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Curated Auction

1989 Ford Escort RS Turbo (S2)

At a Glance

Impressive Service Records | Original Specification | Recent Service/Cambelt + Water Pump

  • Mileage~86,007
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine1.6L
  • LocationSwindon

Curated Auction

We’ve visited this car, taken the images and written the description below – we’ve also verified the seller’s ID and actioned a HPi report – learn more

Curated Auction

We’ve visited this car, taken the images and written the description below – we’ve also verified the seller’s ID and actioned a HPi report – learn more

CURATED AUCTION

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CURRENT BID£8,000
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AUCTION LIVE

ENDS IN: 56 Days 12 Hr 51 Min 51 Sec

CURRENT BID

£8,000

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Video #2

Introduction

Darren Rungasamy
Photographer and Editor

The RS Turbo’s once boisterous image has settled down to a respected cornerstone of the fast Ford scene.

The 1980s was a particularly exciting decade for the development of the Turbocharged family car, bringing performance with practicality, Ford capitalised on their considerable market coverage and marketing to offer a wide range of cars that would create envy and a dedicated following. The Escort RS Turbo is based on the hardy FWD MK4 Ford Escort, improved by adding more power, refinement and fittings to what was now established as Britain’s best-selling car of the decade. The RS Turbo models joined the lineup not long after the introduction of the MK4 and was fitted with a revised 130 bhp KE-Jetronic mechanical fuel injection turbocharged CVH 1.6-litre engine. Based on the XR3i, they were distinguished by their unique alloys, bonnet vents, wheel arch extensions, side skirts, colour-coded rear spoiler and Recaro cloth seats. The RS Turbo became an instant icon, providing an affordable and brisk option for those looking for a lively driving experience with plenty of usability.

This smartly presented and original specification March 1989 RS Turbo in "Diamond White" with grey upholstery, comes with an impressive record of servicing and retains almost every one of its MOT certificates since new. It has seen over £1,200 spent in the past year on its engine, including a new cam belt, water pump and service and appears to have been looked after by successive Ford enthusiasts throughout its life. It has an MOT to September 2025, two keys and comes with its owners wallet and booklet.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Simon the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Video #2

Meet the owner

I get so many positive comments from people, especially at petrol stations!

Simon has a keen eye for well-looked-after "Fast Fords", with a good history and provenance. Having wide experience with performance Escorts and Sierras, after bringing them to good health with a meticulous eye for detail, he enjoys driving them too to ensure they remain in the best of health.

He’s selling the Escort as he investigates his next car, and will be happy to answer any questions about this one in the comments section below.

Simon
Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER
EXTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Exterior

An unmodified, clean and solid example of Ford's iconic 1980s hot hatch.

Wheels and Tyres

The factory fitted 15” turbo alloys are cleanly presented with no scuffs.

The Hankook tyres all date from 2020 and show plenty of even tread. Take a look through the images to see the detail.

image

Bodywork

The body is presented positively, free of panel damage or discernible rust, apart from some minor under-paint blemishes on the offside front wing, close to the wheel arch trim. The panels are flush to the body with even shut lines. All doors open and close with minimal effort. The rear gas struts hold up the tailgate, but would probably benefit replacements. We noticed some mild signs of age on the front crossmember, but the car's overall structure is solid. The floor pan has been coated with a layer of underseal but appears in good shape. No issues were spotted in the engine bay, boot floor, wheel wells and suspension mounts.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

image

Paint

The "Diamond White" paint finish consistently reveals a decent glossy coverage. There are mild signs of hazing in the sunlight but aside from a handful of minor road marks on the nose, the Escort is free of blemishes, scratches or chip damage. We spotted a little paint overspray on the driver door glass seal.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

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Glass and Trim

The windscreen has a few de-lamination marks on the base and driver-side edge, the rest of the glass is in good order with decent seals across the car. The Carello headlights and lenses are all in good shape, and the driver spotlights come with their jackets.

