1988 Ford Escort RS Turbo review from UK and Ireland

Lots of little things have gone wrong which in time mount up to become very frustrating.

Wiring for example wasn't very good on the car and needed a few solid days work to fix.

Cooling was also a problem, but two constant fans now do a proper job.

Dump valve was also replaced due to it being the wrong type a 'diaphragm' rather then 'twin piston' dump valve, which released too much pressure for engine to properly operate.

Despite it's problems this is a dream car for me, especially as it was an upgrade from my previous car a Mk2 Fiat Punto 1.2 which was painfully slow.

The RS Turbo carries real history which shows on the countless faces who love to watch me zoom by, especially on high boost.

My escort is tuned to nearly 220bhp which gives me enough speed and torque to beat most of the so called 'fast cars'. Impreza's and Evo's for example pose no real threat anymore unless they're highly tuned due to the low weight on a RST. My power to weight ratio is close to 200hp/tonne.

The RS Turbo represents an alternative sports car which shows that despite 15-20 years of development cars still can't leave it in the dust, a testament to it being far ahead of it's time. But with a legacy from cosworth it's hardly surprising.

I have been offered faster cars in exchange for my RS, but haven't been able to part with it, it just gives you a feeling while driving that's unique and raw.