The Flint Grey Metallic paint and bodywork preparation on this Sapphire is one of the best we’ve seen for a car of this age. There are a few tiny issues here and there, such as a couple of tiny stone chips on the front edge of the vented bonnet and a small patch of lacquer damage about the size of a digestive biscuit on the roof, but otherwise it is in a very good condition.
The glass, trims and fixtures around the car look in good order too, aside from the offside front fog lamp which has been cracked by a stone strike. Although the earlier 2WD Sapphire Cosworths had standard rear light clusters, the later 4x4 cars had smoked glass versions, like this one, which rather suits the darker coloured car.
The Cossie sits on its original 15-inch lattice alloy wheels, which are in very good condition and are fitted with matching Falken Ziex tyres dated 2007-8 and showing good tread depth.
You’ll know by now that we think matching tyres to be an infallible sign of a car that has been owned by a mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the money to keep the car in the very best condition. As such, we use them as something of a ‘shortcut’ when assessing a car’s likely overall mechanical condition – and they’ve never let us down.

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