Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth: brutality
THIRTY YEARS HAVE PASSED Cosworth he left his mark on the road and on the track, but his name remains a legend today. For everyone who was a teenager when Mountain chain Dined at the England, Europe, Australia and World Touring Championships, Cosworth has a special place in the heart, the very place where the wastegate memories are. bus ice skating, flame off gutters and the most beautiful and extreme car racing ever.
You have no idea how excited he is to go there RS500... The only problem with the myth from the past is that despite all your expectations, you run the risk of being disappointed, especially when the vehicle in question is not in combat gear, but is a simple standard road version. It doesn't help that the last time I was in the RS500 was in the late XNUMX, when a friend of my dad gave me a lift and made my hair gray with fear. I still remember what it was like yesterday: to see that it looked like a standard Sierra, but under the hood there was engine with BTCC specifications, which developed 500 hp. There broadcast he tried in vain to unload all this power to the ground, but it was impossible to keep the wheels from sliding. I will never forget sound this modified engine smell Clutch and burnt tires and their explosive violence. There was no insane expression on the driver's face either. The frequency with which he ran his sweaty hands over his jeans before even getting into the car should have made me realize that nothing good was in store for me ...
Instead, as a true unconscious, I accepted the passage he offered me and had to witness the struggle of a man too slow for Cosworth and seriously in trouble when turbo went into action. These are ten of the most stressful and frightening minutes I have ever spent in a car to date. At that moment, I received confirmation that there is something unique and excellent in this car, even in front of some Italian exotic from pull together... The Cosworth, on the other hand, was the English version of the GT-R Skyline. A car that seemed to be built specifically to be refined and packed to an incredible amount of résumé, to the point where it became virtually unusable.
La RS500 The road was indeed specially homologated, created according to Group A rules and produced as 500 road prototypes to allow the racing version to take part in the championship. The task of transforming 500 Cosworth road cars into unrivaled racetracks was entrusted to Aston Martin Tickford of Milton Keynes. Who was the first to compile a long list of changes that will transform Mountain chain road in the Touring Car legend.
Obviously, the changes affected mainly enginethen frame and l 'aerodynamics... The improved Cosworth powerplant had a thicker-walled cylinder block to cope with the enormous Garrett turbine T31 / T04. There was also a new fuel pump to power the auxiliary injector (the street version had four, the sports version had eight) and intercooler more air-to-air to keep the temperature under control. Attachment points for semi-oscillating suspension arms have been added at the chassis level. However, the most visually noticeable changes compared to the standard version are bumper front with additional air intakes,aileron more efficient rear with a more pronounced top edge and one spoiler extras on the tailgate.
All these variations give RS500 a special aura even thirty years later. This car is so amazing that you are speechless just looking at it, and I have confirmation when I go after it this morning. She is tense and aggressive, and you immediately understand that you have a legend in front of you. The Blue Oval brand won't have Helix charm, but if you've lived to see Group A you don't care, because for you this car is the queen.
I don't remember the last time I saw one on the street, but I think that those that were not destroyed in the accident are gathering dust in some kind of heated garage, and their value is increasing year after year. So this is a rare opportunity to ride a modern classic.
WHEN THE WORKSHOP DOORS open and Mountain chain black emerges from the darkness of the salon I was amazed: I did not remember her so small and slender. And I didn't even remember how comically small she was circles 15 inches. Interiors are typical Ford fast eighties or mix Plastics horrible square lines and a pair of comfortable and supportive Recaro in velvet, steering wheel it is huge and looks a little cheap, but when you check it out, you know that it is great. Even a long lever Speedwhich seems to be taken from Transit is not pretty or elegant, but it doesn't matter: the main thing is that Borg-Warner T5 gearbox mounted on the Sierra is maneuverable and precise.
When I turn the key Cosworth The YBD 2.0 16 valve seems to hesitate, then scream and settle down to a hard, rattling idle. By modern standards, 224 hp. (20 more than the original Sierra Cosworth) is not much, but given that the Cosworth weighs just over 1.200 kg, this is enough. There Clutch it is very sharp and at first difficult to maneuver at low speed, while steering и brakes they immediately give you more security.
The first kilometers serve as a reminder of how much cars have changed in terms of care, quality, noise, vibration, hardness, control and shock absorption, not to mention the sense of integrity that the most rigid structures convey today. In this Cosworth shows all its years. At first, when you are driving relaxed to get to know her, you do not understand that engine you have in stock. So you are even more amazed when you open the throttle firmly on a clear stretch of road and finally the Garrett turbo wakes up and kicks you in the back.
