Was the Ford Escort Cosworth sold in the US?
The short answer is no — the Ford Escort Cosworth was not officially sold in the United States. It was produced for European markets and a few other regions, but Ford never distributed a U.S.-spec Escort RS Cosworth through American dealerships.
The Escort Cosworth, developed in the early 1990s as a homologation model for rally competition, remains one of Ford’s most iconic European hatchbacks. This article explains where the car was sold, why it never reached U.S. showrooms officially, and how private imports have appeared on American soil over the years.
Background: what the Escort Cosworth is and why it existed
The Escort Cosworth, commonly known as the Escort RS Cosworth, was built around a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with all-wheel drive. It was conceived to satisfy World Rally Championship (WRC) homologation requirements, meaning a certain number of road-going units had to be produced. The result was a purpose-built performance hatch with distinctive styling, a large rear wing, and rally-inspired hardware that set it apart from the standard Escort lineup.
Official markets and production
Officially, Ford marketed the RS Cosworth in European markets and a handful of right‑hand‑drive regions. The following examples represent representative markets where the car appeared in Ford's European lineup during its production years.
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Ireland
- Sweden
- Norway
- Finland
- Belgium
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Austria
In practice, the U.S. was not among Ford’s official export destinations for the Escort RS Cosworth. The car remains a European icon, celebrated by collectors and enthusiasts around the world, but it never rolled off a U.S. dealership lot in an official capacity.
Design and performance highlights
Several features defined the RS Cosworth and separated it from the standard Escort:
- 2.0-liter turbocharged Cosworth YB engine producing roughly 225 horsepower in early versions
- All-wheel drive with a performance-oriented drivetrain setup
- Distinctive aerodynamic package, including a prominent rear wing and widened fenders
- 5-speed manual transmission and rally-tuned suspension
- Limited production run intended to meet homologation requirements (several thousand units)
These elements made the Escort RS Cosworth a capable rally-bred road car, highly sought after by collectors and fans today, especially in Europe.
Private imports and appearances in the US
Although Ford did not offer the Escort RS Cosworth in the American market, a small number of models reached the United States through private or gray-market imports in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Availability has always been extremely limited, and imported examples often faced stricter compliance and registration challenges at the state level.
- A handful of privately imported RS Cosworths appeared in the U.S. during the late 1990s and early 2000s via gray-market channels.
- Those cars tend to be rare, highly valued by collectors, and not universally road-legal or easily registered in all states.
- Today, most surviving examples reside in private collections or are offered at specialty auctions.
With evolving U.S. import rules and the 25-year age threshold for some classic-car imports, more mid-1990s performance cars have become legally importable in recent years, though the Cosworth remains exceptionally rare in American hands.
Summary
The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was never officially sold in the United States. It was built for European markets to meet rally homologation requirements and is celebrated as a standout performance hatch of the era. A few privately imported examples did surface in the U.S. over the years, but they were not part of Ford’s official U.S. lineup. Today, the car endures in the memories of enthusiasts and as a highly coveted collector’s item, with private imports limited by regulatory hurdles, but potentially more accessible to importers under modern classic-car rules.
What is the most sought after Ford Escort?
MK1 Escorts are highly sought after today, which is driving prices through the roof. You'd never have thought that these cars would have become future classics, but they have – and they seem to be in greater demand than ever before.
Was the Ford Cosworth sold in the USA?
In total 7,145 vehicles were produced from the start of production on 19 February 1992 until the last car rolled out of the factory on 12 January 1996. A small number were officially imported to the United States by a third party.
How much is a Ford Escort Cosworth worth?
Escort Cosworth Values
The newer Escort Cosworths follow a similar £50,000 entry point, with immaculate cars rising up to six figures, with ultra-special versions, such as Monte Carlo editions commanding in the £120,000 region too.
Was the Ford Escort ever sold in the US?
The North American version of the Ford Escort is a range of cars that were sold by Ford from the 1981 to 2003 model years.
