Sober bodywork and discreet...

Sober bodywork and discreet styling... the Sapphire Cosworth marked a radical change of direction for Ford’s flagship. Gone were the big wings and bonnet scoops of its predecessor, the three-door Sierra Cosworth. The aim was to make the new ‘Cossie’ appeal to

a more grown-up audience.

In fact, the Sapphire was meant to rival BMW and Mercedes executive expresses. As a result, this Sierra had the same 204bhp 2.0-litre turbo as its predecessor, albeit with minor changes boosting refinement. Performance is still scorching – the 0-60mph sprint is completed in 6.1 seconds, while the top speed is a Porsche 911-rivalling 152mph. Uprated springs and dampers, plus the stiff four-door bodyshell, make the Sierra a responsive driver’s car, too.

Caution should be your watchword when it comes to buying one, though. Plenty of Cosworths have been crashed, while more still have been tuned to deliver stratospheric power outputs.

A mere ?3,000 will get you the keys to a usable, if scruffy, example. Spend more than ?6,000 and you can pick up one of the best. A decent service history is vital, as is a data check, given the car’s past popularity with criminals. Head gaskets are a weakness, and rust is common on the rear arches and sills.