The Ford Escort RS Cosworth is a homologation special of the fifth generation European Ford Escort. It was designed to qualify as a Group A car for the World Rally Championship in which it competed between 1993 and 1998. It was available as a road car from 1992 until 1996. The powertrain was only fitted to this version of the Escort, a longitudinally mounted Cosworth YBT, a highly tunable turbocharged2.0L (1,993cc) with a bore x stroke of 90.8mm ×77mm (3.57in ×3.03in)Inline-four engine[1][2] which had an output of 227PS (167kW; 224bhp) in standard trim. Tuning companies have achieved power outputs in excess of 1,000bhp (746kW; 1,014PS).[3]
Ford developed the car around the chassis and mechanicals of the Sierra Cosworth, to accommodate the larger Cosworth engine and transmission, while clothing it in Escort body panels to make it resemble the standard Mk 5 Ford Escort, although the front doors and roof are the only bodyshell elements that are actually interchangeable. This accommodation was required as the floor pan of the regular Mk 5 Escort was designed for front-wheel-drive only initially (although a four-wheel drive version, the RS2000 4x4, was soon introduced). Designed under the guidance of Rod Mansfield and John Wheeler of Ford's SVO department, the styling was designed during 1989, a year before the standard Escort was launched, by Stephen Harper at MGA Developments in Coventry. The aerokit (front and rear spoilers) was designed by MGA with oversight by John Wheeler,[4] whilst the ride and handling was overseen by John Bull and Mick Kelly. The body tooling was created by coachbuilders Karmann at their facility in Rheine, Germany, where the cars were manufactured.
Changes were made to the engine management system and a new turbocharger was fitted. Permanent four-wheel drive with a 34/66% front/rear split came courtesy of an uprated five-speed gearbox as used in the Sierra Cosworth. Like its Sierra predecessor, they are commonly nicknamed "Cossies" by enthusiasts.[5]
In total 7,145 vehicles were produced from the start of production on 19 February 1992 until the last car rolled out of the factory on 12 January 1996. A small number were officially imported to the United States by a third party.[6]
Two main versions were produced; The initial 2,500 units were "homologation specials" used to fulfil FIA accreditation for Group A and were completed by January 1, 1993. These vehicles were fitted with a Garrett T3/T04B Hybrid turbo and air/water intercooler (this is a hybrid consisting of a Garrett T04B compressor wheel combined with a Garrett T3 turbine, also known as T34). All of the 2,500 homologation cars included the water injection system under the rear passenger seat. This was non-functioning and was in place to demonstrate water injection capability for the Group A regulations.
Due to high demand, Ford kept the large turbo version in production until June 1994 even though the homologation number of 2,500 had been full-filled.
From June 1994, the second generation model was produced featuring a smaller Garrett T25 turbocharger and a revised engine management system; the original Weber-Marelli IAW P8 installation was replaced by Ford EEC IV. The ignition system now came with a single coil per cylinder compared to the static ignition arrangement found in the original version (no distributor was used). To improve cooling, larger piston oil squirters were fitted. Although the peak power was reduced by 5 PS (6bhp; 3 KW), these changes aided drivability for non-competitive use.
The "small turbo" models can be visually identified with a black and silver camshaft & ignition coil cover as opposed to the blue of the larger turbo model and are known as YPT. Production stopped in early 1996 as the model was unable to meet new EU drive-by noise regulations.
Performance
Escort Cosworth engine YBT T34
Maximum power officially from Ford was 227PS (224bhp; 167kW) at 6,250 rpm and 304N⋅m; 224lbf⋅ft (31kg⋅m) of torque at 3,500 rpm[7] on 95 RONpetrol and a max speed of 232km/h (144mph) (GPS) and 237km/h (147mph) without the big rear wing, while 0–100km/h (62mph) takes 5.7 sec. Standard boost from Garrett AiResearch T3/T04B turbocharger was 0.8bar (12psi) with 1.0-1.1 bar overboost. The car weight was 1,275kg (2,811lb) or 1,310kg (2,890lb) for the Lux edition.
The Escort RS Cosworth was the first mass production car to produce downforce at the front and rear; 4.6kg/45 Newtons at 180km/h (110mph) at the front with an adjustable front splitter in the middle position and 19.4kg/190Newtons at the rear with the rear large wing.
