Ford's photo archive picture this week: the GT70.

While Ford has enjoyed many successes in motorsport, one of its rarest creations came about thanks to a failure. In 1970, on the way back from an unsuccessful Monte Carlo Rally, Ford's then competitions director Stuart Turner, and Ford rally driver, Roger Clarke, talked of the need for a light and simple mid-engined car capable of taking various engines.

Ford drivers, including Hannu Mikkola and Timo Makinen contributed ideas for the interior while Len Bailey, one of the Ford GT40 design team, was tasked with designing a car 'strong enough to win rallies and light enough to win races'. The GT70 was the result.

Just six chassis were completed and the GT70 has remained in Ford ownership. WRC rule changes and the up-and-coming Ford Escort saw development of the GT70 curtailed. The car last saw competitive action in the French tarmac championships in 1973 before going into storage. In 2002 it was fully restored, including fitting a 2.0 BDA engine and Hewland gearbox, and saw its first competitive action for nearly 30 years at the 2002 Goodwood Festival of Speed.