Our destination is North Yorkshire - we want to spend some time with Mountain chain on the roads with a capital A, get her to stretch her legs and let Dean Smith take some pictures worthy of this myth. Sadly, the sunny summer of 2013 is over and is replaced by a cold winter made of wet asphalt and leaden gray sky. But, despite the far from ideal conditions, Cosworth he drives a kilometer of state road and motorway in the blink of an eye, greeting him with thumbs up and other gestures of explicit gratitude every time we stop for gas. Turns out I'm not the only one who likes this old, rare Ford.
When we finally get to Hatton-le-Hole and the beautiful, magnificent roads that traverse the swamps of the Northern Wastes, I'm not in the mood to run. RS500 and see what he is capable of. Only then will I know if this motorsport legend can still inspire strong driving emotions in you, or if recent years have inevitably made a difference. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long to find out.
When the road is clear, Cosworth wakes up. You need a place to unfold turbobut when she finally has all the power guaranteed by the engine and Garrett, no one stops her anymore. Impressive. IN Cosworth engine it's not very smooth, even too harsh, but above 4.000 rpm when the turbo wakes up, the burst of power generated by the turbo that overpowers you compensates for phlegm at low revs. Even sound it's fantastic, a kind of loud barking with a turbo whistle in the background. The gears are long so you can make the most of the torque and allow you to go from third to fourth in one continuous dash. Acceleration is great for providing lightning fast overtaking, but it takes a good amount of time to make the most of it. The turbo delivery is not sudden and very short, but in any case, the range of use is quite small and you should plan well to make the most of it.
Dynamically RS500 this is an old school car: the grip is modest but very sensitive, and appeal transparent. IN steering it is a power assistant, but it is also quite substantial and maneuverable, without causing nervousness. You always know exactly what kind of grip there is in the front, and this allows you to enter corners at very high speeds. On any curve frame undergoing lateral acceleration, it remains neutral and for sending to oversteer you have to give him a lot.
On the other hand Mountain chain likes to drift. You can counteract the steering at will, which is good because the transition from wet grip is very fast. To control the traverse, you must be very careful with the accelerator so as not to demand too much from turbo... However, if you exaggerate in the other direction, traction decreases, and with it oversteer. It's hard, but worth it because Cosworth is crazy when you know how to use it.
Sierra does not forgive mistakes easily, on wet the rear axle often fails to cope with the sudden burst of power generated by turbocharging, not even on a straight line, but on a third (and even on a fourth, if the straight line in question has several irregularities or depressions, even tiny ones). You need to be very sensitive with it and learn to understand when the turbo turns on: you need to listen to the note engine which lets you know when the revs are going up and when the engine is about to explode, making skates bus... It sounds risky and it is, but Cosworth is sure to get your attention. And then, let's face it, this is an integral part of its charm.
At low speed shock absorbers they jump a little, but when the rhythm goes up, things get better. The Cosworth handles bumps and grips with confidence and delivers precise, clean trajectories in long, fast corners. THE brakes they are impressive, very powerful and progressive. The pedal is robust and allows you to attack the road in complete safety, trusting completely in its stopping power.
In addition to excellent performance in the races of the time, he is still fast today. Cosworth? Dean Smith stands in front of me in the new Focus ST station wagon, leading me down the winding, wet Yorkshire roads. Comparing these two fast Fords is fascinating. The Focus has an advantage in terms of delivery, and when Dean turns on the gas, he leaves Cosworth behind, who has to wait. turbo wakes up and loses footing, shaking here and there in front, which is struggling to find grip. However, when acceleration occurs, the RS500 gives chase and recovers quickly, has more traction and better brakes. When he opens the throttle again, the ST jumps and jumps and the Sierra slides over the tires and skids. I try my best at the wheel of the Cosworth, but I can't get in touch with Dean, who I'm sure could go even faster. But I bet he enjoys me the most.
And that's where the beauty lies RS500... It's a bit rough in some way and has a terrible interior. Turbo lag is exaggerated, and because of the ease and speed with which it loses traction, you always run the risk of being off the road. And yet it's amazing. Those moments when you're looking for traction, opening the throttle to kick-start the turbo, managing massive acceleration through a series of corners are impressive. Not to mention that this road allowed Ford dominate the scene of one of the most exciting eras of motorsport. This makes it even more special and, even if it lacks the exoticism inherent in another symbol Group ALancia Delta Integrale, I am convinced that this is an unsurpassed modern classic. That is why, after so many years, it is still a legend.
