RE: Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500: PH Heroes

[200Plus Club]

Happy memories of doing a genuine 175mph at brunters in one at a Redline magazine shoot day two up! Lairy wheelspin in the damp, it was 500+bhp or so at the time. Martin Hadland went faster on the day in his Escort cossie!

[blade7]

Robb Gravett was overall BTCC champion in 1990 driving a 500.

[lord trumpton]

Awww wonderful memories.

Makes one realise how much effort went into creating these icons from a manufacturing point of view - totally stand out from the range.

I've owned a few RS Cosworths' back in the 90's/2000's but the best was this RS500 - I wonder who owns her now?

[richardaucock]

lord trumpton said:

Awww wonderful memories.

Makes one realise how much effort went into creating these icons from a manufacturing point of view - totally stand out from the range.

I've owned a few RS Cosworths' back in the 90's/2000's but the best was this RS500 - I wonder who owns her now?

I'll try and find out for you!

[lord trumpton]

richardaucock said:

lord trumpton said:

Awww wonderful memories.

Makes one realise how much effort went into creating these icons from a manufacturing point of view - totally stand out from the range.

I've owned a few RS Cosworths' back in the 90's/2000's but the best was this RS500 - I wonder who owns her now?

I'll try and find out for you!

Had about 40k miles on when I had it back in 2007/08 iirc

Edited by lord trumpton on Saturday 7th January 08:20

[richardaucock]

lord trumpton said:

Had about 40k miles on when I had it back in 2007/08 iirc

Edited by lord trumpton on Saturday 7th January 08:20

That's an awesome thing. Props for owning one!

[RS500 Registrar]

Hi Richard

What a great artical , you have done myself and the other owners proud .

Owning one of these iconic rs500 race cars is quite special to me and i have saved for 20 years to be able to have not one but 2 of these cars in my collection .

With this year being the 30th its great to see them getting some great attention again.

See you at the Autosprt show next week

Kind regards Paul

[Riv500]

Simply put (and in my humble opinion) this is the sort of articles which should be appearing on PH website and far more often. Fabulous piece which does a living legend justice! More of this kind of stuff please! And more Cossies!!!

[Ahbefive]

clarkmagpie said:

Not my jam.
Never been a fast ford fan.
Just really don't get the excitement of these.

You should read the article then and maybe you will understand why they are such special cars. So much great history.

[Butter Face]

RS500 Registrar said:

Hi Richard

What a great artical , you have done myself and the other owners proud .

Owning one of these iconic rs500 race cars is quite special to me and i have saved for 20 years to be able to have not one but 2 of these cars in my collection .

With this year being the 30th its great to see them getting some great attention again.

See you at the Autosprt show next week

Kind regards Paul

Paul, as the registrar have you got details of the owner of chassis ending 39094?

I can supply the registrations if required. It's the one we took in and sold in 2008.

[Centurion07]

Coincidentally I visited Haynes Motor Museum on Friday and look what was in there.

When I saw it from a distance I thought "I hope that's not an RS500". Quick look round the back and it has the badge.

Turns out it was the car used in a Duckhams advert and, SACRILEGE, is fitted with a VW engine in the boot to make it go whilst the YB in the front "looks" like it's working.

[Riv500]

If I recall correctly, the Cossie powerslid during the advert (someone post the link!!!) - however did they manage to make it do that using that rear-mounted hairdrier!!!???

Centurion07 said:

Coincidentally I visited Haynes Motor Museum on Friday and look what was in there.

When I saw it from a distance I thought "I hope that's not an RS500". Quick look round the back and it has the badge.

Turns out it was the car used in a Duckhams advert and, SACRILEGE, is fitted with a VW engine in the boot to make it go whilst the YB in the front "looks" like it's working.

[Riv500]

Seem to remember another 80s themed TV ad including a Sierra Cossie....

Think it was Esso (put a tiger in your tank), interior shot shows Cossie leaving petrol station and literally taking off?

Would be great to see that again too if there's a link anywhere?

[e21Mark]

Much as I like these, I always thought the dash / interior plastics let them down. I'd have to rip the interior out if I had one, then fit Recaro, cage etc though anyway.

[*Al*]

Loved the cossies, I'm old enough to have owned a few in the past. I had X2 sapps 2WD a sapp 4WD and a K reg Escort Cosworth (large turbo), also had the S1 turbo, 2x S2 turbo, RS1600i, x2 XR4i, XR3i, Capri 3.0S and many other Fords including Mk2 Escorts. If only I had a crystal ball!

[Limpet]

e21Mark said:

Much as I like these, I always thought the dash / interior plastics let them down. I'd have to rip the interior out if I had one, then fit Recaro, cage etc though anyway.

I agree, the materials are low rent, but I always thought the design was very good. It was a very driver-centric cockpit which gave a nice wrap-around feel. You sat down "in" them, which always felt good. I never quite understood why they felt the need to saddle them with such a long gear lever though.

[s m]

e21Mark said:

Much as I like these, I always thought the dash / interior plastics let them down. I'd have to rip the interior out if I had one, then fit Recaro, cage etc though anyway.

Although they do have Recaros in as standard anyway

I've seen them with the dash done in alcantara/flocked and it does look pretty good

[markcoznottz]

Sierra came out, 1982? So the dashboard design must have been signed off 1980 ish . 37 year old design, when the sweeney was still on tv. The general build is horrific, they actually restyled the binnacle slightly in '92, must have cost ooh about a fiver. These cars are all about the speed at the end of it, and the crudeness adds to the charm. If someone got out of a golf r into this it would be like a different world.

[blade7]

markcoznottz said:

These cars are all about the speed at the end of it, and the crudeness adds to the charm. If someone got out of a golf r into this it would be like a different world.

Sticking to standard road cars, comparing a 3 door to something like an E36 M3 or a 250 bhp 944 turbo and the Cosworth doesn't drive that well.

[Let off some steam Bennett]

blade7 said:

Sticking to standard road cars, comparing a 3 door to something like an E36 M3 or a 250 bhp 944 turbo and the Cosworth doesn't drive that well.

Cant agree with that , my cosworth was far more stable at speed than my e36 m3. The m3 was very light on the front at speed.