1987 Ford Escort RS Turbo

Speedbroker are delighted to offer yet another retro legend to the market, a car that played a major role in shaping UK performance car culture throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Few cars capture the spirit of the era quite like the Escort RS Turbo. From magazine covers and RS Owners Club meets to late-night cruises and grassroots tuning culture, the RS Turbo became one of the defining fast Fords of a generation and remains an icon within the enthusiast scene today.

A superbly presented and extensively recommissioned example finished in Diamond White, benefitting from significant recent expenditure including a full underside restoration and fresh dyno setup.

Vehicle Specification

1987 Ford Escort RS Turbo
88 Specification Series 2
1.6 CVH Turbo Engine
Diamond White Paintwork
Original Style Recaro Interior
Dyno Tune & Engine Set Up – April 2026
Full Underside Restoration – March 2026
Extensive Recent Recommissioning Works
MOT Until April 2027
HPi Clear

The Escort RS Turbo Series 2

Produced from 1986 onwards, the Series 2 RS Turbo was Ford’s evolution of the hugely successful original Series 1 car. Built on the revised Escort Mk4 platform, the Series 2 delivered improved handling, better refinement and greater day-to-day usability, whilst still retaining the raw turbocharged character that made the RS name so respected.

Powered by the legendary 1.6 CVH turbocharged engine, the Series 2 quickly earned its place as one of the most important hot hatches of its era. It offered genuine performance, huge tuning potential and unmistakable road presence at a time when turbocharged performance cars were rapidly becoming the heartbeat of UK car culture.

For many enthusiasts, the Series 2 represents the sweet spot of the RS Turbo range, retaining the analogue, boost-driven experience of the earlier cars whilst benefitting from improved suspension geometry, reduced torque steer and a more composed chassis overall.

Today, genuine examples are becoming increasingly difficult to source, particularly cars that have been properly maintained and structurally restored to a high standard.

Condition & Recent Works

This example presents extremely well throughout and has clearly benefited from substantial recent investment.

Most notably, the car underwent a full underside restoration in March 2026 — a hugely important factor on any RS Turbo and something experienced RS buyers immediately recognise the value of. Escorts of this era are notoriously vulnerable to corrosion in critical structural areas including chassis rails, floor sections, suspension mounting points and inner arches. Properly restored examples are becoming increasingly scarce.

The significance of this work cannot be overstated. A correctly restored underside not only preserves the integrity of the shell for the future, but massively elevates the quality and desirability of the car as a whole. In today’s RS market, structural condition is everything, and finding a car where this level of work has already been completed properly is becoming exceptionally rare.

In addition, the vehicle has recently undergone extensive recommissioning works along with a dyno tune and engine setup completed in April 2026, ensuring the car performs exactly as an RS Turbo should.

Standard Escort RS Turbo Series 2 Equipment

Factory specification included:

Turbocharged 1.6 CVH engine
Limited Slip Differential
RS Body Styling Kit
Rear Tailgate Spoiler
Recaro Sports Interior
Sports Steering Wheel
Front Fog Lamps
Electric Windows
Central Locking
RS-Specific Suspension Setup
Colour Coded Mirrors & Bumpers

Driving Experience

The appeal of an RS Turbo has never simply been about outright performance figures, it is about character. The sound of the CVH turbo engine, the period driving position, the surge of boost and the raw analogue feel are things modern performance cars simply cannot replicate.

Cars like this are exactly why the RS scene remains as passionate today as it was decades ago.

Investment Potential

The market for genuine fast Fords continues to strengthen year after year, particularly for structurally sound, correctly restored and well-presented examples. As surviving RS Turbos become increasingly scarce, buyers are placing greater emphasis on originality, condition and quality restoration work.

Examples with documented recent expenditure, especially significant structural restoration, sit firmly above average cars within today’s market and continue to attract strong enthusiast and collector interest alike.

For the enthusiast, this is an opportunity to own one of the defining performance Fords of the 1980s.

For the collector, it represents an increasingly rare piece of genuine UK motoring history.

** PLEASE NOTE: THIS CAR IS LOCATED IN WARRINGTON **

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