INTERIOR
All very much a Mk5 Escort in the cabin, the Cosworth has the same failings as any other Ford of the era, with plastics prone to rattling and switchgear liable to failure.
The dashboard’s white dial faces tend to go blotchy with age, and the digital clock might have missing digits; it’s not easy to find replacements.
Gear lever gaiters don’t wear well, and the steering wheel could be tatty. Top-condition substitutes don’t come cheap. If it’s a later car with airbag, make sure the warning light on the dashboard is working.
Front seats have a tendency to collapse on the base, and bolsters become tatty when the miles are piled on. Trim can often be repaired but the rarer shades of Hexagon are harder to come by.
If you’re concerned about standard spec, there were three main varieties – Roadsport/ Motorsport (which had wind-up windows and Karmann seats rather than Recaros), Standard (which added central locking and remote tailgate release; most were equipped with cloth Recaros) and Luxury (featuring electric front windows, opening rear quarter glass, heated windscreen and glass sunroof). Lots of Luxurys were fitted with leather seats, and some featured optional air conditioning.
Whichever you choose, get the bestcondition trim you can find because it’s hellishly expensive to replace.