Supercar performance and everyday practicality made the Sierra RS Cosworth unbeatable on the road as well as the track. Here’s the lowdown on the fast Ford legend.
Ford’s arguably unrivalled expertise at taking its best-selling ‘cooking’ models and creating a sporting icon was well documented by the mid-1980s, but if there was ever any doubt over the manufacturer’s ability, then the Sierra RS Cosworth firmly answered any non-believers.
Even at the very height of the hot hatch era and when prestige manufacturers were pushing out increasingly rapid mid-sized saloons, the arrival of the Sierra RS Cosworth set a new performance benchmark.
From its radical rear spoiler to its blistering performance, what would become affectionately known as the ‘Cossie’ literally blew everyone and ever other rival away, to the point where it assumed legendary status near instantly.
The original three-door version paved the way for 10 years of incredible fast Fords and certainly added a touch of glamour to the Sierra line-up, proving incredibly popular with everyone who got the slightest taste of its winning formula.
Over 30 years later, and the Sierra RS Cosworth is even more desirable. From being a performance bargain at launch to second-hand values dipping as low as £3000 for scruffy four-doors at the turn of the century, any Sierra RS Cosworth now comes with an increasingly high price. With that in mind, securing a sound example is even more important, so here’s what you need to know to avoid the thrashed and the crashed.
