By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL
This might be one of the greatest auctions of iconic Fast Fords from the 1970s, '80 and '90s eras ever.
Seventeen cars from the Blue Oval brand's most sought-after period of performance motors will go to the block under one roof in Northamptonshire this month, with their combined value estimated to be £1.2million.
The exceptional haul of legendary Fords will be offered to bidders by Iconic Auctioneers at its Supercar Fest event hosted at Sywell Aerodrome on Saturday (17 May).
The selection of cars is headlined by a one-of-a-kind red 1986 Sierra Cosworth - the only version to leave the factory in this colour.
It is joined by a 'collector-quality' 1993 Escort RS Cosworth Lux and a host of Fast Fords predicted to sell for six-figure guide prices.
Rob Hubbard, managing director at Iconic Auctioneers, says the 17 Fast Fords are each 'truly exceptional at every level'.
The upcoming sale of 17 Fast Fords will take place on 17 May and the draw of the lots is this Rosso Red 1986 Sierra Cosworth specially commissioned by the 14th Duke of Bedford
It takes a certain someone to have the status to uniquely commission a one-off colourway Fast Ford.
In this case it was the Duke of Bedford who ordered the singular Rosso Red example, and was retained in the marque's press fleet.
For anyone Ford Sierra Cosworth fans, the red colourway is something completely unique. That's because the iconic eighties performance car left the factory only in three colours; Diamond White, Black and Moonstone Blue.
Not keen on any of those options, the 14th Duke of Bedford made the request to a Ford dealer in 1986 for one in a different colour. However, he was met with a polite 'no'.
Unmoved, the Duke managed to commission Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering Department to finish one in Rosso Red - though how and why has never been made clear.
Registration 'D506 RVW' was added to the Ford Press Fleet and offered to the Duke on long-term loan.
When that arrangement came to an end, the right-hand drive car remained registered to the Ford Motor Company until 13 December 1988 when it was sold to Vince Woodman.
Estimated to fetch between £70,000 and £90,000, this model is one-of-one and was also owned by legendary touring racer Vince Woodman
It has 97,994 miles on the clock and has most recently been part of a prominent Performance Ford Collection
The car was then purchased by the current seller around five years ago to join his Performance Ford Collection and was treated to a refresh and a repaint in its original Rosso at a cost of over £4,000 in 2022.
Aside from its rare colour, this model is a standard RS Cosworth - a homologation of the fifth generation European Ford Escort - and has 97,994 miles on the clock.
Estimated to reach between £70,000 and £90,000, its short of what some Sierra Cossies have fetched at recent auctions - though its bespoke colour is likely to attract plenty of collectors.
Rare red variants aside, there are five other Cosworths in this weekend's auction - all of which will draw the eyes of deep-pocketed bidders.
Three of these are also Sierras - all of which stand out for having impressively low mileage and being in excellent condition.
In Pacifica Blue, this Cosworth has only covered 25,000 miles, one former keeper, making this 'Big Turbo' Lux model is undoubtedly 'collector quality'
It is likely to sell for around £85,000 to £100,000 when the auction begins on 17 May with Iconic Auctioneers
A 1990 Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth two-wheel drive is the lowest mileage pick, having been driven just 31,000 miles.
The Sapphire brought in a new age for the legendary Sierra, with a more restrained profile and demeanour. While refinement and comfort took a step forward, performance was the most important improvement.
As one of the early rear-wheel drive cars to have an effervescent YYB engine (205 block), Recaro seats and front and rear spoilers, it was both good looking and performance capable.
A top speed of 150mph and 0 to 60mph in 6.1 seconds makes the Sapphire a far more exciting purchase than the average Blue Oval four-door saloon.
While this particular Sapphire has had a thorough maintenance and overhaul of its moving parts including brakes and fuel tank, it's one of the rare ones that hasn't had cosmetic or performance mods.
In original condition this rear-wheel drive Sapphire Cosworth has covered just over 31,000 miles from new
It's on the cheaper side of the lots, predicted to fetch £30,000 - £40,000 and will cover 0-60 in 6.1 seconds
This 1991 model is the final iteration of the game-changing Sierra RS Cosworth, and is an original example with four-wheel drive and Moonstone Blue
It will go for a predicted maximum of £28k and still has the J7 GRL number plate from 16th January 1992 - when the car has naturally become known as 'J7 Girl'
There's also a Moonstone Blue 1991 Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4WD with 64,000 miles on the clock, powered by a 1,993cc, 16v, turbocharged, YGB four-cylinder engine.
With 224bhp and a 214lb/ft of torque, a 0-60mph figure of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 150mph, it's definitely a Fast Ford worth snapping up for an estimated £24,000 to £28,000.
