This is the US Version.
This is the European Version.
This is the 1987 Group A Eggenburger Texaco Race Car.
I have always been a big fan of the Ford Escort Cosworth as a kid. Somethign about the double stack wing, 300+ horsepower, and the fact that it was illegal to have in the United States made me want it bad. Granted I was twelve at the time and I really had no idea how to drive. I was obsessed.
Now well over a decade later I am able to drive and afford some of the nicer things in life. Even if I was to get a Ford Escort Cosworth, I wouldn't ever be able to enjoy it on the roads of California. As the laws stand in California right now, even vehicles that are older than 30 years are not exempt. Also importation of cars is getting even more difficult. So what am I to do?
Back in the mid-80's Ford made the Sierra Cosworth RS500, which was the bigger brother of the Escort Cosworth. You can see the similiarities in the double deck wing, and the crazy amounts of horsepower(430HP for the RS500). So in reality having the the Sierra Cosworth is the better option.
Here in the states we have a close relative of the the RS500 known as Merkur XR4Ti. The Merkur XR4Ti obviously did not come with the excellent 440 Horsepower engine, the agressive body style, 4 wheel disc brakes, sport suspension, and that magical wing that entranced me as a child.
Fortunately the 2.6L turbo motor can be tuned to over 400 horsepower, replica RS500 body parts can be sourced, and 4 wheel disc brakes can be made. But only two things make the XR4Ti conversion and an RS500 different. First off its just not a real RS500, and second using the XR4Ti has extra rear quarter panel windows.
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