Road Variations
Three variations could be purchased; Motorsport Base, Standard and Lux (Luxury).[8] The initial 2,500 homologation units with the non-functioning water injection kit are a mixture of Motorsport Base, Standard and Lux.
Motorsport Base
The Motorsport Base enabled customers to purchase a basic road car and self-prep for rallying. All cars were Diamond White featuring grey polaris cloth hexagon pattern seats. Equipment such as; electric windows, electric mirrors, electric boot release, radio, sunroof, central locking, fog lamps, air conditioning, opening rear quarter windows, rear headrest, under seal and some sound deadening was omitted from the build. Additionally the body was strengthened in key areas (front and rear suspension mounts) along with the fuel pump access panel riveted, not welded in place. Motorsport versions include a 'Motorsport" stamped VIN plate.[9] Kerb weight was 40kg lower.
Also offered was the 'Motorsport Shell 909' option which could be ordered though Ford Motorsport along with all Group A & N parts for customers who wanted to build a car from a base shell or required spares. These shells had brackets removed, strengthening plates installed, seam welded and had a roll cage fitted. Ford Motorsport produced 937 of these ready prepared shells.
Standard & Lux
The Standard version was more civilised with additional options available that were unavailable on the Motorsport base; electric windows, sunshine roof, central locking, remote boot release, carpeted door bins. From 1994 the 'whale tail' spoiler could be deleted from the factory however it is unknown how many buyers chose this option. A drivers and passenger airbag became available from 1994 onwards.
The Lux model offered further options not available on the Motorsport or Standard model. These included CD player, air conditioning, electric sunroof, electric heated door mirrors, Quick-clear heated windscreen, heated washer jets, a three-spoke leather covered steering wheel, carpeted door bins, a rear seat armrest, opening rear quarter windows, heated headlight washer jets, leather seats and heated seats. The Lux pack was available as a full option pack towards the later years.
All small turbo models are either Standard or Lux variants.
Special Editions
Monte Carlo: To celebrate the victory in the 1994 Monte Carlo rally, Ford created the Monte Carlo edition for the UK market. This was available in three colours, Ash Black, Mallard Green and only for this edition, Jewel Violet with an estimated 200 produced total. The differences to a standard car were: 8 x16 OZ Racing Wheels, Monte Carlo stickers on the wings and tailgate, Recaro motorsport seats with 'Motorsport' logo on the inner bolsters, alloy gear knob and chrome brake handle button. They were otherwise mechanically unchanged.
Miki Biasion: This was Italian market only, launched in 1992 with a production run of 120. Each car came with a numbered plaque on the dashboard with Miki Biasion's signature. All were Motorsport Base spec; Diamond White non-sunroof bodies, hexagon trimmed seats, manual windows, no radio and no electric boot release. These 120 units were part of the original 2,500 homologation run and included the non-functioning water spray system.
Motorsport Edition: Different from the Motorsport Base, it was released in 1994 for the Italian market and was visually similar to the Monte Carlo, including the same 8x16 OZ Racing Wheels. All cars were ash black and featured full electrics pack and air conditioning[10]
Martini Racing Edition: Limited to 200 models, this was produced to celebrate the partnership between Ford and one of its main sponsors.
Acropolis Edition: Only one was built out of a planned 200. The car was yellow with black bonnet vents and Acropolis graphics with yellow wheels, built to celebrate Miki Biasion's 1993 Acropolis Rally victory.
Arrows F1 Escort: Limited edition produced for the Japanese market by Brooklyn Motorsport as part of a marketing tie-in with the Arrows F1 team. All were base white with a graphics pack (emulating the 1995 Footwork FA16-Hart driven by Taki Inoue/Morbidelli/Papis), Morette headlights, Enkei 5-spoke wheels and an ECU remap taking power to 265PS (195kW). Also included was a 1:43 model car and Sergio Tacchini apparel. Out of a planned run of 25, it is estimated that only ten examples were built.[11]
Wolf Edition: Produced by reputable Ford tuner Wolf Tuning of Germany (also known as Walter Wolf Racing) these had numerous modification such as uprated fuel injectors, fuel pump, intercooler, ECU, Bilstein or Eibach suspension, 300km/h gauges. Power output was 300 PS at 6250rpm [12]
Build Numbers
1992 - 3448
1993 - 1143
1994 - 1180
1995 - 1306
1996 - 68
Motorsport
The rationale behind the Escort RS Cosworth's design was that it should win the World Rally Championship. It did not achieve that goal, but it did win eight events between 1993 and 1996 as a Group A car, and two more in World Rally Car guise in 1997, before being replaced by the Focus RS WRC.