With even less miles on the odometer, just 10,825 to be exact, a 1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is another option for a slightly higher bidder.
Estimated to go for £50,000 - £60,000, the left-hand drive option is in exceptional condition, having averaged less than 280 miles per year over its 39 year lifespan.
The gleaming black model, which looks almost factory new, has a grey Recaro interior, and has been part of a prestigious Ford Performance Collection since 2017 after arriving in the UK from Germany in November 2015.
Registered in Austria, this 1986 Sierra is offered from a significant Performance Ford Collection
The black model is Left-Hand Drive and has only covered 10,800 Miles and arrived in the UK in 2015
If those Sierra Cosworths don't tickle your fancy then two Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworths models might be the ones to bid on.
The RS500 was launched as Ford's 'Evolution' model, and only 500 were ever made.
Revered for its motorsport dominance and status as an icon among Ford enthusiasts, the RS500 is a rarer and more valuable Sierra Cosworth variant, thanks to it being hand-assembled.
A collab between Ford and Cosworth, RS500s were built to Group A touring racing regulations and were both mechanically and cosmetically enhanced compared to a standard Sierra RS.
Both of the RS500s, which represent the pinnacle of 1980s fast Ford engineering, are finished in black.
The 1987 option is a UK-supplied, right-hand drive example, with just 43,176 miles indicated.
Estimated to reach £100,000 - £120,000, it has always had the registration E500 APN, and five owners since new. Most recently part of a significant private collection, it's coming out of long term storage for the sale.
The other 2-litre turbo engine RS500 has just one owner from new, and is estimated to go for £80,000 to £100,000.
Its owner had links to the advertising agency Ogilvy and Mather, and the high flying advertising executive handling Ford's publicity in the 1980s went on to purchase the car personally from Ogilvy and Mather for £12,160 in 1991, after travelling over 41,000 miles in his company car.
This 1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth is a UK-supplied, right-hand drive RS500 in superb condition with just over 43,000 miles and lots of history
It's going to be an expensive one, likely to sell for between £100,000 and £120,000
This RS500 with (effectively) one owner all its life has a fascinating backstory as it was owned by an advertising executive from the , Ogilvy and Mather who used it as a company car
The estimate at the moment is between £80,000 and £100,000
The other three most notable fast Ford as impeccable Escorts, in particular a 1993 Escort RS Cosworth Lux finished in rare Pacifica Blue.
The right-hand drive car is definitely a collector's item as it was registered as new in January 1993 making it one of the 2,500 'Big Turbo' homologation specials on a 'K-registration'.
Fitted with the 'Lux' pack, it has Recaro seats, opening rear quarter windows, three-spoke leather steering wheel, electric windows and central double locking to name a few big features from the 90s. It's estimated to reach £85,000 - £100,000.
There's also an extraordinarily preserved Escort RS Cosworth which just 12,354 miles under its belt from one-owner, in a rare combination of Radiant Red with a Polaris Grey Hexagon cloth interior. In 'time warp' condition, the original radio still shows the vehicle registration when switched on and the vehicle was the 'pride and joy' of its Blue Oval fanatic owner.
1993 Ford Escort RS Cosworth has just 12,354 miles on the clock and will fetch up to £90k it's predicted
The late owner of this car was a Blue Oval fanatic and a long time motorsport devotee, acquiring the Escort as an early retirement present to himself - it was his ‘pride and joy’
Last but not least is a highly original and unrestored 1985 Escort RS Turbo Series 1 finished in an iconic Diamond White colour.
Now extremely rare, the Escort RS Turbo 1 Series was specifically developed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering team to set new standards in 'Group N' and 'Group A' motorsport events and was quickly dubbed 'the car to beat'.
Ford initially planned to build 5,000 examples, the minimum number required for Homologation in 'Group A', however a total of 8,604 were built due to increased demand.
It was sold only through official Rallye Sport dealers.
This one has had just one owner and is unmodified from new, coming with a factory-specified Custom Pack, original SRT32P stereo, RS 3-spoke steering wheel and rear parcel shelf (with factory speakers), plus original Motorcraft service items.
Estimated to sell for between £40,000 to 50,000, it has just over 64k miles to its age.
Not limited to just those there's notably also a 2023 Ford RS 200, a 1983 Ford Fiesta, a 1983 Ford Capri, and a 1985 Ford Escort for Fast Ford fans to keep an eye out for.
Rob Hubbard, Managing Director and Principal Auctioneer, commented: 'This selection of fast Fords captures the spirit and passion that make these cars so legendary among enthusiasts.
'From the exclusivity of the Rosso Red Sierra Cosworth to the pristine quality of the Escort RS Cosworth Lux, these vehicles epitomise what Iconic Auctioneers strives to offer - truly exceptional cars at every level.'
Bids at the ready.
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