The Only Way is Essex: Fast Ford frenzy at the NEC

Forget about the $450m da Vinci at Christie’s New York, what about Silverstone Auctions’ recent sale at the Classic Car Show? Once again, hotted-up Fords made the headlines, with some devoted fan of the Blue Oval paying £97,875 for a 1980 Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 ‘Custom’.

The car had covered just 927 miles from new. The Sierra Cosworth RS500 (pictured, above) sold for £112,500, which was a touch more predictable, while the 1996 Ford Escort Cosworth Lux, “the finest Cosworth we've ever offered,” said Silverstone, sold for £91,125.

Even a middling alternative in period to VW’s definitive hot-hatch Golf GTi, the 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo S1, achieved £44,438. All were white, which says something about the market for these cars when new.

The 1990 Audi Quattro Turbo 20V was a low-mileage (16,240) car and sold well for £69,750. Compare this and the £34,875 1984 BMW M635 CSi, genuine performance cars, with the eye-watering prices achieved for three-box Fords and you have to wonder what’s going on.

In more ‘classic’ territory, £61,875 for the restoration-project 1972 Aston Martin DBS6 Automatic is where these cars should be – some way off the sillier sums achieved in recent years.
 
Photos by Silverstone Auctions