VLE 756X is the car that Ari Vatanen and David Richards used for the 1981 RAC Rally, and is one of the iconic “Rothmans Escort’s”.

In 1981 Rothmans and the privateer David Sutton Ford team launched an all out assault on the world rally championship. It was to be boom or bust for Vatanen with a season of highs and lows, but he scored well and going into the 1981 RAC Rally he was in second place in the drivers championship behind Guy Frequelins’s Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. Winning the rally outright was to be a tall order for a 2 wheel drive car that was now showing its age, Audi were here with the new Quattro and Mikkola was firm favourite from the start. From the beginning of the rally Ari was in front of Frequelin, but couldn’t match the pace of Mikkola’s Quattro. Frequelin crashed out of the event in Dovey forest leaving Ari and David Richards to finish the event in second place, behind Hannu Mikkola, and clinch the World Rally Championship title.

Vatanen was to win the event again in 1984 at the wheel of a Group B Peugeot205 T16.

Our design takes classic elements from this great car brought together to make a truly unique T-shirt. Slightly quirky, this will appeal to escort fans and rally enthusiasts alike, whilst leaving others simply wondering!

Build Specification for your Rothmans Escort T includes:-
A white body and blue or orange sleeves made out of the finest cotton.
Authentic “VLE 756X” number plate on the front, with Rothmans striped colour scheme.
Authentic “Lombard RAC” rally door square with number “2” printed on the back.
And the caption:-
1981 RAC Rally
Ari Vatanen & David Richards
2nd overall (World Rally Champions)
MkII Escort RS 1800

A celebration of a true legend this is your chance to own, and wear a legend and rally winner!