Both sold this year

Has to be the Sierra cossy,

Before that had to be the RS2000

I've worked on and driven a few, including a rally spec Escort and they always made me smile.

I think I preferred the escort though.

Ford Consul Capri GT, the first Ford that Cosworth worked on.

Now we are talking. More of a classic Peugeot man myself, but any Cosworth surely has to come into the dream car category even if it is a Ford.

I had a Murray Walker touring car video when I was a lad featuring beastly Sierra RS500 Cosworth’s driven by Rouse and co.

It would be a hard choice between an Escort and a Sierra RS500. I’m saying Escort today.

The lad I went to Uni with bought a white Escort Cosworth like that in 1996, lovely motor. I prefer the Sierra Cosworth personally though. Still, not as quick as the modified Nova with a 2 litre Astra GTE engine in it - he also owned that too, damn that car was quick...! The perks of your dad owning a garage in Essex I suppose

I'm a Pug 205 gti fan mainly.

As for the Nova, I used to know a lad who put a turbo'd red top engine in one and mated it up with a 4 wheel drive system he'd lifted off another vauxhall and modified it.
He then added a Merc supercharger form the Kompressor coupe model...

He spent over 10yrs building it etc during his spare time, I don't know if it ever saw the road, I lost contact with him.

When I win the lottery I’m going to need a rather large garage and equally large tool box.

There’s something about Fords that really turn folk on in later years. There’s no other car following quite like it or as lucrative (for run of the mill stuff anyway).

Did you have a 205 GTi Sid?

Wife wants a Roland Garros Cabrio or the rarer Lacoste model...

I learnt to drive in a 205 GTi - bloody awesome car to learn in, perhaps that explains my driving style these days

G850 BJT - Peugeot 205 1.9 GTi, in black, non sun roof model.

Met a sad end when a bloke driving an old mini decided to play with his stereo instead of looking at the road when pulling out of a junction...

Wouldn't mind but if I'd been driving like a dick I don't think he would've hit me, but I wasn't well and driving well within speed limits...

He t-boned me and I hit some barriers.
Front bumper disintegrated, passenger side all smashed to pieces and once I turned the engine off she wouldn't start again.
I was gutted, the only car I've ever really missed.

It's a bit OT but out of all those 90s "road going rally cars" Could you beat the Evo 6 for looks?

As for the Ford, probably the Escort for me. But only in the repsol livery.

Rick_Muller wrote:I learnt to drive in a 205 GTi - bloody awesome car to learn in, perhaps that explains my driving style these days

I learnt in an XR2 amongst other things.
Probably explains why I failed my test once for speeding and aggressive use of the accelerator.

I'd love to own a Metro 6R4.

starting_11 wrote:It's a bit OT but out of all those 90s "road going rally cars" Could you beat the Evo 6 for looks?

As for the Ford, probably the Escort for me. But only in the repsol livery.

Good shout with the Evo.

First time I drove one I scared my boss, as well as myself.
Stuck to the road like glue though.

Spijed wrote:I'd love to own a Metro 6R4.

Saw one for sale the other year, well over £100k.

Went out in one once, my bosses old rally car...
Once was enough, scared the crap out of me, he was mental

I learned in a 206 1.4 Hdi and Clio 1.5 dci.

Both cars incapable of breaking anything let alone the speed limit.

Always wanted a 205 GTi, but my real love is the 106 Rallye.

I will have another, if and when I get a new job (I’m only joking dear wifey )

Shame that these kind of cars went out of style. They got fatter, rounder and heavier as the years go on. What 230bhp used to do, you'd need 400 to shift at the same rate these days.

Spijed wrote:I'd love to own a Metro 6R4.

The cardboard box car as my wife calls it. She is but a heathen.

80’s/90’s Rallycross was heaven to watch for ex Group B cars running silly horsepower

Ah my local garage has just got a 106 Rallye.

He's currently ripping it apart and rebuilding it.

