FORD ESCORT

For Sale: Ford Escort XR3i SE500 Cabriolet – The Ultimate Collector’s Example

🚗 One of Only 500 Limited Edition Models
🔵 Finished in Rare Pacifica Blue Metallic
🛠 Full Restoration – Showroom Condition
🎵 Upgraded Pioneer Sound System
⚙ RS Turbo Engine Upgrade
✅ Full Custom Leather Recaro Interior with rear headrests and blue contrast stitching

This Ford Escort XR3i SE500 Cabriolet is a true collector’s gem—one of just 500 Special Edition models ever built. Unofficially known as the ‘All Blue’ or ‘SE500,’ every example was finished in Pacifica Blue Metallic with a matching full-leather interior. This particular car stands out even further, having been upgraded with:

✔ Full Leather Recaro Interior with rear headrests and blue contrast stitching
✔ Complete Interior Retrim with blue stitching threw out
✔ Full Exterior & Underside Restoration, including a full respray
✔ Brand-New Hood with cover
✔ New 17 inch Cosworth wheels wrapped in new tyres
✔ New Suspension sits lovely
✔ Roof Hydraulics fully gone threw
4 inch rounded tip mongoose stainless exhaust system
JBL audio subs £1100 brand new
Rockford rear speakers
pioneer p9000-r dolphin stereo £500

under the bonnet is just as impressive

Unlike most SE500s, which were registered in 1990 with a ‘G’ plate, this example is a rare 01 August 1990 ‘H’ plate, making it one of the very last off the production line.

The Ultimate XR3i SE500 – Restored, Enhanced & Ready to Thrill

This isn’t just a restoration—it’s a reimagination of what the XR3i SE500 should have been.
When the previous owner took on this meticulous rebuild, they didn’t just restore it to factory spec; they took it further, adding the upgrades every Ford enthusiast would have wanted back in the ‘90s.
• RS Turbo engine upgrade – A powerhouse transformation delivering an exhilarating driving experience.
• Ultra-rare RS steering wheel – Retaining the original for purists.
• High-end Pioneer sound system – Over £1,500 spent crafting the ultimate in-car audio experience.
• Original Dolphin colour screen CD player – A nostalgic touch that defined the era.

This SE500 is more than a collector’s piece—it’s a time machine to the ‘90s, packed with the dream upgrades every XR3i fan wished for.


A True Enthusiast’s Opportunity
Originally, we intended to keep this car in our private collection, but we believe these cars deserve to be driven and appreciated. That’s why we’re offering you the chance to own what we confidently call the best SE500 available today.

💰 £18,495

We understand this is not the cheapest SE500 on the market, but we welcome any serious buyer to first view the only other SE500 to come up for sale in the last six months—which requires a full rebuild—before inspecting this one. The difference speaks for itself.

RAC-Approved Dealer Benefits Included

Why Buy From Us?
✅ RAC-Approved Dealer – Buy with confidence
✅ Free RAC Breakdown Cover & History Check
✅ 12 Months MOT & Full Service Included
✅ Nationwide Delivery Available

📞 Call 01406 373474 for more information (even out of hours).
📩 Feel free to contact us anytime to discuss this vehicle further.

This is a rare chance to own an SE500 in better-than-showroom condition—don’t miss out! 🚗💙

🚗 FORD ESCORT XR3 — RS1600i REPLICA

🖤 Black | 5 Previous Owners | Five-Year Build | Only £17,995

Welcome to Baytree Car Sales.

Here we have something genuinely special for the classic Ford enthusiast — a beautifully restored 1981 Ford Escort XR3 that has undergone an extensive five-year transformation into a superb RS1600i replica.

Let's be clear from the outset: this is not a genuine factory RS1600i. It started life as an XR3 and has been painstakingly recreated as a faithful homage to one of Ford's most iconic 1980s performance cars.

And the standard of the finished car is exceptional.

🏁 FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING

This hasn't been thrown together with a set of stickers and some replica wheels.

The previous owner spent approximately five years creating the car, sourcing original Ford New Old Stock (NOS) components wherever possible and paying enormous attention to the details that make the RS1600i so distinctive.

The result is a car that arguably presents better today than many surviving original examples.

🔧 EXTENSIVELY RESTORED

A huge amount of work has gone into the underlying car before the RS1600i transformation was completed.

