1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

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 - somewhat worrying when the company's initial approach to the dealer network came back with an estimate that suggested they could sell around 1,500 units! The eventual sales record is, of course, history, Ford going on to sell 5,545 three-door cars (including the RS500, of which only 500 were built).

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!

Arriving on these shores from Italy at the beginning of 2018, this left-hand drive RS Cosworth was registered to its first UK owner, believed to be the importer, on the first of March 2018, before becoming the property of our vendor on 1st August 2018 with whom it has remained to this day. Finished in arguably the best colour combination of Moonstone Blue with a Grey Recaro cloth interior which is pretty much unmarked and shows little in the way of stretched fabric, nice straight bolsters and an uncracked dashboard, suggesting that the car has been taken care of throughout its life. Showing some 73,000km (45,350 miles) which is believed to be genuine and looking around the car closely it certainly does appear to be one of the best examples that we have seen in recent times.

With the car are some receipts from Italy amounting to just less than €3,000. Our Collector vendor has maintained the car during his ownership and it has not long had an oil service. We understand that it runs and drives as well as it looks and is guided sensibly to draw in any potential interest, maybe one to go back abroad?