The appeal of the Cosworth remains as strong as ever and especially in Escort form it is considered by many to be the greatest Fast Ford ever made. There’s good reason for this - despite being eclipsed in power, performance and technology by the newer Focuses, the subsequent cars have lacked at least one of the ingredients that made the Escort Cosworth special. The big three being an incredible engine, four wheel drive and the wide body. As yet a factory produced Focus has only managed to tick two of these boxes at any one time.

In the years since they were built, the Cosworths at Ford Fair have evolved - the fastest getting faster and the cleanest becoming cleaner. With each season that passes the concourse cars defy their age even more, pristine engine bays and flawless bodywork pampered by their owners whose reward exceeds merely pride and has now become a serious financial one too, should they ever decide to sell up.

The unexpected gems of the show are always the cars that seem out of place. The base model with the tatty bodywork that sticks out from a distance, surrounded by bright colours and expensive wheels. Moving closer some visual details confirm something is not quite - the drilled holes in the bumper, larger than standard steel wheels and four inch exhaust. A peek under the bonnet and all is revealed - that cam cover and L shaped air filter hose are unmistakable.