Fast Fords: the Autocar buying guide

Who doesn't like a Fast Ford?

From less than £5000, there should be something to pique your interest, as Alan Taylor-Jones explains.

Ford Fiesta RS1800 (1992-97)

Entry to the RS club doesn’t have to break the bank as demonstrated by the little RS1800. Launched back in 1992 as a replacement for the wayward Fiesta RS Turbo, it replaced the laggy CVH turbo engine with a 130bhp version of Ford’s new 1.8-litre Zetec motor.

A cheap rarity

The run from 0-60mph may have increased by 0.2 seconds to 8.1sec but it was still rapid for such a small car back then. As well as the boy racer bodykit, you got Recaro seats and tweaks to the suspension. You can pick one up now for comfortably under £5000 but the challenge could be finding one; only a few thousand were made and fewer still remain.

Ford Focus RS Mk1 (2002-03)

Few modern hot hatchbacks seem to court as much controversy as the Mk1 Focus RS. Depending on what you read or who you talk to, it’s either one of the most entertaining front-wheel-drive chassis of the last fifteen years or a torque-steering liability. Still, with modern cars more insulating than ever, plenty of people see the appeal of the raw RS.

Cult following

Thanks to a nominal 212bhp and standard fit limited slip diff, 0-60mph fell in just 5.9 seconds while it looks like it just drove off a rally stage. Ford made 4501 of them and it seems a good chunk of them still live thanks to the car’s cult status. Around £7000 will net you a high-mileage example but budget nearer £10,000 for a tidy one.

Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth (1988-92)

Anyone with even the slightest interest in Sierra Cosworths will have noticed that prices have skyrocketed in the last year or so. With RS500s now commanding well in excess of £60,000 and good examples of the ‘normal’ three-door Cossie comfortably topping £30,000, the Sapphire looks a comparative bargain. Sharing the same 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘YB’ lump as the earlier cars and later Escort Cosworth, the Sapphire was intended to provide a stiffer platform for rallying.

Rallying call to buy

Early cars were rear-drive but in 1990 four-wheel-drive became standard to homologate the setup for rallying. While many more Sapphires were produced than hatchbacks, hoardes have long since died at the hands of neglectful owners and joyriders. Even still, you can pick up a minter for less than £15,000 while project cars are much, much cheaper.

Ford Escort RS 1600 (1970-74)

While this may not be the first RS-badged Ford (the German market 20M RS takes that honour) it is the one that cemented the brand’s reputation. A car truly developed for motorsport, it shouldn’t be confused with the simpler and cheaper RS2000.

Not only were all RS 1600s specially built by Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations and fully seam welded for strength, they also received Cosworth’s famous BDA twin-cam powerplant.

High demand

Good for 120bhp on the road cars, they would go on to produce well over 200bhp in competition cars. With any three-door Mk1 Escort now in great demand, it should come as no surprise to find the RS 1600 is seriously expensive now. This or a pair of new Focus RS's?

Ford RS200 (1984-86)

If we’re being brutal, the RS200 homologated rally special was a bit of a flop. Late to the Group B party, it got a best result of third in the 1986 Swedish Rally before the class was banned for 1987.

Even so, it looked like no other rally car at the time, as it made no effort to look like any Ford production vehicle. While Ghia should be thanked for the strangely attractive styling, Cosworth were once again in charge of the engine with a turbocharged development of the BDA fitted amidships.

Breaking the bank

Power ranged from 250bhp for the road cars and up to over 600bhp for the Evolution models. If that sounds tempting then you’d best have deep pockets. The cheapest currently out there is a cool £229,500.