The business: Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth

In general, we here like and prefer smaller cars (the Escort RS Cosworth, for instance), but we became intrigued by this Euro-spec legend riding on OZ Racing rolling stock while preparing last week’s on-track post.

Yanks might recognize the shape of this car from the erstwhile Merkur XR4Ti (factoid: Bob Lutz again– this time as a Ford VP. We are flabbergasted: is there anywhere this guy didn’t put his time in?), and for good reason:

Ford would use the [XR4Ti]‘s technical feedback to develop the super car version in 1986, the Sierra Cosworth, shortly superseded by the RS500… Many see the successes and failures of the XR4Ti as being the blueprint for success of the dominant Sierra Cosworth (“the result of a Ford-project with the purpose of “Producing a downright winner for Group A racing events in Europe””) (source).

Images: GT323