Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 1986 Reader Review

Eighteen years is a long time. In that time I’ve travelled, lived and worked overseas, seen the demise of my beloved Ansett, enjoyed club-level motor racing, said good bye to loved ones for the last time, fell in love, got married, and had a kid. But in all of those eighteen years there was one thing that never changed – my love for the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth.

For you youngsters out there the Sierra RS Cosworth was released thirty years ago. Along with its evolution the Sierra RS500 Cosworth, it went on to dominate Group A racing world-wide, ultimately leading to the demise of the category in 1990 (though we did persist with Group A here in Australia till 1992).

Sorry, Nissan fans. It was the Sierra, and not GT-R, that killed Group A racing.

When released in 1986 the Cossie, as it is fondly known, was a wild looking car with its aero-designed body kit and its extreme rear wing. It looked like something from the future, and every element of the body-kit was designed for maximum down force.

Its 204bhp (152kW) output may look puny by today’s standards, but the lightweight Cossie could still sprint to 100km/h in 6.1sec, cover the quarter mile in 14.1sec and top out at 250km/h. I rekcon that’s still pretty quick by today’s standards; and in 1986 placed it well ahead of its nearest rivals.

Add to that four-piston front calipers, anti-lock brakes, a limited-slip differential and sports suspension, and the Cossie handled and stopped as well as it went.

The posters on my bedroom wall always depicted Sierra Cosworths. I had no time for Ferraris, Lambos, Porsches, BMW’s, Mercedes and such, and in 1994 my dream came true – I was lucky enough to finally own my dream car.

A privately imported 350bhp (261kW) Moonstone Blue example was now all mine. What followed was five years of fast, and often very frustrating ownership of a car that never ceased to amaze me. It was fast, very fast, and I always had a huge grin on my face whenever I finished a drive. Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of my control, I had to part company with my Cossie, and I now know she has travelled full circle and is back home in the UK.

Now, eighteen years since my last drive, I’m sitting in a Sierra RS Cosworth once again. She’s a Moonstone Blue example, same as my old one, and she feels just right. The Recaro seat hugs your body… probably a bit tighter then I remember, the leather bound three spoke steering wheel feels great, the gauges all clearly legible and visible.

There’s a rush as I turn the key, wait for the usual whirr from the fuel pump and then she breathes into life. The 16-valve twin cam engine is not the quietest when cold, but soon settles into an easy idle.

Strangely there was a familiar and reassuring smell on start up. I always described it as burnt plastic and fuel. It all seemed natural. Push in the heavy clutch, snick the old Borg Warner T5 gearbox into first, I’m off.

The Cossie is easy to drive considering its age… and what it was designed for. Unlike modern cars the visibility out of it is tremendous, thin A pillars and lots of glass certainly help – though I reckon the rear spoiler would easily hide flashing blue and red lights if you were misbehaving.

The steering is superb. It’s slightly heavy but so accurate with crisp feedback. You know exactly what the front wheels are doing. It’s so easy to place the car and clip the apex of every corner.

You do have to drive the car to get the best out of it. Unlike modern turbo-charged engines you have to ensure the rev counter is around the 2600rpm mark or else boost is distinctly lacking. But get it right and it is so rewarding. You punch out of every corner with a slight hint of opposite lock and the delightful whistle of the turbo spinning all the way to the next gear change at 6500rpm.

The grip from the small 205/50R15 tyres is excellent, but you have to exercise some caution. If you’re ham fisted you simply turn them into smoke. This is a car that definitely rewards precise driving.

Thankfully if you do slightly overcook it, the brakes are still phenomenal. They pull you up time and time again from any speed very easily.

The best part about the Cossie is the faster you drive it the better she reacts. That wild body kit was designed to give you down force, and you do feel the car hunker down and give you more grip. Sweepers are dispatched so easily as you know exactly what both ends of the car are doing. There are modern cars out there that could learn a thing or two from this old warrior…. No traction control required!

It really is a sense of adventure driving a Sierra Cosworth. It still has such great street presence. People point and give you the thumbs up. I found myself driving close to shop front windows just to see the cars reflection.

Suddenly I was mid-20s again, and the world was a much simpler and better place. Like every story though, my drive had to come to an end. After 18 years I was worried that my memories of the Cossie were tinted with nostalgia. I needn’t have feared.

The Sierra RS Cosworth is still a fantastic drive and it will surprise many more modern expensive cars like it was designed to do back in 1986… and like all those years ago I was definitely smiling after that drive.

1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth pricing and specifications:
Price: $TBA
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 152kW/277Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: 9.4L/100km (New, manufacturer claim)
CO2: N/A
Safety Rating: N/A

Thanks to Tristan Moser for the loan of the car!