Ford Escort RS Cosworth – Competition version (1996) specs
| Engine | Four cylinder 16-valve two liter Cosworth, Garrett AiResearch T35 turbocharger with FIA 34mm air restrictor. 1997:Hybrid IHI turbocharger and 8 injector inlet manifold Modified compression ratio, modified crankshaft, all internal cleaned and polished, altered flywheel to suit clutch. All engine internals prepared by Mountune. Cast magnesium sump with mounting for Motorsport 8.5 in front axle, Kevlar sump shield. Three stage intercooler with water injection. Intake temperature maintained at optimum, approx. 40 degrees. Anti turbo lag system, Weber Marelli engine management electronics. 1997: Ford/Pectel T6 engine management Turbo boost set at approx. 3bar Engines prepared by Mountune, by 1998 they were prepared by Tom Wilkinshaw Racing (TWR) who also prepared the Arrows F1 engines. Max power: 312bhp @ 6250 rpm (with 34mm turbo restrictor fitted). Max torque: 450 N/m @ 5000 rpm |
| Transmission | Six-speed Motorsport gearbox (stock seven-speeder with first removed) H-pattern shift non-sequential. Ratios vary depending on rally. Lightweight hydraulic clutch. Full time four-wheel drive with electronically variable bias. Magnesium axle case. Hand brake disconnects center differential for tight gravel corners. Mid-97: Six-speed sequential XTrac box. Electo-hydraulically controlled front and center differentials, Torsen rear differential for tarmac, ZF rear differential for gravel. |
| Suspension | Depends on rally/surface. For tarmac: Bilstein dampers front and rear. Aluminum suspension arms. Coil springs with additional helper springs (dual rate system). Water jackets around dampers for cooling. |
| Brakes | Spec varies depending on rally. For tarmac, front: Brembo eight-pot calipers with four carbon-metallic pads per caliper, aluminum bell, 380mm cast iron ventilated discs. Water cooled. Rear: 315mm discs with four-pot Brembo calipers, water cooled. |
| Chassis | Custom-made Ford body shell with unwanted bracketry removed. ACS-prepared shell, including lightweight 18-point roll cage. Air vents added in roof. Quick release bonnet and rear hatch clips. Repsol colors applied to body with minimum paint for reduced weight. |
| Wheels/Tires | 8"x18" wheels, 210/610-18 Michelin |
| Dimensions | Width: 1738mm Height: 1360mm Wheelbase: 2552mm Laden weight: 1230Kg |
| Performance (works) | Varies depending on spec. Acceleration: 0-60 in approx. 3 seconds, no more than 3.5 sec. in any spec. Top speed: 160km/h to 220km/h. |
| Miscellaneous | Racing seats fully tested for impact resistance, tailor-made to fit driver. Steering column adjustable for height, different length wheel bosses used to suit driver. Adjustable pedal box. Aluminum mounting bolts used wherever possible to trim weight. Aircraft-style self-sealing fuel cell with quick-release twin fuel pumps inside tank. All encased in aluminum shell. Fully fireproofed hosing runs throughout the interior, including fuel lines, water injection lines, electrical wiring. Aircraft-style wiring harnesses differ on each rally depending on conditions. Driver information limited to rev. counter and warning lights. Brake bias adjuster knob. System monitor top center dash used by navigator and downloads to service crews for computer diagnosis. Center dash switches for heated screen, fans, fuel pump, lights, starting, ignition. Coralba navigation equipment, radio and intercom set mounted on co-driver's door. Horn button in co-driver footwell useful for alerting spectators when out of control. Map pockets. |
| Notes | The groupA version suffers from understeer in very tight corners when not using "active" differentials. WRC and groupA cars that use active diffs do not display this character. |
