It’s not quite a passport to riches, but a fast Ford is almost guaranteed to be a star attraction at a classic car auction. To put it another way, you’ll need to dig deep if you fancy a hot Sierra, Escort or Capri from the 1980s. The forthcoming CCA sale at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show is a veritable feast of fast Fords, as our auction preview demonstrates.
This 1987 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth scores an impressive 134 out of 135 on the CCA condition report, losing a single mark for its vehicle history. The auctioneers describe the condition as “first class”, before saying: “The work and respray was done by a company who are experts in their field and have even worked on Le Mans cars.” The body-off restoration cost £28,000 and, with this in mind – not to mention recent auction results – we reckon the pre-sale estimate looks pessimistic.
This example scores a less impressive 118 out of 135 on the CCA condition report, but the fact that it’s unrestored and has covered just 26,000 miles means that it’s no less appealing. Ford built 5,545 examples of the original three-door Cosworth, but many were modified, stolen or crashed. New, in 1986, an RS Cosworth would have cost around £16,000, but this 1987 car is expected to fetch three times that amount.
The Sierra RS Cosworth is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged twin-cam engine and features a chassis developed by Ford Special Vehicle Engineering. Even by today’s standards, the performance figures are breathtaking: top speed 149mph and 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds. D2 OYB was resprayed around eight years ago and has been with its current owner for the last five years.
After the original be-winged Sierra RS Cosworth, the Sapphire version looked a little more sombre. It arrived in 1988, with Ford focused on maximising the sales potential of a road-going performance car, rather than one built with homologation rules in mind. This early car was delivered new in Jersey and has covered just 36,178 miles in 30 years.
Last year, an immaculate and low mileage Ford Escort RS2000 Custom sold at auction for £97,875, making it the most valuable of its kind ever sold at auction. This 1979 example is unlikely to reach such dizzy heights – the Silverstone Auctions car had a mere 927 miles on the clock – but an impressive sale price is almost guaranteed.
Continental Europe fell out of love with the Capri in 1984, but production at Cologne continued until 1986 purely to satisfy demand in Great Britain. By March 1987, the final 1,038 Capri 280s had arrived in UK showrooms, each one with a price tag of £11,999. How many were treated to a Turbo Technics upgrade is unclear, but brooklands280.com states that around 130 Capris were turbocharged. In March 2016, a Capri 280 sold for a world-record £54,000.
“Superbly presented in Cordoba Beige with fabulous chocolate fishnet Recaros,” says CCA, in a description that is so evocative of the era. There’s a lot to love about this RS2000 Custom, including the period Minilites and Janspeed exhaust.
Unrestored and unmodified classics will always stand a better chance of achieving a huge price at auction, which is why this 1987 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is relatively affordable. There are receipts totalling £40,000 on file, including an £11,000 engine rebuild and the cost of converting the car to four-wheel drive.
Mileage plays a part in record-breaking sale prices, which is why this Ford Capri 280 is, relatively speaking, quite affordable. There are 120,000 miles on the clock, backed up by a plethora of old MOT certificates and 17 stamps in the service book. Last year, the car was treated to a glass-out respray and a pair of stainless steel exhausts.
Unlike the S1, you could order your Ford Escort RS Turbo S2 in a choice of colours, specifically white, black, red or metallic grey. Power was sourced from a 1.6-litre T3 turbocharged engine developing 132hp, enough to propel the Escort to a top speed of 128mph, sprinting to 60mph in 8.2 seconds. This example has covered 32,000 miles and has been owned by the same person for the last eight years.
Fresh from a five-year restoration job to what CCA is calling “concours standard”, this Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth is expected to sell for a price comparable to a new Focus. Modifications include a rear-wheel-drive conversion, AP Racing clutch and a lightened flywheel.
Contemporary road testers weren’t won over by the turbocharged Escort’s charms, with Motor saying: “For those who must have an Escort, the RS Turbo is a good proposition and at the moment, something different, but there are many better cars available for the money.” But buyers voted with their wallets, and the RS Turbo became an 80s icon.
“The Cortina GT is custom-built for the ambitious motorist,” said Ford in 1963, before claiming it “goes like the wind.” The 0-60mph time was polished off in 13.2 seconds, while the top speed was 92mph, which was quick for a humble saloon car. Power was sourced from a 1.5-litre engine, complete with Weber twin-choke carburetors and a free-flow four-branch exhaust manifold. This example is standard apart from the Lotus quarter-bumpers and modern alternator, and is expected to fetch up to £16,000.
The Ford Fiesta XR2 arrived in 1982 and was powered by a 1.6-litre engine similar to that used in the Fiesta Race Championship. CCA says: “This fabulous example is in excellent condition both aesthetically and mechanically.” The fact that its original and unmodified should ensure a high price when it goes under the hammer.
Remember the curry-themed press ad of 1990? “How hot do you like your hatch?” asked Ford, before labelling the XR2i as ‘Madras’ and RS Turbo as ‘Vindaloo’. The new Fiesta RS Turbo could hit 60mph in 7.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 127mph. Autocar wasn’t impressed, saying: “The RS Fiesta is a crude performance machine that offers no finesse and little reward to the skilled driver.” Ouch. Not that this will stop it selling for a strong price at auction.
This Capri 2.8i Special had been off the road for 25 years before a two-year restoration project was completed in February 2018. The 2.8i Special was introduced in 1984, adding 13-inch RS alloys, leather trim for the Recaro seats and a standard-fit limited-slip differential.
By the time the Special was introduced, the Capri was living on borrowed time, propped up by sales in Great Britain. In 1984, 16,328 Capris were sold over here, of which around 25 percent were 2.8s. The humble 1.6 Laser accounted for roughly half of all sales. Some cars remained unsold beyond the end of production, such as this 1987 Capri 2.8i Special.
The Ford Escort 1600 Sport arrived in 1975 and was pitched at the enthusiastic driver who fancied a blend of performance and comfort. This 1980 example features adjustable dampers front and rear, competition front brake discs and calipers, and some rather evocative Cibies.
The Ford Escort Huntsman is a rare beast, with just 350 produced. The Cortina Huntsman is rarer still, with 150 built. Each one was finished in Huntsman Red with distinctive gold coach lines, along with a generous level of standard equipment. This example has been under the same ownership for 29 years and is a regular on the show circuit.
It only manages 81 out of 135 on the CCA condition report, but this Fiesta XR2 is expected to fetch up to £8,000. It has been with the current owner for the last six years and comes with a partial history file.
We conclude with this 1983 Ford Capri 2.8i, which is expected to sell for up to £8,000. Remember, the CCA sale takes place on the weekend of the 24 and 25 March at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show.
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