1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth #266

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 body-shell, 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 an 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.

More details on the RS500 can be found here: https://supercarnostalgia.com/blog/ford-sierra-cosworth-rs500?rq=RS500

The car presented here is 1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth (AMT #266 of 500/chassis #GG 39092) in Black, despatched from Tickford on 21st July 1987 to Hendy Ford of Southampton for sale, and first registered on 1st August 1987 as E500 JOR. Its first owner deciding on leasing it from the dealership, hence the original keeper is recorded as Hendy Lennox Leasing Ltd. Pleasingly, E500 JOR still wears its original Hendy Ford number plates, a rare Cosworth bonnet sticker, passenger footwell fire extinguisher, rear blinds, boot floor catch-net and (unused) parcel shelf and First Aid kit all still in situ - these items were fitted by Hendy Ford for reaching their sales quota.

As the 1990s began, the car’s next keeper (our vendor) was the proud owner of a 'regular' Moonstone Blue 3-door Sierra RS Cosworth, however, in March 1990, keen to acquire the new 'halo' RS500 model, he approached his local dealership, Hendy Ford, and part-exchanged his 3-door for E500 JOR. He was to be its proud and diligent owner for the next 34 years.

The car’s accompanying original service booklet shows its first owner had it routinely serviced with Hendy Ford, up to 19,600 miles, when our vendor bought it in 1990 (an accompanying sales invoice confirms). Our vendor continued this tradition of servicing at the supplying-dealership, before using Ford specialists Tremona Garage up to 2014 and stamps and invoices relate to that.

Over the decades, E500 JOR was used and enjoyed, as these cars are meant to be, making trips around the UK and Europe. Always garaged, maintained and crucially, kept original, E500 JOR survives today as quite possibly one of the most original, genuine and unmolested RS500s we have ever offered for sale. Our vendor has always ensured that the timing belts were routinely replaced, and the car regularly serviced and this regular care has ensured that it has never needed an engine rebuild, painting or welding. It feels and looks all the better for it, not Concours obviously, but with a sincerity which is impossible to replicate. E500 JOR has now covered a conservative mileage of just 60,197, supported, quite remarkably, by every single MOT Certificate since July 1990 and is in amazingly original and wholesome condition – testament to having only ever had two owners, the second for almost 35 years.

Being an RS500 devotee, our vendor has ensured that E500 JOR has made pilgrimages to Cosworth, enjoyed many outings with the RS Owners Club, been displayed at shows and featured in magazines.

The accompanying history file includes an original and complete Ford book-pack, a spare key, every MOT Certificate since 1990, multiple period photos of E500 JOR, numerous invoices for servicing, maintenance and parts, RS500 material, club/specialist appraisals, a copy of a Tickford RS500 data sheet plus magazines featuring E500 JOR. Also, coming with the car is a specially commissioned Modatek 30th Anniversary Commemorative RS500 piston, #002 of only 30 produced, specially engraved with E500 JOR and Build #266 (see photos attached) - what a great addition to the car.

Interestingly and by pure chance, a few years ago our vendor got to know the car's original owner and he was able to send our vendor an image of E500 JOR parked next to an Escort S1 RS Turbo, his son’s car. They got the two cars together again and mocked-up the same photo, in the same spot, some 30 years later (see photos attached).

We understand that E500 JOR drives with a pure, unspoilt and original feel and, according to one RS500 expert, its engine is one of the best he’d ever encountered, high praise indeed. Trying to find classics cars like E500 JOR is getting much harder, let alone examples as rare and as sought-after as an RS500; what an opportunity this is, decades of care from a dedicated owner lavished on a car that is considered a 'high-water mark' in Ford’s enviable back-catalogue.