This very interesting fast Ford, build number 007, is one of just 500 righthand drive RS500 homologation specials created for the company by Aston Martin Tickford, with the aim of making the already highly competitive Sierra Cosworth 'unbeatable on the race tracks'. Probably a press car that was first registered to Ford's competition department in Cologne, before becoming the property of a Formula One manager and then part of an important collection of Ford vehicles after its arrival in the UK in 2007 when purchased by the current vendor. It is presented in the livery of the Texaco Eggenberger car raced in 1987 by Klaus Ludwig and Klaus Niedwiedz, with which they clinched the Entrant's division of the World Touring Car Championship for Ford, and would also have won the Driver's section too, had the RS500 not been disqualified from the James Hardie 1000 round in Australia for 'wheel arch panel irregularities'. 'E163 KHK' is understood to have covered only 23,100 miles from new and is offered with a collection of old MOT certificates, sundry German paper work, original service book plus sales brochure and it's understood the RS500 will possess a fresh MOT by the time of sale. The vendor classes its bodywork, Black paintwork, Grey interior trim, 2-0 litre engine and five-speed manual gearbox as all being in 'excellent' condition. A rare opportunity.

Always quick to support the performance and motorsport markets, Ford introduced the be-winged XR4i in 1983, followed by the XR 4x4 in 1985, and the Sierra RS Cosworth in 1986, which was conceived to gain homologation for Group A touring car racing, and out of which grew the all-conquering RS500 Cosworth. The intention was to finish all RS500s in Black but, while most were, 56 ended up White and 52 were painted Moonstone Blue. The key differences between the standard product and the RS500 were: thicker walled cylinder block: larger Garrett turbocharger and intercooler; uprated fuel pump; uprated oil and cooling systems and secondary rear spoiler. The engine upgrades increased the output from 204bhp to 222bhp and the RS500 ultimately won 15 national series, including the 1990 British Touring Car Championship.

PLEASE NOTE: All estimates are subject to a buyer's premium of 15% incl. VAT (@ 20%)