1993 Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4 - 'The Last One'

The Cheshire Collection is a carefully curated ensemble of modern classics that represent our vendor's enthusiasm, and are all offered on a No Reserve basis to make way for new additions to their respective collections. For nearly a decade, they have been a welcome sight at our auctions, and whilst we have appreciated their energetic bidding, we have valued their chats, enthusiast to enthusiast, just as much. Each car is special, whether it's the vastly improved 1973 Ford Escort, the last production Sierra RS Cosworth showing less than 22,000 miles, the fabulous 12,000km 'Group N' Escort Cosworth, the well-maintained Clio V6, the one-owner, low-mileage Evo VI GSR to, perhaps, the best 2005 Honda Civic Type R on the market.

The original Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was the first Ford to wear the Cosworth badge and was introduced at the 1985 Geneva Motor Show as a means of homologating the Sierra for 'Group A' Touring Car racing. These regulations dictated that a minimum of 5,000 were built and sold, and eventually Ford complied, with 5,545 finding homes. 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. The RS Cosworth used a 204bhp 2-litre DOHC engine with a Garret T3 turbocharger and intercooler enabling it to reach 62mph in 6.8 seconds and top speed of 150mph. In 1986, the Sierra Cosworth was a new kind of performance car - a blue-collar hero able to humble true sports cars.

In January 1990, the third generation Sierra RS Cosworth was launched, this time with four-wheel drive. As early as 1987, Mike Moreton and Ford Motorsport had been talking about a four-wheel drive Sierra RS Cosworth that could make Ford competitive in the World Rally Championship. Ford Motorsport's desire for a 3-door 'Motorsport Special' equivalent to the original Sierra RS Cosworth was not embraced. The more discreet 4-door version was considered to have a better marketing potential, and it was therefore decided that the new car should be a natural development of the second generation, to be launched in conjunction with the facelift scheduled for the entire Sierra line in 1990.

Launched to huge acclaim, the 4x4 RS Cosworth was superceded by the Mondeo in 1992, which brings us neatly to this immaculate example here. For K916 ATX has the distinction of being the last Sierra 4x4 Cosworth from the production line at Genk, as confirmed by a letter from the Operations Manager at Ford Genk, Germany. Delivered new on 2nd March 1993 to a Mr Gambling, he must have been made an attractive offer by Ford dealers Fordthorne of Cardiff, as he sold it to them on 3rd August 1993. There then followed a long period of ownership by Fordthorne, who regularly serviced and maintained the car, with detailed receipts on file, although the service book was not stamped. In 2009, the car was purchased by a Mr Bailey who kept it for some five years before he sold it to our vendor in 2015.

The car presents immaculately today. The unmarked and rare Mallard Green paintwork gleams and the black leather Recaro seats show little, if any, signs of wear, understandably for a car showing just 20,335 miles. This figure is backed up by every MOT except one (from 1999), which we believe was due to the car being off the road, pre the days of SORN and therefore not showing on any records. In preparation for the sale, the car was fitted with brand new discs and pads all round, a new timing belt, full service, fuel filter and a brand-new OE-exhaust and flew through its most recent MOT which is valid until 15th October 2024.

Most final production models are retained by the manufacturer and any low-mileage Sierra RS Cosworth is special, but there is only one right-hand car that can genuinely be called the 'last one'.