Sun. Mar 23rd, 2025
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AN URBAN explorer has uncovered two highly iconic cars from the 1990s that have been left unused and neglected in an old garage.

YouTube star Colin Smith, known for his channel The Bearded Explorer, is well-renowned for his exploration videos, in which he often discovers abandoned classic cars.

Barn find: two Ford Escort Cosworths in a cluttered garage.

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An urban explorer has come across two Ford Escort Cosworth RS models in an abandoned garageCredit: YouTube @The Bearded Explorer
Barn find with several cars buried under debris.

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The two cars are covered in grime and mould – having likely been sat inside the garage for many yearsCredit: YouTube @The Bearded Explorer
Barn find: a neglected Ford Escort Cosworth and another car covered in dust and debris.

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A white Escort can be seen deeper inside the garage, with a blue model near the entranceCredit: YouTube @The Bearded Explorer

In a recent video, he was lucky enough to unearth two worn Ford Escort RS Cosworths – loved by petrolheads for their high performance and distinctive styling.

At the unknown location, Colin is forced to trudge through a heavily wooded area before coming across the cars – which appear to be stored in an abandoned garage filled with discarded junk.

Inside, the two Escorts – one blue and the other white – are parked roughly facing one another, with an old Mini kept in the garage as well.

The Escort RS Cosworth is a truly sought-after modern classic, and is considered a symbol of the golden age of rallying.

Featuring all-wheel drive and a powerful turbocharged engine, the Escort RS Cosworth produces 227 bhp, with a 0-62 mph time of 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 144 mph.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the Escort Cosworth is its aggressive, rally-inspired bodywork, especially the iconic ‘whale tail’ spoiler.

Now considered incredibly rare and collectible, the car was produced in limited numbers, with roughly 2,500 units built.

Last year, we visited the Classic Motor Show at the NEC, in Birmingham, and watched as an Escort Cosworth with just 2,000 miles on the clock sold for over £200,000 – a new world record for the model.

Praised for its ‘like new’ quality, the car’s listing described it as “unlikely to be matched in terms of its originality”.

The pair that Colin has come across will likely need to be heavily restored before they can look to fetch a similar value.

Jeremy Clarkson takes his old Escort RS Cosworth for a spin on Top Gear

Upon making the “one of a kind” discovery, Colin said: “Honestly, this must be the most incredible Ford barn find ever discovered.

“I mean, how long have these Escorts been here?”

Covered in a thick layer of grime and mould, it’s likely they’ve been standing for over 20 years.

The blue model, judging by the K-reg number plate, rolled off the production line in 1993, while the white one is missing its plates.

Later, in the video, Colin said: “I don’t know how true it is, but apparently one of these has only got 12,500 miles on it.”

He added: “I just wish I could buy them and clean them, recommission them and put them back on the road again, because that would be a dream of mine.”

This comes as an abandoned classic car dealership worth a whopping £200,000 has been discovered – after sitting in the dark for 20 years.

Incredible pictures revealed the doomed cars caked in dust – but underneath the bonnets lies a shocking surprise.

A neglected Ford Escort Cosworth in a cluttered barn.

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Ford Escort RS Cosworths are considered highly collectible and can fetch huge prices at classic car auctionsCredit: YouTube @The Bearded Explorer
A neglected Ford Escort Cosworth in a garage.

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The high-performance iteration of the Escort can top 144 mphCredit: YouTube @The Bearded Explorer

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