Video: 42-year-old Ford Escort runs wild after Mazda RX-8 heart transplant

Affordable but reliable and practical, the Ford Escort had been one the marque’s most successful production cars until the Focus came out two decades ago. Now, someone has unearthed a 1980 Escort and turned it into a rotary sports car.

The original hatchback made do with a 1.3-liter gasoline engine that was removed to make room for dual-rotor Mazda RX8 engine. The exotic power unit revs up to a formidable 7,500 RPM and makes 215 PS (212 hp / 158 kW) along with up to 215 Nm (159 lb-ft) of torque.

The exterior of the Escort follows the sleeper aesthetic, staying stock except for slightly lowered suspension. A closer look reveals a new exhaust system, as well as a tube-frame and a roll cage in the cabin.

We don’t have any sprint time measurements to tell you about, but the video here should give you a good idea of what this car is capable of.