Autosport International 2020

It’s the 30th year for the Autosport International Show at the NEC, and a great place to catch up with customers and suppliers. This show is the premier motor sport exhibition, and a great way to start the year. And its not just cars on display! There are numerous engineering conferences, plus a live display arena. We went in search of Cosworth-powered race cars, and there were plenty to see. Here’s our top five from the Autosport International Show.

1. Lotus 49

The Lotus 49 was the car that redefined the standards in Formula 1. Mated to the new Cosworth DFV engine, the Lotus 49 famously won on its debut in 1967 with Jim Clark at the wheel. Graham Hill took the title the following year, and the Lotus 49 eventually knocked up 12 victories.

Lotus-Ford Cosworth 49 Formula 1 Car

2. Lotus 79

Still DFV powered, Lotus took another leap ahead of the competition with the Lotus 79 in 1978. This was the first Formula 1 car to truly exploit the benefits of ground effects, that literally sucked the car to the track. Mario Andretti took the title that year in the Lotus 78, and the car took 7 wins.

Lotus-Ford Cosworth 79 Formula 1 Car

3. Benetton B192

Probably more famous for giving Michael Schumacher his first win at Spa in 1992, the Benetton B192 was the first car to be designed by the ultra-successful pairing of Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne. Powered by Cosworth’s HB engine, the car paved the way for future success by the Benetton team.

Benetton B192 Formula 1 Car

4. Lola T94/00

Fresh from their successful 1993 championship win with Indycar rookie Nigel Mansell, the Lola T94/00 took just one single win for Mansell the following year. The car was fitted with Cosworth’s XB engine, which itself dominated Indycar in the early ’90s.

Lola-Ford Cosworth T94/00 Indycar

5. Ford Sierra RS500 Group A

The distinctive RS500 touring car holds a title that few of aware of. It is statistically the most successful racing car ever, if one looks at wins to starts ratio. This particular car is the Andy Rouse RS500, with which he took multiple wins and championships in the late ’80s. The RS500 was powered by the Cosworth YBD engine, for which we still provide plenty of parts in our on-line shop.

Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth Touring Car

Did you know that Modatek have supplied parts and/or consultancy on engines in all of these cars!