Mint condition 1972 Ford Escort and 1990 Sierra Cosworth both set world records at Silverstone auction
A long bidding war broke out for a bright green Escort that sold for an unprecedented £70,875 at the inaugural September Sale
FORD fans broke out in a long bidding war for a bright green, 'mint' condition Escort at the Silverstone Auctions - ending in a world record £70,875 sale.
And that wasn't the only record broken at the inaugural event, as another highly-collectable Ford - a 1990 Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4x4 - dropped the hammer at £52,750.
With just one female owner from new, the Cosworth is believed to be one of the very first examples to become available in the UK.
It was in complete original condition with just 13,310 miles on the clock - despite being almost three decades old.
Even more unbelievable, the Sapphire cashed in more than £20,000 above its upper pre-sale estimate.
The 80-year-old lady is from Essex, and a stone's throw from Ford's famous Dagenham factory.
She kept all the car's documents including every single tax disc and MoT certificate, before putting the car in storage last year having hung up her driving gloves.
Meanwhile, the 1972 Ford Escort RS1600 was fully restored from the ground up to an immaculate standard.
It was finished in a factory-ordered, period-correct Le Mans Green paint, having been one of the most successful rally cars of its time.
Incredibly, the Escort boasts a mileage of 3,525 - which the auctioneers believe was only tallied up in the restoration process.
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There are less than 50 RS1600 models in the UK, with the vast majority of them having high mileage and in worn condition.
The two-day event achieved £3.2million in combined sales and a 55-per-cent average sales rate at the debut September Sale and annual Porsche Sale.
Joe Watts, Silverstone Auctions classic car specialist, said: "To achieve not one but two new world records is a fantastic result for our team.
"Both our Porsche Sale and September Sale saw some outstanding classics and excellent prices across the two days, with our new auction venue at Dallas Burston Polo Club proving a hit with our customers."