1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth Owned By Jeremy Clarkson Up For Auction

July 29, 2024 3:02 pm

1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth Owned By Jeremy Clarkson - Exterior 001 - Front Three Quarters

Jeremy Clarkson remains one of the most beloved – and most famous – automotive figureheads in the business, having skyrocketed to fame on Top Gear, followed by a stint on The Grand Tour, and most recently, Clarkson’s Farm. Aside from his terrific sense of humor, enthusiasts gravitate toward Clarkson because, well, he’s also a big time gearhead who has owned countless cool rides over the years – many of them, of the Blue Oval persuasion, such as this 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth.

However, this isn’t just any old ordinary, celebrity-owned 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth – rather, it’s one of just three hand-built pre-production prototypes constructed at a reported cost of £250,000 ($321,575 USD) each. Ford lent this particular prototype to Clarkson for a full year, after which it wound up in Top Gear Magazine, followed by an appearance on Clarkson’s Car Years. Now, the special machine is set to be sold at The Iconic Sale at Silverstone Festival 2024 by Iconic Auctioneers.

Interestingly, this Ford Escort Cosworth “only” has an auction estimate of £65,000-£75,000 ($83,609-$96,472 USD), which seems a bit low given its historical prominence. Regardless, the famous homologation special may very well end up exceeding that mark, especially since it remains in fantastic, original condition with stellar Mallard Green paint paired with a Raven Hide interior.

Indeed, it isn’t often that we see these special machines and their giant, aircraft-inspired rear wings surface for sale at auction. In fact, it’s been around five years since we featured one. Fresh off receiving a total suspension and brake revamp, a new set of NOS wheels, and a new headliner inside the cabin, this special example looks to change that, and we imagine that more than a few Clarkson fans – or fans of fast Fords in general – will flock to this rare, historic prototype.

We’ll have more cool auction finds like this to share soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Escort news and ongoing Ford news coverage.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.