As the driver pins the throttle in second gear, the Fiesta RS Turbo’s mighty power is too much for the front wheels to cope with, the ensuing torque steer burying the car into the hedge accompanied by the gruff, harsh tones of the CVH engine. Well, that’s if you believe the reputation, anyway.
RS Turbo-badged Fords have a certain - how best to put this? - extrovert character. If you were being unkind, you could call them downright uncouth. But they are nothing if not exciting.
Fast Fords aren’t quite in my blood, but I do have a lot of time for a hot blue oval model. My mother ran an Escort RS Turbo Series 2 for much of the Nineties and, although rather old-fashioned, it exuded an almost untouchable presence and swagger. It has been said that Ford papered-over to an extent the Series 1 RST’s rough edges, but mum’s car was very definitely a product of the boisterous 1980s.
But everybody knows about Escort RS Turbos; whether you like them or not, they have embedded themselves in motoring folklore. And it feels as if there is little extra to say about the car, such is the amount of page space that's been devoted to the wild Escort in magazines over the years. The Escort was not the only RS Turbo-badged Ford; there was a boosted Fiesta, too.
Launched in 1990 and accompanying the ‘regular’ XR2i in the well-received Mk3 Fiesta range, the Fiesta RS Turbo utilised a slightly tamer version of its big brother’s powertrain. The 1.6-litre CVH engine featured a smaller Garrett T2 turbocharger, for example, and various other mods set it apart. But with 133bhp and a 7.9-second 0-62mph time, the flagship Fiesta wanted little for accelerative prowess.
If that wasn’t enough, it looked utterly superb as well. The three-spoke alloy wheels were the defining visual identifier, but the snazzy green exterior detailing, colour-keyed tailgate spoiler and up-for-it bodykit added to the Fiesta RS Turbo’s on-road presence. That’s the second time I’ve used the word ‘presence’ in this piece…
These days, of course, a small, front-wheel drive hot hatch with a turbocharged engine is effectively de rigueur, but way back when, the accepted frontrunners of the hot hatch stable - the Golf GTI and Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI - were naturally aspirated. The Renault 5 GT Turbo, Fiat Uno Turbo and Lancia Delta HF had long paved the way for the Ford, however. Heck, you could even buy a turbocharged Maestro.
If you want a Fiesta RS Turbo today and despite - or should that be because of? - its reputation for somewhat wayward handling and overall ‘rough’ nature, I certainly do, they don’t come cheap. An auction house recently sold an immaculate, low-mileage example for nearly £25,000. As a significant chapter in the distinguished history of the performance Ford, the RS Turbo can only continue to rise in value. Keep a firm hand on the steering wheel and enjoy yourself.
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