The body trim, arches and rear spoiler display well. There is an application of what appears to be sealant on the nearside rear arch and a few paint reaction spots on the offside rear arch trim, otherwise, all are well mounted.

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INTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Interior

The interior presentation retains a near-perfect and original appearance.

Seats and Carpets

The fabric Recaro seats are in good shape, and free of any major marks or discolouration. On this car, the drivers bolster fabric and cushions retain their shape, and are not sagging like you often see.

The carpets are clean and show no significant signs of age. The car comes with a set of rubber mats. The boot has seen careful use, and the parcel shelf has a minor fraying to the side but is not a major distraction and more importantly free of speaker holes.

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Dashboard

The dashboard and centre console are in good shape, and free of marks or scuffs, although the glove box lid does show some signs of age. All dials, controls and switches work as they should, including the computer. The car retains its original dealer-fitted radio cassette player.

The door cards are in good condition but both of the interior passenger door grab handles show wear. The headlining and the rest of the interior trim are smartly presented, only the interior A-pillar coverings show their age.

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Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

An original RS motif steering wheel is fitted and displays well.

The gear lever looks in good condition too, no obvious marks spotted, view the image gallery to see the detail on these items.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO
Video #2

Mechanics

Excellent maintenance and regular attention have ensured that the engine remains in the best of health.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine fired up the first time, idled smoothly and was free of unwanted noises. The car didn’t exhibit any unwanted exhaust fumes and the dashboard warning lights remained off. The engine is cleanly presented, with decent hoses and ancillaries. The car has a good record of servicing and has seen recent attention to the gaskets, fuel lines and filters.

The gearbox operated without faults on the day, engaging gears with a positive clutch action. Take the time to watch the video to see the car in action for yourself.

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Suspension and Brakes

The suspension deals with the roads without unwanted noises or thuds and handles evenly.

The brakes slows the car down without any drama, free of judders, squeals or pulling.

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The Drive

The turbocharged versions of the CVH engine have a reputation for being easy to work on and can deal with significant tuning. This example had seen a 180BHP Turbo Technics turbocharger upgrade, but has since been brought back to a more modest but still handy output of around 154BHP. Servicing and regular cam belt changes go a long way toward ensuring these engines stay reliable, and this example has seen plenty of recent attention to both.

We were treated to a careful and sympathetic drive in the car, after letting the engine warm up a bit, Simon demonstrated the impressive pull of the engine as the turbo kicked in. Simon adds that the turbo boost and oil pressure dials show normal readings. He also mentioned that the engine temperature has not caused any problems, but the gauge slightly creeps up in traffic but returns to normal once moving. After each drive, Simon leaves the engine running for one minute or so, to allow the turbo to cool before switching off the car, during this time the engine continues to idle smoothly with no undulations. His mechanic conducted a compression test on the engine and has confirmed that it's all in good order. There were no engine leaks on the day.

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Electrics and Other

The manually operated sunroof operates without problems, the drain channels are in good shape and there are no signs of water ingress.

The exhaust is a stainless steel copy of the original. The car had been fitted with a F54 Turbo Technics unit in 1992, but this has since been replaced in 2020.

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Video #2

History and Paperwork

This car has seen regular cam belts, water pumps and servicing, most recently in November, the invoices add confidence to this car's mechanical health which comes to market from ~8 months ownership with a seasoned Fast Ford enthusiast.

First registered in March 1989 in the Nottingham area, it comes with a folder full of invoices and MOTs dating back to the early 90s. This covers historical invoices showing cam belt changes and servicing, as well as a new timing belt, water pump, clutch and brake work.

Work in the last 15 years includes welding, head gasket + cylinder head tests, a new turbo in 2020 and further brake work. Since Simon took on the car in 2024, he has gone through the engine to ensure required work was actioned, which involved a new cam belt, crankshaft oil seal, water pump and a new fuel tank.

