Boreham Motorworks is bringing big-engine attitude to a reimagined Ford icon. The British company has revealed the Boreham TEN-K, a bespoke 2.1 litre naturally aspirated inline four engineered specifically for the Ford Escort Mk1 RS, and it is every bit as wild as its name suggests.
The TEN-K name refers to its headline trick: a screaming 10,000 rpm rev limit. At full tilt, it produces 325 hp, delivered through individual throttle bodies and a 16 valve head shaped with F1-inspired port geometry. The aim is peak responsiveness rather than forced induction shove, and everything about the engine is engineered around that idea.
The block itself weighs just 85 kg, thanks to a thin-wall 3D printed casting that wraps material closely around the internals. Inside, the crank, rods, dry sump system, cradle, and cam cover all contribute to the final output, while low inertia promotes lightning-fast revs. Boreham says this gives the engine razor-sharp immediacy.
The TEN-K blends motorsport hardware with contemporary electronics under its development code BD10-330, offering precise control to match its raw mechanical character. Six months of dyno testing and calibration have already pushed power and rev targets beyond early expectations, with throttle response described as instant and consistent.
The project is being led by two Ford veterans: Simon Goodliff, former Chief Engineer at Ford and now CTO of DRVN Automotive Group, and Laine Martin, previously Ford’s Manager of Engine Calibration and Control Systems. Together, they bring more than 30 years of experience in shaping engine behaviour.
With installation underway in the Mk1 RS development car, paired to an all-new ultra-lightweight, fully floating rear axle, the first test fire is not far away. The TEN-K is set to become something significant before it even turns a wheel.
