This 1972 Ford Escort RS1600 Ended Up Selling For A Startling $90k!

Remember this ’72 Ford Escort? When we first reported on its consignment a little over a month ago, we expected it to sell for about $85k – which seemed like a lot for an old Escort.

But it ended up selling for a fair bit more; £70,875, to be specific, or roughly $92k at current exchange rates. And that was enough to set a new world record for its type.

So what makes this Escort so special? It’s an RS1600, a factory rally machine with the engine from a Formula 3 racer, built by Cosworth. One of only 1,137 examples ever made, it remains something of a Holy Grail among fans and collectors of classic rally cars, and a pivotal chapter in the evolution of Ford’s RS line.

What’s more is that it wasn’t the only vintage Cosworth-tuned Ford to set a record at Silverstone Auctions’ September sale. Alongside it, a 1990 Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4×4 sold for £52,750, or about $68k – which also seems like a lot for an old Sierra, the precursor to today’s Fusion/Mondeo. And it was, selling for some £20,000 ($26k) above its pre-sale estimate.

“To achieve not one but two new world records is a fantastic result for our team,” noted Silverstone’s Joe Watts. “Both our Porsche Sale and September Sale saw some outstanding classics and excellent prices across the two days, with our new auction venue at Dallas Burston Polo Club proving a hit with our customers.”

Other highlights from the auction included a pre-production 1982 Audi Quattro (which sold for £49,500/$65k), a 1984 Renault 5 Turbo 2 in original condition (which went for £86,625/$113k), a 1971 Maserati Indy 4.7 America (£60,750/$79k), and a 2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640-4 Versace edition (£157,500/$205k).