1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth — Exceptionally Original Low-Mileage Example
Registration: E595 TKL
Chassis No: WF0EXXGBBEGG39028
Engine No: GG39028
Odometer: 10,835 miles from new
Key Facts..
Genuine Tickford-built RS500 Cosworth homologation model
Production number 387 of 500 RS500s produced
Low owner car
Unrestored original paint car
Stored untouched for approximately 26 years
Carefully recommissioned by respected Cosworth specialist John Taylor
Retains exceptional levels of originality throughout
Provenance..
The Sierra RS500 Cosworth represents the ultimate evolution of Ford’s Group A touring car homologation programme.
Developed to maintain competitiveness following the success of the original Sierra RS Cosworth, the RS500 was created to exploit FIA evolution regulations requiring a further 500 road-going examples to be produced. Conversion of standard Sierra Cosworth models was undertaken by Aston Martin Tickford at their Bedworth facility.
Chassis WF0EXXGBBEGG39028, production number 387, arrived at Tickford on 21 July 1987 showing just eight miles on the odometer and left the factory on 28 July 1987 with twenty-two miles recorded following conversion to RS500 specification.
The car was supplied new by Haynes of Maidstone to its first owner, Mr. K. P. Souter, a local businessman who enjoyed the car for just over a year.
After thirteen months the RS500 was purchased by a prominent international businessman with extensive interests in both Ireland and India. The car remained within his family ownership for the next twenty-nine years.
Specification..
Factory RS500 Cosworth homologation specification including:
Cosworth YB turbocharged engine
Larger turbocharger and revised inlet system
Secondary fuel injector system (inactive in road configuration)
Group A homologation aerodynamic package including:
Rear wing Gurney flap
Additional boot spoiler
Revised front bumper with increased airflow
Five-speed manual transmission
Rear-wheel drive configuration
Original factory wheels retained
Original Dunlop Sport D40 tyres still fitted
All glass original and date-stamped 1986, etched with the vehicle registration number.
History..
Following acquisition by its long-term owner in 1988, the RS500 was used only occasionally when the family visited their English country estate.
The car was run sparingly during its early years and was MOT tested on 12 September 1991 with a recorded mileage of 10,067 miles.
Shortly afterwards the car was placed into storage within one of the estate garages where it remained untouched for approximately twenty-six years, preserving it as a remarkable time capsule of the period.
The second chapter of the car’s life began in April 2017, when the RS500 was carefully recommissioned by respected Cosworth specialist John Taylor.
The aim of the work was to ensure the car was mechanically sound while preserving its highly original and unrestored condition.
Recommissioning work included:
Comprehensive engine service
Replacement fluids and belts (original belts retained)
Full fuel system flush
Brake system overhaul
For safety reasons only a small number of components were replaced:
Front and rear brake discs and pads (original items retained)
Fuel tank
Battery
The car was subsequently independently inspected and MOT tested.
Originality..
Chassis #39028 remains an exceptionally preserved example of the RS500.
Key original features include:
Original body panels
Original paintwork
Original glass with factory date stamps
Original wheels with factory Dunlop D40 tyres
Unused original spare wheel
Original interior including steering wheel stitching and seatbelt hardware
Even minor details from the car’s early life remain intact, including a parking ticket issued by Surrey Constabulary in June 1990, preserved within the history file.
Maintenance & Documentation..
The accompanying history file includes extensive original documentation such as:
Original service book
Service record from Haynes of Maidstone (1,500-mile service, November 1987)
Service carried out by MJA Auto Group in October 1988 at 4,428 miles
Ford Safety recall documentation
Original Ford driver’s handbooks in the Haynes dealer wallet
DVLA registration records
Insurance documentation
Historic tax discs
Period International Driving Permit belonging to its long-term owner
Current Condition..
Presented today in outstandingly original and carefully recommissioned condition.
Key highlights include:
Unrestored factory finishes throughout
Correct original wheels and tyres
Original interior in excellent condition
Fully functioning electrical systems
Regularly started and moved around since recommissioning
The boot area appears unused and interior trim remains exceptionally well preserved.
Summary..
Production number 387 of the 500 RS500 Cosworths built, this remarkably original example represents a rare survivor from Ford’s most successful touring car homologation programme.
With fewer than 11,000 miles from new, only two owners, and over two decades preserved in storage, chassis WF0EXXGBBEGG39028 offers a unique snapshot of the RS500 exactly as it would have appeared during its early years.
Carefully recommissioned while preserving its originality, it stands today as an exceptionally authentic example of one of the most iconic performance Fords ever produced.
