Which is still wrong, as only 496 were made

and it may be homologation, but its still pretty much production - more production than an RS200 any road

either way. Cosworth's rule

And i know it didnt have 500bhp - but the touring cars did

so a race engine then? :P

an RS500 might have been made by ford and sold on their forecourts but it wasn't a standard production vehicle as such as it was a special limited run vehicle that they had to sell in order to run the race car, thats why it had alternative mountings for suspension components that no road car would run but a race car would.

and as nice as they are cosworths far from rule, how many cossie's are in the ten of the best? oh look they are normally 90% jap

i'd love an escort cosworth but i am fully aware that they are far from the best, not that much better than the likes of the octavia simply because the octavia is a lot newer. if you look at something like an S3 they make the same power as an escort cossie standard and nearly the same remapped and require the same amount of work to get big power but its cheaper on the cossie simply because its more common.

the only differences between the YB found in the RS500 and the YB found in the normal Sierra / Sapphire is the turbo (T3/4 as opposed to T3 - yes, thats T3/4 - T4 Compressor with T3 flanged exhaust housing - commonly known as a T04E, but then that means sod all in itself), the 8 injector plenum chamber and the intercooler.

Cosworth's are a car you buy with your heart rather than your head.

I dont care about TOTB - its just a load of car tuners showing who has the biggest wallet, not what it was when it was first run.

A well sorted Cosworth is very very fast. Yes it is cheaper to tune, but then tuning the VAG Turbo engines isnt expensive either.

apart from the privateers that compete in TOTB and get in the top ten :P

i agree a well sorted cossie is a fast car but so is a well sorted golf/octavia/astra etc etc.

the RS500 as a standard car did have the same engine i agree but the super saloon wouldn't have had the same engine, my brother buys fast ford almost every month and also performance ford sometimes and there aren't any standard blocks in those magazines running big power they all have head work, different rods and pistons and valves etc etc the same as any big power engine.

there are a few decent power cosworths running over 450bhp on standard internals

but we're getting off the point here.

alot of the privateers are company backed

Slightly OT but if you can get (or know somone with ) a Halfrauds Trade Card you can save a further 20% on most of the tools.

Its not this one is it?

Might I be so bold as to suggest you read this thread from the beginning Mike - Might save yourself some heartache.

*must resist the temptation... *

Very eloquantly put Stu!

apart from the privateers that compete in TOTB and get in the top ten :P

i agree a well sorted cossie is a fast car but so is a well sorted golf/octavia/astra etc etc.

the RS500 as a standard car did have the same engine i agree but the super saloon wouldn't have had the same engine, my brother buys fast ford almost every month and also performance ford sometimes and there aren't any standard blocks in those magazines running big power they all have head work, different rods and pistons and valves etc etc the same as any big power engine.

Mate of mine does TOTB in his Cosworth Lee Cattermole - full Martini liveried 3 door. I was lucky enough to have a drive a couple of weeks ago on the road, and it's by far the fastest car Ive ever driven, he flicked the gas on and I had 600 bhp at my disposal....

Just thought i'd share that - BTT

Mate of mine does TOTB in his Cosworth Lee Cattermole - full Martini liveried 3 door. I was lucky enough to have a drive a couple of weeks ago on the road, and it's by far the fastest car Ive ever driven, he flicked the gas on and I had 600 bhp at my disposal....

Just thought i'd share that - BTT

That car was at Tony Tyres last time i was there. uber uber car!

On RS500's the block was different, thicker walled and smaller core plugs too IIRC.

Only 4No injectors were 'live' from Tickford also.

What was the block a 200 or was it 205, anyway same as the 4x4 block, larger turbo, 8 injectors (4 plugged in), larger intercooler, different splitter, built by tickford. I have a friend with an original one (bought from new now with 14,000 miles on it) its a cult car with pedigree. But things have moved one, consider the computing power in car/component design now. However the accountant often throw a spanner in the works consider the new Civic type R versus the old one, is a retrograde in terms of suspension.

Back in the F1 turbo era 1.4l cars produced over 1000bhp, there's many ways to make power, but the best ways are not cheap. I know my fiat race car has had more spent on it then my VRS cost...:(

Oh and tools I got the best tool in the shed over xmas - dewalt impact driver 18v, its a god send!!

Rich