Saturday 29th September 2018

Ford Fiesta RS Turbo: Spotted

For those who like it rough, better get your cheque book out - this fast Ford is £14,995

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I’m told on reliable authority that the Fiesta RS Turbo that graced our roads (and hedgerows) some 28 years ago can be a handful. Even the road testers working for Autocar at the time concluded after running one for ten months that it was ‘fast but flawed’.

So, why bother writing a spotted about a car that many believe to be a bit pants? Well, we hear plenty of people bemoan the loss of cars that have an edge to them; stuff that forces you to concentrate on what you’re doing in order to get the best out of them. Well, here’s a fast Ford with horrendous turbo lag, strong torque steer, excessive axle tramp (that broke a door mirror when the car was performance tested) and a firm ride that was unforgiving enough to work the interior trim loose and cause rattles.

To be fair, there was an upside to this car and it was speed. Unlike the rather pedestrian standard car, the RS Turbo could do 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds, and a 30-70mph passing time of 7.2 secs, which was very good for a car of its day. The handling came alive at speed, even if the rock-hard ride meant that sharp mid-corner bumps would upset the compliance of the suspension.

Inside the RS Turbo there are only a few subtle clues that you’re in anything other than a regular Fiesta. You face a more sporty, leather wrapped three-spoke steering wheel. You perch yourself on heavily bolstered Recaro seats and you’re treated to the luxury of electric windows, probably as some concession to the sweat you’d build up from the non-power assisted steering.

On the outside, you’ll note that there’s a sporty body kit including new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and a subtle boot spoiler. Pleasingly, the green bumper inserts are present and correct on this freshly restored example, as are the three-spoke alloys with their comical round inserts that make you think it has large disc brakes all-round. The fronts maybe 240mm diameter roters, but the backs are drums, unfortunately.

But the abiding memory for many was the uncouth nature of this car, which you either love or hate. The CVH engine was coarse at the best of times and there was no aural pleasure to be found by wringing its neck up into the redline. Plus, the lack of a limited-slip diff hampered the potential of this car somewhat. A popular modification was to fit the gearbox of an Escort RS Turbo because that came with an LSD - albeit a rather slack one - since it shared the same bolt pattern as the Fiesta. You could also improve upon the 133bhp of the 1.6-litre engine by replacing the Garrett T2 turbo with a better T3 version. It would make the turbo lag even worse, but it did make the car much more exciting ones you’d built up the revs.

If you’re tempted to own one, then you’ll need to have an eagle eye for rust. These things succumb to tin worm at an alarming rate (as did many cars of the time), but some of the more obvious places include around the petrol filler, the side skirts and wheel arch trim, under the boot floor and below the battery tray. Sunroofs can also leak, usually caused by blocked gutters. Check for blue smoke coming out the back when you rev the engine which could indicate a turbo that’s on the way out. Also, look out for any signs of accident damage. Poor panel fit is usually the clue, but overspray on door and window rubbers is another one to look out for. Mechanical parts are quite easy to get hold of and should be reasonably priced. Unlike, perhaps, the cheeky asking figure of this car.
 

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SPECIFICATION - FORD FIESTA RS TURBO

Engine: 1596cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: five-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 133@5500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 135@ 2400rpm
MPG: 26.2 mpg
CO2: Loads, and some blue smoke g/km CO2
First registered: 1991
Recorded mileage: 64,000
Price new: £12,460
Yours for: £14,995

See the original advert here.

[chickensoup]

I remember driving one when new
Anyone unfamiliar with torque steer just needs 5 minutes in one of these
tentatively make sure the front wheels are pointing DEAD straight, floor the throttle, wait for the lag and then whoosh
Wheels not dead straight will leave you and the car fighting between road and hedge