It comes with its owner's wallet and handbook, two sets of keys and an operational immobiliser. It has an MOT to September 2025 and all of the minor advisories flagged up in that certificate have been fixed.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
27-11-2024 Crankshaft Oil seal + Cambelt + Water Pump + Service
18-09-2024 MOT 85,517
10-05-2022 MOT 84,045
02-10-2020 Independent Service
10-09-2020 MOT 81,872
08-09-2020 New Turbo unit
30-11-2019 MOT 81,759
29-09-2018 MOT 81,633
27-05-2017 MOT 81,336
16-06-2016 MOT 80,345
01-06-2015 MOT 80,088
05-06-2014 MOT 79,190
07-08-2013 Engine gaskets, Head gaskets + Cylinder head test
02-07-2013 Timing Belt + Water Pump 78,638
14-06-2013 MOT 78,432
20-06-2012 MOT 77,396
11-07-2011 MOT 76,341
26-05-2010 MOT 75,917
12-06-2009 MOT 73,488
27-06-2008 MOT 67,828
06-02-2008 Independent Service + Cam Belt 67,215
29-11-2007 MOT 66,827
07-09-2006 Oil Change 63,858
11-07-2006 MOT 63,545
10-02-2006 Independent Service 63,008
05-05-2005 MOT 61,878
07-05-2004 MOT 60,282
07-05-2004 Clutch and brake work 60,281
01-05-2003 MOT 58,975
01-05-2002 MOT 57,404
01-05-2001 MOT 56,615
23-03-2000 MOT 52,896
24-03-1999 MOT 51,472
23-03-1998 MOT 49,215
23-12-1997 Independent Service 47,945
24-03-1997 MOT 45,229
26-03-1996 MOT 43,005
26-03-1996 Cam Belt 43,005
18-03-1995 MOT 40,658
09-03-1995 Independent Service 40,578
19-03-1994 MOT 38,027
25-03-1993 Independent Service 34,785
22-03-1993 MOT 34,740
20-03-1992 MOT 30,492
VIEW ALL
Key Details
  • Model Escort RS Turbo (S2)
  • Transmission 5-Speed Manual
  • Reg. Date 22-03-1989
  • CC 1,597
  • Mileage ~86,007
  • History Since 1992
  • Colour Diamond White
  • Interior Colour Grey
  • Interior Trim Cloth
  • Chassis # WF0BXXGCABKU06636
  • Engine # KU06636
  • Last Service 27-11-2024
  • MOT 17-09-2025
  • MOT Exempt No
  • Road Tax Exempt No
  • HPi Clear Yes - all clear
  • Former Keepers 8
  • Tyre Brand Hankook
  • Tyre Age 2020
  • Security Sys Aftermarket Immobiliser
  • # of Keys 2
  • LHD or RHD RHD
  • Visited Yes
  • Sale Type Private
  • Owned ~8 months
  • Key Feature Original specification with good history
  • Auction ID 2713
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VIEW ALL
Video #2

All Images

Exterior

Interior

Mechanics

History and Paperwork

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Vehicle Location

Swindon

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    Auction Bidding

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    Current Bid £8,000
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    Auction Ends Thu 15th May at 7.20pm
    Bidding History
    Previous Bids  3
    £8,000 bid by Solentsportscars12.05.25 @ 17:47:06
    £5,201 bid by moorejam8304.05.25 @ 07:29:42
    £5,000 bid by ashotton198203.05.25 @ 13:54:01
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    Insurance Quote


    Average annual insurance premium for a RS Turbo like this is £158 via our trusted partner ClassicLine.
    GET AN INSURANCE QUOTEAnd get 10% off when you mention us.

    *Quote is based on a garaged vehicle in CV32 5QY (Leamington Spa), travelling 3,000 miles per year, 1 driver who is 45 years of age and is free on accidents and convictions – valid Spring 2025.

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    Vehicle Location

    Swindon

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