Ford Escort RS Cosworth: the Sierra underneath, the Escort on top

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth is a homologation special of the fifth generation of the European Ford Escort. It was designed to qualify as a Group A car for the World Rally Championship, in which it competed from 1993 to 1998, and was available as a road car from 1992 until 1996.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth at a glance

History of the Ford Escort RS Cosworth

Ford built the car around the chassis and mechanicals of the Sierra Cosworth, to take the larger Cosworth engine and transmission, and dressed it in Escort panels to resemble the standard Mk 5 Escort. Only the front doors and roof are actually interchangeable with the ordinary car. The Mk 5 floor pan had been designed for front-wheel drive. The project was overseen by Rod Mansfield and John Wheeler of Ford’s SVO department. Stephen Harper at MGA Developments in Coventry styled it in 1989, a year before the standard Escort launched, and MGA designed the front and rear spoilers. The body tooling was made by Karmann, which also built the cars.

Permanent four-wheel drive with a 34/66 split came from an uprated five-speed gearbox like that of the Sierra Cosworth. The Escort RS Cosworth was the first mass-production car to produce downforce at both front and rear: about 4.6 kg at 180 km/h at the front with the splitter in its middle position and 19.4 kg at the rear with the large wing. Like its Sierra predecessor it is nicknamed “Cossie” by enthusiasts.

Homologation and later cars

The first 2,500 cars were the homologation specials, needed for FIA Group A accreditation and completed by 1 January 1993. They had a Garrett T3/T04B hybrid turbo with an air/water intercooler, and all carried a non-functioning water-injection system under the rear passenger seat to demonstrate the capability required by the Group A rules. Because of demand Ford kept the large-turbo version in production until June 1994. From then the second-generation car used a smaller Garrett T25 turbo and Ford EEC IV engine management, with 5 PS less peak power but better driveability. Production ended in early 1996 because the car could not meet new EU drive-by noise rules.

Versions

There were three: Motorsport Base, Standard and Lux. The Motorsport Base was a stripped car for customers who wanted to prepare it for rallying, 40 kg lighter and without electric windows, air conditioning, a sunroof and other equipment, with a strengthened body and a Motorsport-stamped VIN plate. Ford Motorsport also offered 937 ready-prepared Motorsport Shell 909 bodyshells. The Standard and Lux added equipment and, from 1994, airbags. To celebrate its 1994 Monte Carlo Rally victory Ford made a Monte Carlo edition for the UK.

At the time its 150 mph claim rivalled cars such as the Audi Coupé S2, BMW M3, Nissan 300ZX, Toyota Supra and Porsche 968, and it comfortably outperformed traditional hot hatchbacks like the Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Design and features

• Construction: a Sierra Cosworth floor pan with Escort body panels.
• Aerodynamics: a large rear wing and adjustable front splitter, producing real downforce.
• Fakery for the rules: a dummy water-injection system in the first 2,500 cars.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth versions

• Large-turbo cars (1992–1994): including the 2,500 homologation specials.
• Small-turbo cars (from June 1994): known as YPT, with a Garrett T25 turbo.
• Motorsport Base, Standard and Lux: the three trim levels.
• Monte Carlo edition: a UK special to mark the 1994 rally win.

The Escort RS Cosworth was a sibling of the Group B Ford RS200. More Fords are in our Ford collection.

Sources

• Ford Escort RS Cosworth, English Wikipedia: development, production, performance, versions