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Vision 148 plans to build a carbon-fiber Ford Sierra RS500
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Only 500 cars were built in 1987 as homologation specials
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Expect more than the original car's 224 hp
A consortium of U.K. companies is uniting on a carbon-intensive Ford Sierra RS500 restomod.
First spotted by Top Gear, the project is dubbed "Carbon Piranha," and the group building it goes by the name Vision 148. The name refers to the chassis number of the donor car—number 148 of the 500 cars built in 1987 as racing homologation specials. The images shown here are digital simulations of how the finished car will look.
The RS500 was the most extreme version of the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, the automaker's chosen weapon for touring car racing, which was growing in both popularity and competitiveness in Europe in the 1980s. All RS Cosworth models sported a 2.0-liter turbo-4 engineered by the eponymous racing firm, but RS500 models received bigger turbos and an extra set of fuel injectors (not functional on road cars), among other modifications.
Ford Sierra RS500 restomod by Vision 148
Vision 148 plans to completely remake one of these rare homologation specials. ASM Recycling will start by dismantling the donor car and creating a list of parts to 3D scan for re-creation in recycled carbon fiber. Yasid Design will determine the look of those parts, while Digital Manufacturing Centre—based at the iconic Silverstone Circuit—will handle the actual rebuild.
With the extensive use of carbon fiber, Vision 148 is targeting a curb weight of less than 2,204 pounds. That would be more than 440 pounds lighter than a stock RS500—already a a fairly light car by modern standards.
Ford Sierra RS500 restomod by Vision 148
Cosworth will be involved as well, meaning the Carbon Piranha's engine will likely end up producing more than the 224 hp it made in stock road-going form. Racing versions of the RS500 reportedly produced up to 500 hp, but it's unclear if this build will match that.
No completion date has been set, but Top Gear reports that the project is already eight months in. While this is a one-off build, you can apply for a membership that includes a chance to win the car. If that doesn't work out, U.K.-based Boreham Motorworks is resurrecting two the legendary Fords—the RS200 and Mk1 Escort—as restomods with series production runs.