Ford Escort RS Cosworth: Escort for over 175,000 euros on eBay

0 56 4 minutes read

A Ford Escort for 175,000 euros? No, this is not an error, nor was there an over-added zero. This red escort should actually cost the equivalent of 175,148 euros (149,995 British pounds). But what makes the more than 25-year-old Ford so special?

Ford Escort RS Cosworth in new condition

First of all, the Ford offered on eBay is not just any Escort, but the special model Escort RS Cosworth, built between 1992 and 1996 only 7145 times. In addition, the compact sports car is advertised as a used car, but in practice it is more like a new car: the Cossie has only been driven 349 kilometers (217 miles) since 1995!

Detachment of the Sierra Cosworth

By the late 1980s, the Ford Sierra Cosworth was obsolete. Something new was needed to have a say in the World Rally Championship. So without further ado, Ford put the body of the Escort MK V on the technical basis of the Sierra Cosworth, and the new rally bullet was ready. What sounds so simple here, of course, required several years of development.

At that time, a road version was required for the homologation of the rally vehicle. No sooner said than done – and so the Ford Escort RS Cosworth came onto the market in 1992, which only had the roof and a few smaller details in common with a normal Escort.

Even laypeople should recognize immediately that this is no ordinary escort. Be it the wide flared fenders, the additional ventilation slots on the hood or the front apron with fog lights and black front splitter – everything about this car looks about ten levels sportier than the normal Escort.

The huge rear wing was mandatory for the RS

THE distinguishing feature par excellence are neither the fenders on display nor the 16-inch five-spoke rims made by Ronal; but of course the gigantic rear wing.

Popular in the Ford scene, the “whale-tail” wing can sometimes cause confusion or even laughter for those who don’t know. But the wing conceived by Frank Stephenson (who later designed vehicles like the McLaren P1 and the Maserati MC12) is simply part of the RS.

The special model was only built 7145 times

Of the 7145 RS Cosworth built, however, only the first 2500 (until May 1994) vehicles are homologated models. This is because the Escort RS Cosworth received a small facelift for the 1995 model year, during which the engine was revised. From then on it was also possible to cancel the gigantic grand piano.

The turbocharger makes the difference

The biggest difference between the early homologation models and the later cars concerned the turbocharger. The Garrett T3/T04 supercharger installed at the beginning delivered a little more power, but also had a huge turbo lag before 3500 rpm. It was later traded for a smaller Garrett T25 that significantly improved drivability.

All versions of the Escort RS Cosworth use the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder (Cosworth YBT), which delivered up to 227 hp and 304 Nm of torque in the first models. With the T25 turbo, the performance is said to have dropped marginally to 224 hp.

Thanks to the permanent all-wheel drive with 34/66 distribution, the manual RS, which weighs only 1275 kilos, sprinted to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds – still a top value today and a fabulous time for 1992. Ford gave 232 km/h as the top speed. h, without the big wing even 237 km/h should have been possible.

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth in the color “Radiant Red” offered by the dealer “KGF Classic Cars” on eBay has probably never driven so fast. The Escort left the Karman factory in Rheine (NRW) in October 1995, but was not registered until August 1, 1996. This makes the rare “Standard Edition” one of the last RS Cosworth ever built.

Just 349 kilometers in over 25 years

Unfortunately, the RS Cosworth has had a rather unexciting car life to this day. The first owner was a certain Graham Derek Goode, chairman of Goode Motors and now a proven RS specialist. Until 2010, however, the hot escort was mainly used for exhibition purposes and was hardly moved at all.

The second owner, a collector, practically never drove the Escort. So it is hardly surprising that more than 25 years after the first registration, the right-hand drive Escort has just 349 kilometers (217 miles) on the clock.

The fast Ford will cost over 175,000 euros

Now the fast Ford is to be sold, and at a hefty price. The equivalent of 175,148 euros (149,995 British pounds) is called up – that is more than a current Porsche 911 (992) GT3 costs.

The price includes all documents, all keys and a fully verifiable history. If the new owner is thinking of driving the Cossie, they should budget a few thousand euros for a complete engine overhaul. The tires should also be replaced, because the RS still has the original tires from 1995.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth in new condition

Incidentally, the question of a price comparison does not even arise with this car. Not only will there be a 99.9 percent probability that there will not be a second Ford Escort RS Cosworth in new condition; in Germany the offer of the RS Cosworth is practically non-existent.

Very occasionally, heavily modified models are offered at prices between 40,000 and 60,000 euros, very few of which are for sale in Germany. Against this background, 175,000 euros for a Ford Escort may seem incredibly high – but for collectors it is a unique opportunity!

newsabc

0 56 4 minutes read