Introduced in 1992, the Escort RS Cosworth was an 'homologation special' based on the 5th-generation Ford Escort and its sole role was to incorporate parts that Ford planned to use in their 'Group A' rally cars to ensure success in the World Rally Championship, a Group A ‘rally car for the road’ - pure and simple.
It was available as a road car from 1992-1996 in limited numbers from Ford’s Specialist Vehicle Engineering (SVE) team, combining the hand-assembled engine expertise of Cosworth and the coach-building crafts of Karmann. Powered by the familiar 2.0-litre turbocharged, longitudinally-mounted, Cosworth-developed engine driving all four wheels, the Stephen Harper-designed car was engineered in Boreham with final assembly by Karmann in Germany.
The potential of the Escort was evident in its first ever event, the 1993 Monte Carlo Rally, where Delecour and Biasion came 2nd and 3rd respectively. The Escort continued to be very competitive throughout the '93 and '94 seasons but it was a 'one-off' guest drive by Tommi Makinen that provided the long-awaited win on the 1994 ‘1000 Lakes’ Rally, the first of many high-profile top-flight rally victories. Additionally, and true to Ford's grassroots philosophy, the Escort Cosworth provided a platform for National Rallying and Club enthusiasts throughout the world to enjoy 'off-the-shelf' competitive support, securing its status as a true Ford icon. Only 7,145 Ford Escort RS Cosworth examples were ever produced, with the original and highly coveted ‘Big Turbo’ models numbering just 2,500, being built for specifically for homologation.
The car presented here is a 1993 Ford Escort RS Cosworth, in the striking and sought-after paint colour of Pacifica Blue (Code J2), one of five launch colours chosen by Ford to showcase their new ‘halo’ model. This example was specified from new with the 'Lux' pack, adding Recaro seats (the more expensive perforated Raven leather upholstery, Code LW, option here), opening rear quarter windows, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, ‘Quickclear’ heated windscreen, heated washer jets, three-spoke leather covered steering wheel, central double locking, tailgate release, lights on warning, rear centre armrest, rear head restraints, sunroof, and electric windows - plus the factory option of genuine Ford floor-mats which are the ultra-rare high specification in deep blue to complement the exterior finish, whilst an owner has added the subtle additions of a Magnex stainless steel exhaust system, a Sigma Category 1 alarm system, and genuine Ford headlamp protectors.
It was built at the Rhein Assembly Plant in Germany in November 1992 and registered new on the 15th January 1993, making it one of the highly-collectable 2,500 ‘Big Turbo’ homologation specials on a 'K-registration'. It was supplied new by Ford RS Dealer, Tony Brooks of Weybridge, with their dealership rear screen sticker and tax discs holder still affixed, whilst the book-pack still contains the original staff business cards and dealer keyrings, always a good sign!
The accompanying history file suggests diligent ownership and is as complete as possible for a 32-year-old car. The paperwork is meticulously presented in individual folders, with chronologically-filed service invoices and virtually every MOT Certificate, whilst the original service book contains 14 stamped entries. The car's previous owner was Vice Chairman of the Hertfordshire and North London RS Owners Club and, also present, is a separate file housing all the RS Owners Club membership documentation and multiple agreed valuations, the most recent being £82,000 in 2021. Within the file are copies of Practical Classics and Fast Ford magazines where this actual car, chosen for its amazing condition and provenance, feature in a detailed Buyers’ Guide and its three original keys including the master blade further emphasise the Escort's delightful originality. Servicing is fully up-to-date, with a cambelt change completed in June 2022.
This is an exceptional Ford in every respect, undoubtedly 'collector quality', with just a single previous recorded owner, continuous upkeep, servicing and storage by Ford marque enthusiasts, and a low-but-useable mileage, ensuring it can still be ‘exercised’ on the right days, reminding its lucky owner just how well they perform and why they have become so sought-after.
