Description
H&H Classic Auction @ The Imperial War Museum, Duxford/ Cambridgeshire
9th October, 2024 13:00
1988 Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth
Recently recommissioned after 25 years of dry storage
Estimate
£23, 000 - £27, 000
Registration No: E60 JJM
Chassis No: WF0FXXGBBFJA79037
MOT: September 2025
Recently emerged from over 25 years in dry storage and recommissioned ready for use
A notably tidy example only showing 76, 258 recorded miles from new
Specified with a full leather interior when new
Early rear-wheel drive version (lighter than the later 4x4 version)
The sight of rival manufacturers reaping the rewards of successful circuit racing programmes prompted Ford to renew its alliance with engine builder Cosworth to create the eponymous Sierra. Assembly of the minimum 5, 000 required for Group A homologation commenced in June 1986 at the company's Genk plant in Belgium. Based on the three-door Sierra bodyshell, the RS Cosworth combined the standard 1, 993cc Pinto engine's cylinder block with a forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods, the first time this combination had been seen in a production Ford engine. Topping it off was a Cosworth-developed, twin-camshaft, 16-valve cylinder head fed by a Garrett AiResearch turbocharger, the latter being deemed necessary to achieve a competitive power output for racing, which in time would amount to over 500bhp! Even in standard road trim, the Sierra RS Cosworth produced a staggering 204bhp, its Weber-Marelli engine management system ensuring that the resulting stupendous performance was delivered with minimal turbo lag. Needless to say, the standard Sierra underpinnings were comprehensively uprated to cope. In 1987 the hatchback version ceased production and was replaced by the more refined Sapphire RS Cosworth four-door saloon, which was built for the years 1988 and 1989, some 13, 000 being completed.
First registered on the 23rd June 1988, ‘E60 JJM’ was finished from new in Ford Crystal Blue (U7), this is one of the rarest Sapphire Cosworth colours having been in production only from initial launch to August 1988, and with very few thought to have been finished in this colour. Featuring the Anthracite fog lamp surrounds denoting it as an early 2WD example, the Sierra has the complementary full Black leather interior trim. Acquired by the current keeper in 1999, it was subject to a full repaint in its original colour scheme prior to being put into dry storage as part of a large private collection with only five previous keepers recorded.
Earlier in 2024, the vendor completed a full recommission on the car and rebuilt the brakes, refurbished the wheels and completed a full fluids and timing belt service prior to subjecting it to a full detail. The odometer records a very credible c. 76, 258 miles and the previous MOT from February 1996 records c. 75, 387 miles. The vendor describes the overall condition of the car to be ‘very good’ all round and it is certainly worthy of any collection.
The value of good Sapphire Cosworths has been steadily increasing in recent years and this example represents one of the most original examples in existence that has been truly cherished. It is offered with an old style V5, recent service invoice and its latest MOT certificate. Prospective bidders should be aware that a new-style V5C will need to be applied for.
