The fifth-gen Ford Escort, launched in 1990, was an average looking car that was distinctly middle of the road to drive, until it broke down due to something of moderate severity that took a distinctly unexceptional amount of time to fix. The situation improved with the facelift the car received cosmetic and mechanical improvements in 1992 and the major overhaul it benefitted from in late 1995.
However, we won’t remember any of those cars, because all that matters is the famed Cossie, or Escort RS Costworth, which came with a turbocharger, all-wheel drive and one of the most recognizable spoilers in the world.
Nowadays, it has become a unique enthusiast proposition that can still humiliate more modern motors thanks to its grip and lightness.
The car you see here is finished in desirable electric blue; it rides suitable-looking rims and is, for all intents and purposes, stock, except for a few details and upgrades. It is said to be in top condition, having clocked only 14,000 miles on the odometer since new.
The two-liter engine has been modified and now makes a reported 305 hp and is legal to register in California, as it comes with CARB certification. Other upgrades include uprated AP brakes up front and a cat-deleting exhaust plus short shift kit, to make the driving experience ever so memorable.
Priced at $54,990, and available in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Enthusiast Auto, it’s a bit on the expensive side, but it’s said to have been cared for all its life and be one of the best of its kind that money can buy.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
