1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth

The Escort RS Cosworth is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And that’s not just in reference to its pedestrian name and rally pedigree—under the skin, it’s not an Escort at all. The chassis is really a revision of its predecessor, the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth (that’s a good thing, as the Sierra is a fantastic performer in its own right). It wasn’t even really built by Ford; Cosworth handled engine development and assembly, and Karmann (famous for their coachbuilt Volkswagen specials) made the bodywork and put the whole shebang together in Germany. This may all sound cobbled together, but rest assured that the result was anything but. All-wheel drive and a powerful motor (sporting a massive turbo pulled off of the nusto Ford RS200) gives the “Cossie” performance almost as aggressive as its looks, distinguished by a huge “whale-tail” spoiler and more gills than a school of sharks. All that grip and grunt was worthy of a competition rally car, which it nearly was—the purpose of the road-legal Escort RS Cosworth was to homologate the Group A racer, which racked up eight victories over a storied career. Victory is sure to follow wherever the Cossie goes in-game, as its poise and balance (let alone the traction provided by the AWD system, or the thrust provided by the boosted motor) make it a complete joy to drive hard. It’s no wonder the Cossie has achieved legendary status the world over.