Ford Sapphire RS Cosworth

The most subtle and most overlooked Cossie is a relative bargain as a result

- Matthew Hayward

BEING SANDWICHED BETWEEN two undeniable legends - the three-door Sierra RS Cosworth and Escort RS Cosworth - probably hasn't helped the Sapphire.

I recall attending a track-day at Donington in the early 2000s and remarking on the glut of heavily tuned Sapphire Cosworths dominating the circuit. These were very serious cars, available for very little money at one point, and, unlike those of the three-door Cosworth, their values have risen at a much steadier rate.

Understandably, the booted Sierra was less of a collectible from the get-go, given that its brief was to make the 'Cossie' more civilised and usable - not to mention sensible as a road car than its motorsport homologated predecessor. Mechanically, the Genk-built Sapphire shared its UK-made 204bhp YBB engine and five-speed T5 gearbox with the three-door. The suspension remained identical in layout, but was re-tuned for slightly more comfort.