massivewangers - i think your right in terms of legendary status because ford go on to race many of their cars which adds to this status imo, would as amny people be hunting down early escorts if they werent rallying them? i very much doubt they would, obviously people would still have them, but not as many imo
and vw havent really done much with there cars so they dont gain this legendary status as many cars that are only ever road cars dont get this imo