Known to most simply as ‘Cossie’, the Escort RS Cosworth is, in many ways, the forebear on which the current Focus RS is based – if not via direct componentry, but in ethos.

With all-paw traction, a boosted, 167kW/298Nm 2.0-litre four-pot and a 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds, it wasn’t hanging about in terms of pre-millennium performance, either. Yet, in 1992 the Escort RS Cosworth had massive shoes to fill, those being the Bathurst-conquering, touring car-championship-wining Sierra Cosworth RS.

However, the brief for the Escort was much different. While the Sierra was a commuter hatch that later transformed into a race winner, the permanent AWD Escort was an unadulterated homologation special. Its success as a road car was more of a surprise than a business plan.

1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth front

Essentially the Escort RS Cosworth’s bulging body was crafted around a cut-and-shut Sierra RS500 platform, with its longitudinally mounted turbo engine being tied to a Borg Warner T5 five-speed manual and sending power to all wheels in a 33/67 split front to rear.

The first batch of 2500 cars are known as the ‘big turbo’ version, given it used a laggy, but tunable Garrett T3/T04B turbo. Once race requirements were met, the ‘small turbo’ version was introduced with the T25 Garrett unit fitted, which added refinement.

1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth gauges

The sad reality of the original hot-hatch defining Cossie is that Ford’s sole, ahem, focus was to win the World Rally Championship – a feat the Escort RS never achieved.

1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth specs: Engine: 1993cc inline-4, DOHC, 16v, turbo Power: 167kW @ 6250rpm Torque: 298Nm @ 3500rpm Weight: 1275kg 0-100km/h: 6.1sec (claimed) Price new: $45,000 (new; est)

3 Fast Facts

1. Sting in the Cossie’s tail

1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth Spoiler

2. Force-fed four rules the roost

1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth engine

3. Forest fighter fails to flourish

Ford Escort RS Cosworth Rally car