Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth
The homologation special that made Group A a one-make series by accident.
Photograph by Aethonatic · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Full credits
| Chassis | Sierra RS500 |
|---|---|
| Years | 1987 (500 built) |
| Engine | YBD 2.0 turbo I4 |
| Output | 224 hp road · 500 hp+ race |
| Weight | ≈1,240 kg |
Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth
Ford's answer to Group A was to take the Sierra RS Cosworth and build 500 evolution cars with a larger turbocharger, a thicker block, an extra fuel rail and revised aerodynamics — the RS500.
In road tune it made 224 horsepower. In race tune, teams found well beyond 500. For several seasons the RS500 turned Group A grids into a one-make series, which is precisely what homologation rules were meant to prevent.
Full chassis file in preparation for a future issue.
| Chassis | Sierra RS500 |
|---|---|
| Years | 1987 (500 built) |
| Engine | YBD 2.0 turbo I4 |
| Output | 224 hp road · 500 hp+ race |
| Weight | ≈1,240 kg |
| Homologation | 500 cars converted by Aston Martin Tickford in 1987 |
| Notable races | The definitive Group A weapon of the late 1980s, in touring car championships worldwide |
Colour studies
Sierra RS500 — the fuel-house scheme
Red roof, white flank, black tail. A three-part division that turns the RS500's whale-tail into the end of a sentence.
Sierra RS500 — the same diagonal, two years earlier
The scheme the M3 inherited. Same brewery, same driver, a different car and a different set of rules.
Sierra RS500 — the pale blue wedge
A pale sky blue, which no one else was using, cut by a white wedge that starts at the floor and finishes at the roofline.
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