tested during their ownership.
It was last MOT’d on 2 September with a recorded mileage of just 15,286 miles – and, importantly, it passed with no advisories.
It is due to be offered to the highest bidder at H&H Classics’ Imperial War Museum auction in Duxford on Wednesday 9 October.
The enthusiast, aware of the significance of LVX 900J as the earliest existing AVO car, bought it with the intention of carrying out a comprehensive restoration, which took some 11 years when finally completed in 2017
The estimated cost to rebuild it to the exacting original specification – including the Sunset Red paintwork – was around £60,000. That means its lower estimate price won’t even cover the vendor’s repair bill
Despite being registered in 1970 and therefore over 40 years old and MOT exempt, the vendor has routinely had it tested during their ownership. It was last MOT’d on 2 September with a recorded mileage of just 15,286 miles. Here, the odometer shows it has covered 15,277 miles, with the photos likely taken before the MOT was conducted
Paul Cheetham, motor car specialist at H&H, said: ‘It’s a privilege to offer this 1970 Ford Escort Mexico AVO car for auction.
‘It is an unmissable opportunity for any Fast Ford fanatic as opportunities to acquire AVO cars with such provenance are truly unrepeatable.’
‘This Mexico is one of the first handful of Escort Mexico’s produced, believed to be one of four, before official production began. It is also the joint second Mexico registered, being registered new to Ford Motor Company on 4 December 1970.
‘We expect there to be strong interest in this very special model at our auction in October.’
It will be sold with a sizeable history file that comprises records of early AVO cars, very rare Escort Mexico sales brochures, period motoring coverage literature, and a copy of the original buff logbook and DVLA ownership history.
There is also a selection of images of the car in period, a collection of Escort publications, ‘Classic Ford’ magazine featuring the car, and a current V5C document.
Sold alongside a couple of celeb motors
The Ford Escort Mexico isn’t the only classic car being sold at the Duxford auction with a famous past.
A 2001 Aston Martin Vanquish is also up for grabs with a guide price of £50,000 to £70,000 with a very big celebrity link.
It was the vehicle Aston Martin loaned to EON Productions for a photoshoot at Pinewood Studios with Pierce Brosnan to promote the twentieth James Bond film, Die Another Day, released in 2002.
Leaned on by Bond: This 2001 Aston Martin Vanquish used to promote the 2002 Bond film Die Another Day starring Pierce Brosnan is also up for grabs at the same auction
H&H Classics has given it a pre-sale estimated price of £50,000 to £70,000
Finished in the Tungsten Silver with Charcoal leather and an aluminium centre console, it was a like-for-like version of the ‘hero cars’ (ones used for close-up footage of 007 at the wheel) in the film.
It is described as a ‘notably early production example’ and one of seven cars which were initially retained by the factory for press duties.
Keen car fanatics and magazine readers will remember it subsequently carrying the iconic number plates ‘M16 SPY’ and ‘A12 AML’.
Finished in the Tungsten Silver with Charcoal leather interior with an aluminium centre console, it was a like-for-like version of the ‘hero cars’ (ones used for close-up footage of 007 at the wheel) in the film
It is described as a ‘notably early production example’ and one of seven cars which were initially retained by the factory for press duties
The car has another claim to fame as it was among the vehicle that first used the M6 Toll road when it opened on 9 December 2003 (pictured)
It was retained in the Aston Martin collection since 2003 and even lead the parade commemorating the opening of the M6 Toll road on 9 December 2003.
With just 37,800 miles from new, it should prove popular among collectors.
As will a 1967 Jaguar Mark X 4.2 with a megastar of the music world on the registration document.
This car was purchased by Madonna for her son Rocco Ritchie and she recently posed in the motor for a photoshoot in a trip to London.
Another car with very strong celebrity ties heading to auction is this Madonna-owned Jaguar
The 1967 Jaguar Mark X 4.2 was purchased by Madonna for her son Rocco Ritchie. She very recently posted images on Instagram showing her posing in the motor for a photoshoot in a trip to London
Madonna, 65, posed for a racy photoshoot in her classic Jaguar back in July after arriving in London
The legendary singer, 65, posted the images to her social media following, clearly showing the inside of the classic Jag
‘Mood in LNDN……….. 68 Jaguar,’ is the caption Madonna used in her Instagram update, though H&H Classics points out this is a ’67 model
The auction house’s images clearly show this is the same interior. The ties to Madonna are likely to drive up the value of the car when the hammer drops. It is being sold with no reserve price
It is among the ‘rarest’ Mark X models, being a 4.2 Litre example. And it has been subject to much recent work including a full repaint into Opalescent Maroon.
The classic motor will be sold without reserve. Jaguar Mark X 4.2s in stunning condition currently sell for around £31,300, according to the Hagerty Price Guide UK, but Madonna’s name on the V5 registration is likely to drive the value of this particular car much higher.