FORD ICONS COME TO DVD

News From Duke Video

Ford has been behind some of the best-known, best-loved and most successful cars in automotive history. Now you can celebrate three of these iconic machines in a wonderful collection of archive films.

Duke, the home of motorsport on DVD, has decided to bring three classic VHS titles to a new generation. Each of these three new releases features archive film of classic race and rally action, with some real treats for all fans of motorsport.

Year of the Sierra focuses on 1987, the start of the post-Group B era for the World Rally Championship. The year also heralded the arrival of a new Ford challenger on the rally stages of the world, the Sierra, which had already proved its pedigree on the saloon car race circuits.

In Year of the Sierra we chart the WRC progress of the Sierra, in both its two-wheel-drive Cosworth and 4x4 guises, as Stig Blomqvist, Ari Vatanen, Jimmy McRae, Mark Lovell, Kalle Grundel and more contest Monte-Carlo, Corsica, 1000 Lakes and Rac events. Each rally is captured in breathtaking action footage, including awesome film of the other stars and cars of the day – including the Lancia Delta HF and Mazda 323.

The DVD also includes a complete review of the ‘87 British Rally Championship, with action from all six rounds as the Sierra drives to championship glory. For fans of motorsport history, there is also a full rundown of the car’s European rally wins and the World Touring Car Championship victories secured on the way to the Manufacturer’s title.

As a special treat there is also a brief but exciting look at the awesome RS200 in rallycross-winning action.

The Year of the Cortina takes us back to 1964, the heyday of another Ford icon. In this year the Cortina was not only dominating the car market, with

1,000 models a day being sold, but also leading the way on the race circuits and rally stages of the world.

Our collection of films from the Ford archive captures just some of the incredible international successes scored throughout ‘64, as the Cortina swept away competition throughout Europe, Africa, America and Australia.

The Year of the Cortina features action from the British Saloon Car Championship campaign, as legendary Formula One World Champion Jim Clark smashes records on his way to the title.

There’s high-speed action – and crashes – from circuits like Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Aintree, Crystal Palace and more. The programme also includes highlights of other Cortina victories, including snatches of footage from the East Africa Safari rally, Swedish Midnight Sun Rally, Mont Ventoux Hill Climb, Budapest Grand Prix and many others.

The colour film offers a rare chance to see some of the biggest names in motorsport history, including Peter Arundell, John Whitmore, Vic Elford and Henry Taylor in action, as well as the Cortina at speed!

Also featured on this DVD are two further important archive films focusing on the Cortina in 1964.

The Davids’ Day is an extraordinary look at that year’s Circuit of Ireland, following the works Ford team from factory to rally stage, with a special focus on hard-working engineers David Rose and David Wood. There’s wonderful footage of Cortinas in action, driven David Seigle-Morris, Vic Elford and Brian Melia, but the real value of this rare black and white footage is to see behind-the-scenes of the crew’s incredible battle to take the team prize.

Mountain Man charts Vic Elford’s Alpine Rally odyssey, with evocative footage of Elford testing on the arduous mountain stages, and then in action as he heads for victory. There’s also rarely-seen footage of Elford at his ‘day job’, and relaxing with his family.

Escorts – Supreme Rallying Fords of the ‘70s is loaded with classic action footage of the most remarkable feats of arguably Ford’s most famous cars. The DVD brings together two films packed with archive material.

Five for the Fiesta follows the entire story of the incredible 1970 World Cup Rally, an odyssey from London’s Wembley Stadium, venue of the 1966 football World Cup, to Mexico City, that would host the event in 1970. Almost 100 cars set out to travel the 16,000 miles across 25 countries and three continents. Ford fielded modified Mark I machines and a strong line-up of drivers, including rally greats Hannu Mikkola, Timo Makinen, Roger Clark, Gunner Palm and Tony Fall – plus England football legend Jimmy Greaves!

Determination and teamwork saw Ford dominate the results, with five Escorts in the top eight and victory for Mikkola and Palm. This exceptional film charts the entire story, with action footage, interviews with members of the Ford team and rare behind-the-scenes film.

1977 RAC Rally is a short film, but it is packed with action from one the truly classic events, as well as one of Ford’s most successful ever competitions. The Escort RS1800 was the class of the field, taking victory with Bjorn Waldegard at the wheel, but also securing third, fourth, fifth and sixth places for the marque. There is no added commentary to get in the way of the atmospheric and evocative sounds of the cars at speed as they tackle the incredible stages of Britain.

These new-to-DVD titles are the perfect celebration of three iconic cars from a legendary marque.

The Year of the Sierra, The Year of the Cortina and Escorts – Supreme Rallying Fords of the ‘70s, all £12.71, are available now from leading video outlets or direct from Duke Video: Tel 01624 640000, fax 01624 640001 or email mail@dukevideo.com. Visit www.dukevideo.com online.