‘Garage-find’ Cossie sells for £60,000

Back in the real world

This completely original 1987 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth went to a new home last week, having spent almost a decade dry-stored and unused.

Discovered and sold by Hampson Auctions, we hope its next lucky keeper will bring it back to best.

Here’s its story.

Elbow grease required

Before the Hampson Auctions sale at the Concorde Hangar in Manchester on 22 February 2022, this Ford Sierra RS Cosworth had been apparently unused since 2013.

From its Diamond White paint and its original, multi-spoke alloy wheels, to its grey cloth trim and Recaro seats, this car is original, unmodified and, it seems, complete.

Winged wonder

Oozing attitude and with that famously massive rear wing, right from the moment the model was revealed at the Geneva motor show in March 1985, it was desirable.

Today, 37 years on, that is as true as it’s ever been.

Under the bonnet

Many Ford Sierra RS Cosworths have been fettled by previous owners, which sometimes causes problems further down the line.

Not this example, though, the four-cylinder, 16-valve, twin-cam version of the Pinto-derived engine, with that turbo and the evocative ‘Cosworth’ name clear for all to see, is ready to be revived.

Better to be safe

And this car will need some recommissioning before it returns to the road.

It was put in dry storage back in 2013, so after the best part of a decade it would be wise to ensure it is safe and roadworthy.

Hampson Auctions notes it went to sale without an MoT.

Back for more?

But the good news is that, prior to being locked away, it seems this Cossie was enjoyed.

It might have had just three keepers from new, but it has done 78,000 miles.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Here are those figure-hugging Recaros again.

They could do with a good clean, but otherwise appear to be in decent condition. And this is important, because trim material for these fast Fords can now be hard to source.

Get behind the wheel

The rest of the cabin could also do with a clean, but appears to be in reasonable condition.

Of course, we don’t know if everything works, but the plastic dash top doesn’t look to be cracked, a common problem on these cars.

Everything in order

As well as having just three owners until last week, this Ford Sierra RS Cosworth went to auction with a full service history.

There was also a chunky pile of receipts and a workshop manual, too.

Fine fettle?

As well as confirming the originality of all the glass and panels, the vendor describes the Cosworth motor and five-speed manual gearbox as ‘excellent’, adding he thinks ‘good’ is a fair rating for the condition of the upholstery, paintwork and body.

Counting the pennies

You could perhaps be forgiven for thinking that £60,000 is a lot for a 35-year-old, 78,000-mile car with no MoT.

It was bang in the middle of this lot’s £55-65,000 pre-sale estimate, but looking at recent sales, it is certainly not at the more affordable end.

Classic Car Auctions sold a black 1986 car that had done 120,000 miles for £34,833 on 11 December 2021, and on the same day at Bicester Heritage, Bonhams MPH achieved £24,750 for a 36,011-mile mildly modified example.

The road ahead

That said, at the Silverstone Auctions sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show last November, two white 1987 examples crossed the block.

The ‘impressively original’ 40,000-mile car that was being sold from 26 years with one keeper achieved £73,688, while the hammer fell at an eye-watering £103,500 on the ‘simply delightful’ three-owner, 10,490-mile example.

Either way, if the lucky winning bidder at the Hampson Auctions February 2022 sale is able to bring this car back to best, it will surely put a smile on his or her face and let them enjoy many miles of fun-filled classic motoring.