A series of unexpected engine failures
has seen Mark King’s Nouveau Red 4x4 Sapphire Cosworth evolve into a mega-spec,
seven-speed, 500bhp fast-road racer!
Boxing Clever
Managing the extra cogs took a bit of
getting used to, despite the assistance of a gear selector indicator light that
takes pride of place in a custom centre dash panel. A brace of Stack gauges, a
nifty digidash and a Collins Performance engine monitor also provide essential
operating information and give the interior a thoroughly modern feel.
“There
was a ridiculous amount of lag unless I was going hell for leather”
Home Straight
Thankfully, Karl awarded the car a clean
bill of health following an exhaustive evaluation and a tweak to its
continually evolving map. You’d be forgiven for thinking that this was the end
of the story, that Mark had been driving his incredible Rallye Sport street
star without issue and that everything was just peachy in Sapphireland.
Not so, as its transmission cable snapped
as soon as the photo shoot for this Fast Fordfeature was in the bag! Repair
work is extending to a refurbishment of the gearbox for good measure, but let
Mark’s continued misfortune serve as a confidence booster the next time you
round the head off a bolt or blow a gasket – if bad luck can produce a car that
is this good, then there’s hope for the rest of us yet!
Tech Spec Sapphire Cosworth
Engine
2-litre 16v YB Cosworth, 200 long stud
block with Ford head bolts, Norris Motorsport big valve cylinder head and
custom profile camshafts, painted cam cover with alloy oil filler cap, solid
lifters, Norris Motorsport forged pistons, H-beam steel rods, standard
crankshaft, GT3076.63 turbocharger with modified 2WD manifold, Spec R enlarged
intercooler and dedicated turbo cooler, Tial external wastegate, Auto
Specialists turbo mount, standard throttle body, K&N induction cone mounted
behind front bumper, ported Auto Specialists inlet manifold, alloy pulleys,
modified breather system, L8 ECU with Norris Motorsport custom map, 5-bar MAP
sensor, custom wiring loom, Siemens 83lb fuel injectors, Aeroquip fuel pressure
regulator, modified fuel tank, in-tank fuel pump and swirl pot, twin external
fuel pumps, Aeroquip fuel lines and fittings, modified oil pump, MSD wasted
spark ignition and coilpack, Ford Motorsport ignition leads, Denso IK31 Iridium
spark plugs, Mongoose 3.25in stainless steel exhaust system, enlarged radiator,
Graham Goode Racing polished header tank, Pro Alloy power steering fluid
reservoir and washer bottle, 150amp alternator, oil cooler mounted to front
bumper, Roose Motorsport silicone hoses
Power
is supplied by a double overhead camshaft, 2 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder
motor, with 4 valves per cylinder that provides power and torque figures of 217
bhp (220 PS/162 kW) at 6250 rpm and 290 N·m (214 lb·ft/29.6 kgm) at 3500 rpm
respectively.
Power
Estimated 500bhp
Transmission
Four-wheel drive, FFD seven-speed
sequential gearbox with 4.4 drop gears, R&D plated front differential,
9-inch rear crown wheel and pinion rear differential, extended front shafts,
2WD rear shafts, AP Racing 7.25-inch clutch, Reyland lightened and balanced
flywheel
Suspension
909 Bilstein coilovers with Group A top
mounts (front), 909 magnesium coilovers (rear), standard anti-roll bar,
rose-jointed track control arms, Norris Motorsport modified 2WD 6° rear beam,
front strut brace, rose-jointed rear strut brace, Group N bushes, Group A
differential mounts
Brakes
AP Racing CP5555 six-piston calipers with
362mm discs (front), AP Racing CP7040 four-piston calipers with 330mm discs
(rear), modified standard caliper for handbrake, adjustable brake bias, braided
hoses and brake lines all round, AP Racing brake fluid
Wheels & Tyres
8x18in Compomotive TH rims, OZ Racing
graphics, Toyo T1-R 215/35x18 tyres
Exterior
Factory RS Cosworth bodykit, full respray
in OE Nouveau Red, new wings and rear wheel arches, rebuilt chassis legs, RS500
imitation front splitter, personalised registration plates
The
engine drives the wheels through a 5 speed manual gearbox. Quoted weight at the
kerb is 1302 kg. Its maximum speed quoted is 230 km/h or 143 mph.
Interior
Restored Raven leather upholstery, Stack
digital dashboard in standard binnacle, custom centre dash fascia (housing
Stack gauges, gearbox selector display light, digidash control switches),
Collins Performance engine monitor, retrimmed roof lining, retrimmed A and C
pillars, Alpine MP3 head unit and 10in subwoofer, 5in Pioneer speakers,
tweeters built into A pillars, JL Audio
Thanks
Karl and Oli at Norris Motorsport for doing
such a brilliant job with the car, TK Motors of Bangor for the interior
restoration, Reyland for the brakes and wheels, R&B Motorsport for the
Stack gear and other bits and pieces, SCS for the rear beam, Fred Crawford for
the suspension and Aeroquip goodies, Dominic McNeil for fitting the gearbox,
Audio Advice for the ICE, Paul Wilson (Fred) for all of his help with the
build, and to Leanne for her continued patience!
