Owning a Sapphire RS Cosworth

‘I’m very much into fast Fords – I came to this Sapphire RS following a string of Mk2 Escort RS2000S,’ says Denise Hodgkinson, whose Ford was previously owned by Jeremy Clarkson and used in a Top Gear challenge in which it was driven across Germany.

‘It’s very straightforward both to look after and drive – you don’t have to think twice about thrashing it. It’ll sustain 100mph easily and I’ve seen 135 on the clock. It’s reliable and practical too – I commute to work in it when it’s dry and I’ll pick the kids up from school later today. It’s never overheated or left me stranded.

‘I avoid taking it out in the wet, simply to avoid rust – all Sierras suffer from it, and body panels aren’t as easy to find as they used to be. Same goes for trim too.

‘I would keep it, but I fancy an Aston Martin.’