CNC Motorsport delivers first continuation Andy Rouse Engineering Ford Sierra RS500 Group A Touring Car
CNC Motorsport has delivered the first continuation Andy Rouse Engineering specification, Ford Sierra RS500 Group A race cars. Created in partnership with the four-time saloon/touring car champion, it is one of three RS500s that the road and race preparation specialist is building for use on track.
Alan Strachan, an employee of Andy Rouse Engineering during the period of 1989-96 and mechanic on the Team Labatts Sierra RS500 in the British Touring Car Championship, and his son Andrew, assembled the first car over the past 24 months alongside other projects including Group A BMW 635CSI build, the restoration of a Merkur XR4TI and period Sierra RS500.
The second car is already in build and it will use a brand new Motorsport specification bodyshell that was acquired at the start of the project. A third donor ‘shell has already been sourced for the final car.
CNC Motorsport completed all the fabrication work to the bodyshell alongside producing all of the machined parts, such as uprights, rear arms, hubs, brake calipers, wheel centres and roll cage in house, to the exacting specification of the period Andy Rouse Engineering cars. Input from Andy and drawing on his own time with the team, as well as access to a period Labatts Sierra that CNC Motorsport engineers today, ensured that the build was faithful to the original cars. That includes using Getrag five-speed gearbox, period style gauges, fuel tank enclosure and roll cage that matches the specific Rouse design. CNC Motorsport remains the only certified producer of period ARE cages by the governing body, Motorsport UK.
The first car features a 575bhp Cosworth YB engine built by Harvey Gibbs and later 10” viscous differential.
“This project has enabled us to build a reliable, period correct car that will be competitive in historic motorsport for the fraction of the cost of an original,” says Alan Strachan. “These are to be enjoyed, raced hard and fair and without the concerns of taking a valuable, period car on track. The fans love to see these flame-spitting RS500s on the limit and they open the door to take part in a huge array of events across Europe.”
About the Ford Sierra RS500
The Sierra Cosworth RS500 was announced in July 1987. Just 500 were produced with a number of key upgrades to boost its performance in Touring Car racing. These included a larger Garrett turbocharger, bigger intercooler, a second fuel rail, different injectors and cooling system. Externally it featured an additional rear spoiler, front splitter and the fog lamps were removed to improve brake cooling. Just 500 road cars were produced with race cars built from 909 Motorsport shells just as the Rouse continuation car will be.
About CNC Motorsport
In the heart of The Cotswolds, father-and-son team Alan and Andrew Strachan run specialist motorsport engineering business CNC Motorsport. Alongside a burgeoning machining operation, the pair restore and recreate historic 1970s and 80s touring cars, utilising new materials and processes such as CNC and 3D printing technologies to get more of these popular competition vehicles back on track. Alan built such cars in period, working on icons such as the Ford Sierra RS500 and subsequent Super Tourers in the BTCC. This experience ensures both its restorations and recreations are built correctly but with subtle modern improvements to increase reliability and safety.