JOHN WISEMAN SAPPHIRE COSWORTH
The concours section of the show was always bound to be impressive, and it didn’t disappoint. Nestled among many of the older classics, this spotless rear-wheeldrive Sapphire Cosworth of John Wiseman caught our eye. Incredibly, it was John’s 12th Sierra Cosworth, though we’re told the first 11 came and went back in the Eighties and Nineties when not only were they cheaper to buy but the parts were also comparative bargains too.
After a lengthy period driving BMWs and various other highpowered saloons, John decided to head back to his roots three years ago when he purchased this gem.
He said, “It was already a very tidy car with just 36k on the clock. I was keen to put my own personal mark on it.”
A 400bhp-plus Harvey Gibbs-built Cosworth YB with T38 turbo now lives under the bonnet, while the engine management is now taken care of by a modern Haltech unit, which enabled John to switch to a driveby-wire throttle for instant response and better control. In fact, the whole build has been cleverly thought out to provide that perfect Cosworth driving experience but while adding a modern update. Yet nothing looks out of place.
The uprated Bara Motorsport gearbox copes well with the extra grunt, and AP Racing six-pot brakes up front with Reyland Motorsport discs at the rear should be more than capable.
When it came to the suspension, John opted for a mixture of Koni dampers and Ahmed Bayjoo-spec springs, while a set of Compomotive rims suit the discreet sleeper look perfectly. John got the balance exactly right in every respect.
QUICK SPEC T38 turbo, RS500 spec intercooler, AP Racing six-pot front brakes, Bara Motorsport gearbox, Harvey Gibbs engine, Haltech ECU, drive-by-wire throttle, Reyland Motorsport rear discs, Koni dampers with Ahmed Bayjoo springs, Compomotive rims, 400bhp-plus