AUTONEWS

Legendary Ford Sierra champion Rally de France in 1987 and 1988 is for sale

The Ford Sierra and its successor, the Ford Escort, owe part of their fame to the victories harvested in rallies around the world. The single competed in the hands of the best drivers in the scene and won several titles and championships in different categories. Today we show you a champion, the 1987 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth Group A, which has just gone on sale, the car with which Didier Auriol won the French Rally Championship in 1987 and 1988.

The car was first registered in France in January 1987 and is one of two units piloted by Didier Auriol. Racing Engineering Development (RED), a Ford Motorsport peripheral structure that prepared Jimmy McRae's cars for the British championship, was in charge of preparing the Ford, as it had previously modified Auriol's Metro Group B which won the French championship in 1986.

In the championship, Auriol got a second place in the 1987 Antibes Rally, a first place in the 1988 Rally du Rouergue and another victory in the 1988 Var Rally as best results. Auriol would thus be able to proclaim himself two-time French champion for two consecutive years and secure a place as factory driver for Lancia.

In the 1989 season, this Group A Ford Sierra RS Cosworth participated again, taking first place in the Alsace Vosges Rally, third place in the Rally du Rouergue and fourth in the Rally des Garrigues. Finally, the car was sold in January 1990 to a French collector, who would keep it in ownership until March 1994. The next owner would sell it again in January 1998, where it would remain until 2009. During this period, the Sierra was used with moderation, mainly in local exhibitions and rallies.

In 2009 it changed hands again, and again in 2012, going from a German collector to a French one. Today, the Sierra RS Cosworth still retains many of the original components. This includes the magnesium rear arms, the latest version of the front suspension, the transmission, the engine and the original body. The car is currently for sale at Art & Revs in Luxembourg. It is advertised at a price of 215,000 euros.