ClaretEngineer wrote:The cardboard box car as my wife calls it. She is but a heathen.

80’s/90’s Rallycross was heaven to watch for ex Group B cars running silly horsepower

Didn't they stop making the Group B cars because they became too fast and were involved in too many accidents?

Aye it was an RS200 or 6R4 that ended killing a load of people when it came off the road.

That’s why they ended up in Rallycross.

Surprised the Quattro hasn't had a mention yet.

Game changer and legend.

End thread

Favorite Cosworth is the Merc 190 closely followed by the Sierra

Sidney1st wrote:Surprised the Quattro hasn't had a mention yet.

Game changer and legend.

You did say favourite “Ford Cosworth” Sid.

I know it’s been derailed slightly since the OP

Spijed wrote:Didn't they stop making the Group B cars because they became too fast and were involved in too many accidents?

4-500 BHP, usually RWD on loose surface in a car that weighs less than a ton.

Great spectator car but yes, if they'd still be allowed upto today, hundreds or maybe thousands would have died. They were quite literally an accident waiting to happen.

I've always loved Minis and ended up buying this one off a lad I know. He'd tuned it to hell, spent a lot on a K&N intake and huge exhaust, was top spec, and he ended up needing to sell it because he'd bought an 80s Golf GTI and the Mini insurance was due for renewal. I ended up getting it for a grand less than he wanted because he got that desperate with the renewal date coming up.

Anyway, it drove like a dream, was the most fun possible in a car, quick AF, and then I slid off a greasy moorland road into a wall. Never been as gutted.

My old gaffer bought a brand new Escort RS2000 when they first came out in 1983 (?).
There was supposed to be a limited edition of 2000 but they sold so quickly that Ford released more, which kind of defeated the whole exercise.
He let me have a drive in it and when you floored it, the bugger didn't half pin you into your seat.

My Escort RS2000 was my favourite in my matchbox car drawer.

Juan Tanamera wrote:My old gaffer bought a brand new Escort RS2000 when they first came out in 1983 (?).
There was supposed to be a limited edition of 2000 but they sold so quickly that Ford released more, which kind of defeated the whole exercise.
He let me have a drive in it and when you floored it, the bugger didn't half pin you into your seat.

Would have been before 1983 for it to be an RS2000. The MK3 was in production at that time (and slightly before 81 maybe?) and there wasn’t an Rs2000 in that shape.

I drove a mk2 RS2000 at Silverstone a few years ago, stripped out running a standard 2.0 pinto. My that was some beast in the mud.

Walton wrote:My Escort RS2000 was my favourite in my matchbox car drawer.

I have a blue one with a yellow and green stripe on the roof. Bought it from a Bric a Brac at junior school.

ClaretEngineer wrote:I have a blue one with a yellow and green stripe on the roof. Bought it from a Bric a Brac at junior school.

Mine was white with blue decals. Wish I still had that collection. Used to chase it with my dark green and white German Police van. Always got away, obviously

Neither the Sierra or Escort Mark 5 looked that great in standard format. As a Cosworth I think the Escort looks better but then it was a 90s car whereas the Sierra was an 80s car. It is not really comparing like for like and only one is a 'hot' hatch too. As a previous mark 3 xr3i owner I would liked to have seen a factory Cosworth production of either the mark 3 or mark 4 Escort. I currently have a highly tuned RS Turbo which is probably the next best thing. So the Escort wins for me but it was the Sierra that was ground breaking even though not a 'hot hatch'.

Any one I could nick....

ElectroClaret wrote:Any one I could nick....

I remember Clarkson talking about the Escort and how the insurance was nearly as much as the car cost to buy.
They were so popular with car thieves...

