The British high-performance engineering company, Cosworth is being marketed for sale by its directors. Late 2004, a deal was finalised between Ford and Champ Car World Series owners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven. Forsythe and Kalkhoven have since steered the company through the loss of it’s Formula 1 engine contracts with Toro Rosso and Williams, through to a period of business organisation and a steady upwards growth.
Cosworth currently supplies engines to HRT and Marrusia Formula 1 teams as well as several road cars. These include the BAC Mono’s Cosworth Ford Duratec 2.3ltr 280hp engine, upgrades for the Range Rover product line through Kahn Design and variations of the Ford Focus ST, the Hyundai Veloster Turbo and the Hyundai Genesis, all due to be unveiled at the SEMA show next month.
As part of the business reorganisation, Cosworth entered the Aerospace and Defence markets too. It has contracts with Rolls-Royce and provides parts for the Bloodhound SSC land speed record car. Historically though, the Cosworth brand has been synonymous with two things. Fast Fords and Racing.
The later of those two is evidenced by 176 Formula 1 grand prix wins for Cosworth’s engines and 20 consecutive Indy 500 wins for competitors using Cosworth electronics. Our older readers will recall though, the Fast Ford’s of the 80’s. The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and the Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
The Times ran the following quote from Tim Routsis, Cosworth’s chief executive, “We have been paused for the last 18 months and the board has decided that we can not wait any longer otherwise we risk losing momentum.”