Tag Archives: Eggenburger

Toni Tickford – Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth #159

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In 1982 a set of regulations was introduced called Group A which required 5000 examples of a model to be certified as having been manufactured in order to qualify for the series. As we saw last week under the guidance of Stuart Turner, head of Ford Motorsport Europe, Ford developed the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth to take part in races for vehicles conforming to these regulations.

Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

The Group A racing regulations also allowed for an evolution of the 5,000 base RS Cosworth models so long as at least 500 were sold to the public. Mike Moreton was charged with developing the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth into the 224 hp Cosworth YBD powered Ford Sierra RS Cosworth RS500 evolution.

Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

In 1987 Tickfords were given the contract to build them, 392 black like build #159 seen here at Castle Combe, 56 white and 52 Moonstone blue, all of the Sierra RS Cosworth’s and RS500’s were right hand drive models.

Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

The RS500, with nearly 500 hp in race trim proved to be an amazing success on the race track taking many overall victories and winning the European Touring Car Championship for Ford in 1988, however few Sierra RS500 Cosworth drivers won championships outright because Group A was divided into classes according to engine size and Class A for cars with the biggest motors was always far better subscribed than the classes for smaller vehicles.

Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, Castle Combe, C&SCAD

Andy Rouse in the #1 is seen leading Mike Smith in the #20 in a typically close fought round of the British Touring Car Championship in 1989 above, the #20 was a car supplied by Australian Dick Johnson one of the few RS500 drivers to win a championship he won the 1988 and 1989 Australian Touring Car Championships along with the 1989 Bathurst 1000.

Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, Brand Hatch

One of the all time best races I ever saw was at Brands Hatch in 1988 with Andy Rouse and Steve Soper driving an Eggenberger Sierra drove nose to tail for 20 thrilling laps of one of the best tracks in Britain, check it out on this link you will not be disappointed, I was there and have watched the race on youtube many times since.

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Toni Tickford’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Multi Purpose Vehicle – Volvo 240 Tørslanda

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The Volvo 200 series launched in 1974 was a significant update of the 140 series which is outwardly easily identifiable by federal spec railway sleeper like low impact bumpers that gave the vehicle all the style, despite the best efforts of Jan Wilsgard, of a house brick.

Volvo 240 Tørslanda

From 1974 – 1993 the 200 series came with a variety of straight 4 engines, some with turbo chargers, Peugeot Renault Volvo, PRV, aluminium V6’s and straight 5 cylinder or 6 cylinder diesels sourced from the Volkswagen.

Volvo 240 Tørslanda

Over the 19 year production run there were numerous stylistic updates which softened the more extreme features of the early 200 series, it was never considered a particularly good looking car but it’s robustness and average 19 year longevity did lend the 200 series a certain status cache somewhere between a Range Rover and a multi purpose vehicle, MPV, Mini Van, the latter which first appeared as the 200 series production was being wound up.

Volvo 240 Tørslanda

The 1993 Tørslanda special edition, named after the Swedish factory that built them, was a back to basics estate station wagon model, allegedly designed to cope with harsh Scandinavian winters.

Volvo 240 Tørslanda

It featured, by then already retro, manual mirrors, door locks and windows front & rear, plastic trim in place of chrome which fairs badly in snow, heated seats, power steering, full length body stripes and BBS style alloy wheels.

Volvo 240 Tørslanda

The 200 series estates / station wagons, which accounted for a third of the 2.8 million units produced in Sweden, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Italy and Malasia, were particularly popular with those needing a large cargo area, the 41 cubic feet cargo area could carry large pieces of furniture, cookers, fridges, washing machines or hay bales and was often supplied with dealer fitted rear facing seats that could accommodate two small children. These cars are still popular with trades people in Europe today.

Volvo 240 Tørslanda

Whilst outright performance was rarely top of the list of a typical 200 series customers desires, Volvo did support the development of a turbocharged two door model that allowed Gianfranco Brancatelli and Thomas Lindström driving for the Eggenberger Motorsport team to share the 1985 European Touring Car Championship.

Thanks for joining me on this Tørslanda special edition of ‘Gettin’ a lil’ psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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