🔹 New flooring installed approximately six years ago
🔹 Extensive restoration work completed
🔹 Beautifully refinished paintwork
🔹 Original XR3 engine fully rebuilt
🔹 New pistons
🔹 New crank
🔹 Burton Power suspension components
🔹 Extensive use of original Ford NOS parts
🔹 Built with long-term quality rather than shortcuts in mind

❤️ £4,000+ ALDRIDGE INTERIOR

The interior deserves a special mention.

Rather than simply fitting a used interior, the cabin was professionally recreated by the award-winning Aldridge Trimming to replicate the factory RS1600i specification.

💺 Approximately £3,500 Recaro Seating
🚪 Approximately £650 Matching Door Cards
🏁 RS1600i-Style Interior Specification
✨ Beautifully Finished Throughout
🖤 Excellent Dashboard with No Cracks or Sun Damage

Open the door and the interior feels remarkably fresh — a huge amount of time and money has clearly been invested in getting it right.

🔧 REBUILT XR3 ENGINE

The original XR3 engine has been fully rebuilt to factory specification, retaining the character of the car while providing reassurance that the mechanical side received the same attention as the body and interior.

⚙️ Original XR3 Engine
🔧 Fully Rebuilt
✨ New Pistons
⚙️ New Crank
🏁 Burton Power Components
🔧 Suspension Renewed/Upgraded

📚 HUGE DOCUMENTED HISTORY

Another impressive part of this car is the amount of documentation accompanying it.

📁 Multiple Folders of History
🧾 Extensive Receipts
📄 Restoration Invoices
🔧 Parts Documentation
📸 Evidence of the work and investment

This gives the next owner a comprehensive record of exactly what has gone into creating the car.

🫧 PREVIOUSLY STORED IN A PROTECTIVE BUBBLE

Once completed, the previous owner went to extraordinary lengths to preserve the Escort, including storing it within a protective vehicle bubble.

That tells you a great deal about how cherished this car has been.

🇬🇧 THE RS1600i INSPIRATION

The original RS1600i occupies a special place in Ford's performance history.

Developed by Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering division, the genuine RS1600i was created for Group A homologation and featured significant changes over the XR3, including a higher-compression engine, revised camshaft, twin-coil ignition, uprated suspension and distinctive Recaro-equipped interior.

Today, genuine examples are highly collectible and exceptional cars can command very significant prices.

🔥 THE LOOK WITHOUT THE £50,000+ PRICE TAG

That's exactly where this car comes into its own.

A genuine RS1600i presented to this sort of standard could potentially cost upwards of £50,000.

At £17,995, this provides the opportunity to enjoy the look, nostalgia and presence of an RS1600i at a fraction of the cost — without pretending to be something it isn't.

⭐ WHY THIS ESCORT IS SPECIAL

✅ Genuine 1981 Ford Escort XR3 base car
✅ Five-year RS1600i replica build
✅ Extensive restoration
✅ Original XR3 engine fully rebuilt
✅ New pistons & crank
✅ Burton Power suspension components
✅ Extensive use of Ford NOS parts
✅ Professionally recreated RS1600i-style interior
✅ Approximately £3,500 Recaro seating
✅ Approximately £650 matching door cards
✅ Crack-free dashboard
✅ Beautiful paintwork
✅ Multiple folders of invoices & history
✅ Previously stored in a protective vehicle bubble
✅ Exceptional attention to detail throughout

💰 ONLY £17,995

This isn't a genuine RS1600i — and we're not selling it as one.

What it is, however, is an exceptionally well-built and beautifully presented homage to one of the most desirable fast Fords of the 1980s.

Replicating this car today to the same standard, sourcing the components and commissioning the interior, bodywork and mechanical restoration would be an extremely costly exercise.

For the classic Ford enthusiast who wants something special to show, drive and enjoy, this represents a fantastic opportunity.

🛡️ BUY WITH CONFIDENCE FROM BAYTREE CAR SALES

As an RAC-approved dealer, all our vehicles come with:

✅ Free RAC breakdown cover
✅ Free RAC history check
✅ 12 months MOT
✅ Full service

🚚 Nationwide delivery available

📞 Call 01406 373474 for more information — even out of hours.

For a car like this, we're more than happy to talk through the restoration, history and specification in detail. Please feel free to contact us outside normal opening hours to arrange a viewing.