After the surprising success of the original Sierra RS Cosworth, Ford decided that less would indeed be more when it came to the next incarnation of its flagship performance model. Launched in January 1988, the Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth was a lesson in restraint, its discreet style designed to appeal to those seeking a fast yet refined executive express.
Gone was the three-door bodyshell with its outlandish whaletail spoiler, and, as its name alluded to, in its place was the four-door Sapphire shell.
However, and much to the relief of fast Ford fanatics, Ford had no intention of toning down the new Cosworth’s performance. The last-of-the-line three-door RS Cosworths had already benefited from a slightly revised version of the 1993cc YB engine, which now included a Cooper gasket, yield head bolt design and an improved cooling system, and it was deemed more than adequate
