Jeremy Clarkson, the outspoken and often controversial figurehead of modern motoring journalism, has piloted a seemingly endless array of vehicles throughout his illustrious career. From the diminutive city car to the outrageous supercar, few have escaped his sharp wit and keen eye for detail. Amongst the eclectic mix of machines that have graced his driveway, the Ford Escort RS Cosworth stands out as a particular favorite, even serving as his daily driver for a year.
This iconic hot hatch, a product of the same era that birthed rally legends like the Toyota Celica GT-Four, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, and BMW E30 M3, was conceived with a singular purpose: to dominate the World Rally Championship. While its rivals achieved this ultimate goal, the Cosworth secured ten rally victories and spawned some of the most coveted road cars ever built.
The car’s combination of raw power, all-wheel drive, and aerodynamic sophistication made it a force to be reckoned with on both the rally stage and the open road. It’s a testament to the Cosworth’s enduring appeal that it remains a cherished icon for car enthusiasts worldwide, decades after its production ended.
Designed as a homologation special to compete in the grueling world of Group A rallying, this hot hatch represents the pinnacle of Ford’s engineering prowess in the early 1990s. Before the production line rolled out its iconic shape, only three prototype models were painstakingly crafted, a testament to the immense investment and dedication required to create such a groundbreaking vehicle.
This particular Escort Cosworth holds a special place in automotive history due to its association with the renowned motoring journalist, Jeremy Clarkson. Serving as his daily driver and a star of the Top Gear television show, the car became synonymous with Clarkson’s era of automotive enthusiasm. Its distinctive design, featuring flared arches and a towering rear wing, was as striking as its performance.
Produced in limited numbers, with just 2,500 homologation models ever built, the Escort RS Cosworth has achieved iconic status among car enthusiasts. Its combination of raw power, agile handling, and distinctive styling has ensured its enduring appeal. Today, these “big turbo” cars are highly sought-after collectibles, representing a golden age of performance motoring.
The Ford Escort RS Cosworth, a quintessential example of automotive engineering in the early 1990s, emerged from a collaboration between Ford and the renowned Cosworth. At its core lay a potent 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, meticulously engineered to deliver exhilarating performance.
Augmented by sophisticated technologies such as an air-water intercooler and water injection system, this powerplant generated an impressive 224 horsepower and 224 lb-ft of torque.
This potent combination propelled the Escort to a top speed of 144 mph and accelerated it from 0 to 62 mph in a mere 5.7 seconds, figures that were nothing short of astonishing for the era. To harness and distribute this power effectively, Ford employed a five-speed manual transmission and an all-wheel-drive system, ensuring optimal traction and handling.
A particularly noteworthy example, once cherished by automotive luminary Jeremy Clarkson, this specific Escort RS Cosworth is now poised to enter the hands of a new custodian through an upcoming auction. This presents a unique opportunity for automotive enthusiasts to acquire a piece of motoring history and own a true icon of performance engineering.