Blackrod wrote:Neither the Sierra or Escort Mark 5 looked that great in standard format. As a Cosworth I think the Escort looks better but then it was a 90s car whereas the Sierra was an 80s car. It is not really comparing like for like and only one is a 'hot' hatch too. As a previous mark 3 xr3i owner I would liked to have seen a factory Cosworth production of either the mark 3 or mark 4 Escort. I currently have a highly tuned RS Turbo which is probably the next best thing. So the Escort wins for me but it was the Sierra that was ground breaking even though not a 'hot hatch'.

What about the RS1700T?

Or even better (admittedly not production) Martin Schanche’s Rallycross Escort with a BDT Engine. Or John Welch’s for that matter!

Wide arched Turbo charged and fast as F...

I used to work with a guy who had a Sierra xr4x4 with the 2.8 Essex engine he fitted a supercharger, that was fast, the rs1700t are rarer than hens teeth now.

https://youtu.be/mihngiEIMHU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Proper cars.

Gartrac / Xtrac Escorts in their prime and indeed their element!

Got to be the sierra RS500.
Now whilst these fords were and are still cracking cars i just don't get the cult following behind them. The escort cossie in its day had better rivals , namely the Celica GT4, Evo and Impreza all of which were much better put together than the ford and quicker point to point cars.

I'd like a Mk 1 or Mk 2 next but doubt I'll be paying 97k for one ! Really like the RS1700T which must be either non existent or crazy money. I was reading up on why they stoped making them following Claret Engineer's post which was very interesting. Might be a few more Gartracs knocking about.

Sidney1st wrote:Saw one for sale the other year, well over £100k.

Went out in one once, my bosses old rally car...
Once was enough, scared the crap out of me, he was mental

Company in Colne used to have 2 of them. C&R Land Rover maybe? One passed me as i was heading from Laneshaw Bridge to Cowling, him going the other way. I braked and pulled to the side as this thing came round the bend as i thought he was going so fast he would lose it. Just stuck like the proverbial to a blanket and roared past me.

A fool and his money are easily parted. Still like the Lotus Cortinas, though and the Mark 2 E.

Not quite a Cosworth, but from the same era... I had a Renault 5 GT Turbo in my younger years. It was running about 180bhp in the end and the overall driving experience was simply marvellous. The performance and noise in something not much sturdier than a tin can was just rediculous. I’ve driven more powerful cars and recent hot hatches, but nothing’s ever got my pulse racing quite the same.
Spent more time under the bonnet than in the driver’s seat, but I’d do it all over again without a second thought.

...it was the escort Cosworth for me, it looked amazing.

starting_11 wrote:It's a bit OT but out of all those 90s "road going rally cars" Could you beat the Evo 6 for looks?

Yes, the EVO 5! I used to have one in dandelion yellow and it was a really nice car. Recently bought a Chevette HS which I will be keeping. Enthusiastic driving will be kept to my 335D X- drive and 4200 spyder. Fwiw, the RS2000 only had about 115bhp which is pretty gutless these days.

Spijed wrote:I'd love to own a Metro 6R4.

They're great to own but horrendously expensive to use, it'd be cheaper wiping your backside with £50 notes.

I don't get the fascination with old fords , just because they have been on the bench for years doesn't make them any better , they were crap then and they are old and crap now ! Wish I had one though

Ooogeorgeorgeoghani wrote:I don't get the fascination with old fords , just because they have been on the bench for years doesn't make them any better , they were crap then and they are old and crap now ! Wish I had one though

I think it's the seat of your pants driving. Your inputs do the driving.

Nowadays with fly by wire, traction control etc. You think your driving it, but really lots is being done by computer.

If you floored a cossy mid corner it's likely to put you in hospital, a modern car will decide that's too much throttle and not give you the power you asked for.

Lowbankclaret wrote:I think it's the seat of your pants driving. Your inputs do the driving.

Nowadays with fly by wire, traction control etc. You think your driving it, but really lots is being done by computer.

If you floored a cossy mid corner it's likely to put you in hospital, a modern car will decide that's too much throttle and not give you the power you asked for.

bang on with that , far too many young lads died driving these cars , too much power without the safety cushion of the modern car