Jeremy Clarkson has never shied away from his love for the Ford Escort RS Cosworth, the wildly-winged homologation special that saw the otherwise naff Mk5 Escort turned into a turbocharged, four-wheel drive rally hero. It’s possible that much of that love came from this very car, which Clarkson ran for a year as a long-term press loan back in the ’90s – and with a decent chunk of cash, you could be its next owner.
The Escort Cosworth, if you needed a refresher, was built so Ford could enter the Escort in Group A rallying in the ’90s. Launched in 1992, it was actually much more closely related to the older Sierra Cosworth than to any other Escort.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth – side
It packed a 2.0-litre turbocharged Cosworth four-cylinder, sending 224bhp to all four wheels as standard – although this was a hugely tweakable engine and there are examples out there with power pushed into the four figure range.
This particular car is one of three hand-built pre-production prototypes, which was loaned to Clarkson for a year between 1992 and ’93. During that time, it appeared on the Top Gear TV show in its original, far more humble form. It was daily driven by the presenter, used as a camera car for the show, and was even keyed at one point – damage that long since seems to have been rectified.
Eventually, it was given away as part of a competition in the first ever issue of Top Gear Magazine. That giveaway included free insurance for a year, which would have been a relief given the truly ludicrous premiums Cosworths commanded in their day.
Seven years later, Clarkson was reunited with the Mallard Green Cosworth – registered K38 FMC – one last time when he took it for an emotional blast over the Buttertubs Pass in the Yorkshire Dales for his show, Clarkson’s Car Years.
Having been owned privately since then, it’s now popped up in Iconic Auctioneers’ Silverstone Festival sale, taking place on 24 August. Its current owner has refreshed the suspension and brakes, replaced the wheels, and had a new headliner fitted inside.
Ford Escort RS Cosworth – rear
Obviously, the huge spike in the ’90s collector car market means this doesn’t come cheap. Even with around 82,500 miles on the clock and the car in need of some “very minor mechanical enhancements,” it’s expected to go for between £65,000 and £75,000. Believe it or not, that’s towards the bottom end of the Escort Cossie market today – especially for examples with a connection to tall, frizzy-haired men from Doncaster.