The Escort RS Cosworth was developed by the Ford Works Rally Team during late 1990,1991 and 1992. Its first appearances, prior to homologation, were in the Spanish championship in late 1990, in the hands of Jose Maria Bardolet where it won its first competitive rally; Rally Talavera and on the 1992 Scottish Rally, where it was driven by Malcolm Wilson who was also the lead development driver. Wilson was not formally competing in the event, but his stage times were faster than those of winner Colin McRae. During the latter part of the 1992 season, development of the Sierra Cosworth came to an end, and the works team drivers Francois Delecour and Miki Biasion concentrated on readying the Escort for competition.
A Ford Escort RS Cosworth on a stage rally, driven by British driver Malcolm Wilson.
On the Escort's first outing at World Championship level, the 1993 Monte Carlo Rally, Delecour took the lead with Biasion second. The pair led the event until the final night, when a late charge by Didier Auriol, driving a Toyota Celica, saw him win, with the Fords second and third. Nevertheless, the new car had demonstrated its potential, which was underlined the following month when Malcolm Wilson, driving a car prepared by his own team, briefly led the Swedish Rally before retiring after an accident. The works team returned for the Portuguese Rally, Delecour led almost from the start and won the event with Biasion second, establishing both car and driver as serious contenders for that year's World Championship. Delecour won again in Corsica, and Biasion in Greece – his first win for three years – putting them first and second in the drivers' championship, and Ford in the joint lead in the manufacturers' title.
During the second half of the season Toyota driver Juha Kankkunen won in Argentina, Finland and Australia, but in New Zealand, with the exception of Delecour's second place (behind Colin McRae) the Fords' results were relatively poor, giving Toyota the manufacturers' title. Both works Escorts retired on the San Remo Rally, Delecour's after an accident and Biasion's with engine failure after a radiator hose split, but the event was won by Italian Franco Cunico, in a privately entered Escort RS Cosworth. It was the first time in several years that a privateer had won at this level, and in doing so he outpaced the works Lancia Delta Integrale of reigning World Champion Carlos Sainz, demonstrating the superiority of the Escort over the previously dominant Lancia. Nevertheless, the result was a disappointment for Ford since, although Delecour won the penultimate round of the season, in Catalunya, he lost the world title to Kankkunen.
Delecour and Ford were tipped as serious contenders for the 1994 World Championship, especially after Delecour's victory on the Monte Carlo Rally. However, Delecour retired from the second round of the championship in Portugal, with engine failure, and a few weeks later was injured in a road accident which forced him to miss the next four rounds. Biasion finished third in Portugal, but he was unable to keep up with the Toyotas, and his results did not improve thereafter, amid reports that his relationship with the team was deteriorating. He left at the end of 1994, and did not drive again at World Championship level.
In Delecour's absence the second Escort was driven by a succession of temporary drivers, including 1981 World Champion Ari Vatanen, young Belgian driver Bruno Thiry and Franco Cunico. With the exception of Vatanen's third place in Argentina (followed by retirement after a major crash in New Zealand while challenging for third), results were indifferent and the team faced some criticism for its dependence upon Delecour. The final guest driver proved a greater success, however: on a one-off drive for the team, Tommi Mäkinen won the 1994 1000 Lakes Rally. Delecour returned to the team on the same event but was still not fully fit and finished fourth, before retiring on the final two rounds. Thiry rounded off a disappointing season for the team by taking third place on the final round, in Great Britain.
Budgetary concerns due to supporting both Formula 1 and the BTCC meant the Ford works team at Boreham closed at the end of 1994, and the rally programme was handed over to the Belgian RAS Sport team. Biasion was replaced by Bruno Thiry, while Delecour stayed with the team. The season was shortened to eight events and servicing was much more restricted than in previous seasons. Group A cars also had to run with a smaller turbo restrictor than previously, which was a particular handicap for Ford, since the rally Escort's seven-speed gearbox was not well suited to a lower-revving engine. Delecour, although complaining volubly in interviews about the rule changes, finished second on the Monte Carlo. Bruno Thiry then led the Corsica Rally and looked likely to win, until a wheel bearing failure, which under previous rules his mechanics would have been able to rectify, put him out of the rally. Delecour finished second, but there were no further top-three placings that season and Ford finished at the bottom of the manufacturers' championship.
