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The Cosworth engines were hand-built at a rate of 30 units per day. Even at an eye-watering $6,000, they likely lost money on the cars. Its introduction was also delayed for 4 years by production difficulties, and by the time it went on sale the new BMW 320i was in showrooms at about half the price. They couldn't even sell through the planned 5,000 unit run, with a final total of around 3,500.
Location: San Ramon, Seattle, Anchorage, Reykjavik
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The Cosworth was an expensive engine to produce and wasn't installed in a car that anyone really wanted. That being said, I inherited such a car from my Dad and drove it to 175k miles before the engine blew on the interstate. The car itself was darn near indestructible, even if it did have an issue with rust and starting at temps below zero.
I didnt have a cosworth. I only saw one at the time. I had a regular Vega GT. It was my first car. Yep bought it new. Who knew. I was driving 100 miles round trip to work every day, and my dad wanted me to have a good car to get there and back. It drove pretty good, well for a first car, didnt have any trouble with it mechanically. I had it about 3 years or so. I think I had about 35,000 miles on it. Maybe that was the trouble free life of the car if it had one. Then sold it to get a Jeep CJ5.
The only problem I did have was rust, along the front sides of the hood, rusted underneath and was creeping up and on top of the front corners of the hood. Looked really bad on a white car. I found a company that made fiberglass parts for race cars. I got a fiberglass hood really cheap. Painted white with same stripes. I remember the hood latch wouldnt work with the glass hood. I just used 4 hood pins, and lifted it off to get under the hood. I did put wider tires on the back and put front and rear spoilers on it. Along with a different muffler, and 2 oval tips that exited center below the rear bumper. Sounded pretty good for a 4 banger. I do wish I had it now. The things I could do with it. Looks like I riced it up, 40 years ago. If you can say that about a Chevrolet.
That cost thing matters when beancounters become engineers. Ford had a sweet DOHC four cylinder going before they ditched it in favor of the doggy Lima 2.3L for the Ranger and Mustang (among others).
I guess eight spark plugs (difficulty to change = overrated, btw) was the "in" thing for them back then.
They didn't always have eight sparkplugs. It's a european engine that was pretty decent in the cortina, and escort.
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Looks like I riced it up, 40 years ago. If you can say that about a Chevrolet.
