Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth #406

The original Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was the first Ford to wear the Cosworth badge and was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985. It was introduced as a means of homologating the Sierra for ‘Group A’ Touring Car racing, with a requirement that 5,000 cars were built and sold. Launched for sale in July 1986 and based on the three-door Sierra bodyshell, it was designed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) and was powered by a Cosworth-designed 2-litre turbo engine of now-legendary repute. At this time, the Sierra Cosworth was a new kind of performance car – a ‘blue-collar hero’ able to humble true sports cars!

In total 5,545 cars were produced – of which 500 were sent to Aston Martin Tickford for conversion to the Sierra RS500 Cosworth. If the RS Cosworth was a homologation car, the RS500 was an evolution special. Once Ford had built the requisite 5,000 RS Cosworths, ‘Group A’ rules allowed an upgraded evolution model to be launched. This could carry changes focused on improving its racing potential, provided Ford sold 10% of the original number as road cars, hence the 500. The RS500 was announced in July 1987 and had a mechanically uprated Cosworth engine (more similar to the one to be used in competition), with power boosted to 224bhp, upgraded brakes, modified bodywork and the cachet of being hand-assembled – the RS500 really is the ultimate 1980’s Fast Ford! Indeed, during the model’s 30th anniversary year in 2017, the RS500 was named the ‘Ultimate Cosworth’ by one of the UK’s biggest one-make car shows.

The car presented here is 1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth (AMT #406 of 500/chassis #GG 38981) in Moonstone Blue, one of only 52 such examples ever produced – the rarest of the RS500s. It was despatched from Tickford on 3rd August 1987, first registered as E202 DFV on the 28th August 1987, and sold new through Bradshaws (Ford) of Preston to its first owner in Northamptonshire. It was subsequently serviced by E Ward (Ford) of Wellingborough, Northants on 3rd February 1988 (6,000-mile service) and again on 6th September 1988 at 11,573 miles.

With all known subsequent keepers documented in the accompanying history file, the car was purchased by our vendor in 2021 having been sourced for him by RS500 expert Paul Linfoot of the RS500 Owners Club. The car’s previous owner instructed Paul to carry out a bare-shell restoration which was completed in 2016. Prior to this work, the car was said be all original underneath, rust free and retaining its factory-stamped panels. Restored to a near-concours condition, the then-owner liked to trailer it to shows, driving it less than 50 miles during the next five years. The mileage now, supported by invoices and MOT Certificates, is a highly conservative 54,230.

Our vendor wanted an RS500 in Moonstone Blue (to sit alongside his Black example, which he’s owned since 1990), perhaps harping back to the love of his original Cosworth, a regular 3-door RS Cosworth also in Moonstone (which he part-exchanged for his Black RS500). Wanting the car mechanically as good as its bodywork, our vendor entrusted Jim Stokes Workshops of Hampshire with a full engine rebuild. The process was exacting, costing c.£25,000 and was fully documented in invoices, plus dozens of photos and a video (all in the accompanying history file). The engine is now in superb condition, run-in with around 1,000 miles covered and the gearbox was also given a thorough overhaul, making the drivetrain perform as well as you’d hope.

It’s accompanied by a replacement genuine RS500 book-pack, including handbooks and an unused service booklet (sadly, the car’s original pack was misplaced over the years). Without doubt, a superb example of the legendary RS500 which is highly rated by marque specialist Paul Linfoot. This is a real opportunity to become a member of an exclusive club of RS500 owners at a very attractive guide.