The experiment with RAS not having been successful, Ford took its rally team back in-house for the 1996 season. Thiry stayed as second driver, but Delecour left the team and was replaced by Carlos Sainz. Sainz took third place in the driver's championship, with a win in Indonesia and second in Sweden and Italy. Nevertheless, the Escort was by this time outclassed by the Mitsubishi and Tommi Mäkinen, who won that year's title, and towards the end of the season interest switched towards the following season and the incoming World Rally Car rules.
Although it required some special dispensation, Ford were permitted to adapt the car into a World Rally Car for the 1997 season, to serve as a stopgap until a purpose-built WRC was developed. The semi-trailing-arm rear suspension, judged one of the Cosworth's weak points, was replaced with MacPherson struts, and modifications were made to the bodywork and transmission. Ford handed over the running of the team to Malcolm Wilson's team, now known as M-Sport.
During the 1997 and 1998 seasons, it went on to score two more victories by Carlos Sainz. With Thiry, Ari Vatanen (on a one-off podium-scoring basis at the Safari Rally after Thiry suffered an injury) and four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen now behind the wheel of the cars, the Escort name finally bowed out of works rallying altogether after a double-podium at the season-ending 1998 Rally of Great Britain.
Outside the World Championship, the Escort RS Cosworth was highly successful at National and European championship level, winning many national rally titles, perhaps more so than any other car of the Group A era. These titles include:
Belgian (1993, 1994, 1996)
British (1994
Italian (1994, 1995,1996)
German (1993, 1994)
French (1993 - 1995)
Netherlands (1993, 1994)
Austrian (1994, 1995)
Greek (1994)
Bulgarian (1995, 1996)
Turkey (1994, 1995, 1996)
Swiss (1995)
Denmark (1995)
Finland (1995)
Irish (1995)
Portuguese (1994, 1995, 1996)
Czech Republic (1996)
Lithuanian (1997)
Slovenian (1996, 1997, 1998, 2002)
In 1993 Pierre-César Baroni and 1994 Belgian driver Patrick Snijers won the European Rally Championship with the Escort Rs Cosworth. It was also a successful Group N contender.
The Escort also had a foray in Formula One albeit as its Safety Car. It was, in fact, used during two Grands Prix in the 1992 season to trial this new safety concept, which was officially introduced in the sport the following year (using other road cars).
Cosworth is a British automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in high-performance internal combustion engines, powertrain, and electronics for automobile racing (motorsport) and mainstream automotive industries. Cosworth is based in Northampton, England, with facilities in Cottenham, England, Silverstone, England, and Indianapolis, IN, US.
The Ford Sierra is a mid-size car or large family car manufactured and marketed by Ford Europe from 1982–1993, designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément — and noted for its aerodynamic styling producing a drag coefficient of 0.34, a significant improvement over its predecessors.
The Ford RS200 is a mid-engined, all-wheel-drive sports car that was produced by Ford Motorsport in Boreham, UK, from 1984 to 1986. The road-going RS200 was the basis for Ford's Group B rally car and was designed to comply with FIA homologation regulations, which required 200 parts kits to be produced and at least one road-legal car to be assembled. It was first displayed to the public at the Belfast Motor Show.
Group B was a set of regulations for grand touring (GT) vehicles used in sports car racing and rallying introduced in 1982 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Although permitted to enter a GT class of the World Sportscar Championship alongside the more popular racing prototypes of Group C, Group B are commonly associated with the international rallying scene during 1982 to 1986 in popular culture, when they were the highest class used across rallying, including the World Rally Championship, regional and national championships.
The Renault 5 Turbo or R5 Turbo is a sport hatchback automobile launched by the French manufacturer Renault at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1980. The car was primarily designed for rallying, but was also sold in a street version.
Stig Lennart Blomqvist is a retired Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985. He won his home event, the Swedish Rally, seven times.
The Ford Escort is a small family car that was manufactured by Ford of Europe from 1968 until 2000. In total there were six generations, spread across three basic platforms: the original, rear-wheel-drive Mk.1/Mk.2 (1968–1980), the "Erika" front-wheel-drive Mk.3/Mk.4 (1980–1992), and the final CE-14 Mk.5/Mk.6 (1990–2002) version. Its successor, the Ford Focus, was released in 1998, but the final generation of Escort was phased out gradually, with the panel van version ending production in 2002 in favour of the Ford Transit Connect.
Didier Auriol is a French former rally driver. Born in Montpellier and initially an ambulance driver, he competed in the World Rally Championship throughout the 1990s. He became World Rally Champion in 1994, the first driver from his country to do so. He was a factory candidate for Lancia, Toyota and Peugeot among others, before losing his seat at Škoda at the end of 2003. His sister Nadine was also involved in rallying as a co-driver, while his brother Gerrard was also a former rally driver.
Massimo "Miki" Biasion is an Italian rally driver, two-time World Rally champion.
François Delecour is a French rally driver.
The 1997 World Rally Championship was the 25th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season saw many changes in the championship. Most notably, Group A was partially replaced by the World Rally Car with manufacturers given the option which regulations to construct to. One inherent benefit to manufacturers by adopting WRC regulations was removing the need to mass-produce road-going versions of the cars that they competed with, under the previous rules for homologation. This meant that vehicles such as the Escort RS Cosworth and Subaru Impreza Turbo no longer had to be mass-produced for general sale in order to compete at World Championship level, and thus acting as a means of attracting increased competition and involvement by manufacturers. In the few years that follow, the Championship saw the added presence of WRC cars from companies such as Toyota, Hyundai, Seat, Citroën, and Peugeot, who would all compete under WRC regulations without having to manufacture equivalent specialised road cars for public sale. Both Ford and Subaru switched to WRC in 1997, except Mitsubishi who stayed with Group A to maintain the links to their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution road cars. Subaru's transition was much more gradual for similar reasons with the early Subaru Impreza WRCs still largely Group A in nature.
Bruno Thiry is a Belgian rally driver. He was born in St. Vith, Liège Province.
Ford Escort WRC is a rally vehicle based on the Ford Escort RS Cosworth with World Rally Car homologation. It was built by M-Sport to compete in the World Rally Championship for the Ford World Rally Team. It replaced the group A version that the brand had used since 1993 and was later replaced by the Ford Focus WRC in 1999.
The Ford World Rally Team, also known as the Ford Motor Co. Team prior to 2005, is Ford Motor Company's full factory World Rally Championship team. In its current form, it has been a competitor since the 1997 season, when Ford Motor Company's motorsport arm selected the Malcolm Wilson Motorsport company to run its factory team, entering the Ford Escort World Rally Car. The new team took their first victory in the 1997 Acropolis Rally.
Ford Performance is the high-performance division of the Ford Motor Company and the multinational name used for its motorsport and racing activity.
The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra that was built by Ford Europe from 1986 to 1992. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.
Alessandro "Alex" Fiorio is an Italian rally driver. He debuted in the World Rally Championship in 1986. Driving the dominant Lancia Delta Integrale for the Lancia "B-team" Jolly Club, he finished third in the drivers' world championship in 1988 and second in 1989. His father Cesare Fiorio was a former racer, the head of Lancia's factory WRC team and sporting director for Scuderia Ferrari.
ŠKODA Motorsport is the sports factory team of the car manufacturer Škoda Auto, currently focusing on the development and construction of racing cars. The latest model from Škoda Motorsport's workshops is the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, which was introduced on June 14, 2022, and is set to follow in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the ŠKODA FABIA Rally2 evo, unveiled in 2019. During the factory team's existence, they have managed to secure five championship titles in the FIA World Rally Championship category WRC 2 in the manufacturers' standings.
Mountune Racing is a specialist automotive engineering company. It was formed in 1980 in Maldon, Essex by David Mountain to provide Mini race engines.
The Lancia Delta HF is a Group A rally car built for the Martini Lancia by Lancia to compete in the World Rally Championship. It is based upon the Lancia Delta road car and replaced the Lancia Delta S4. The car was introduced for the 1987 World Rally Championship season and dominated the World Rally Championship, scoring 46 WRC victories overall and winning the constructors' championship a record six times in a row from 1987 to 1992, in addition to drivers' championship titles for Juha Kankkunen and Miki Biasion, making Lancia the most successful marque in the history of the WRC and the Delta the most successful car.
↑ Escort RS Cosworth(PDF) (brochure), Ford Motor Company Limited, June 1992, p.12, archived from the original(PDF) on 28 November 2023 – via Auto Catalog Archive
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
