THE "holy grail" of Fast Fords is heading to auction with a bidding war expected to hit £120,000.
The 30-year-old Ford Sierra RS500 is regarded as one of the most iconic cars of the 1980s.
And this model up for sale is the first one ever made making it coveted among car collectors.
Just 500 were ever built and this is "chassis number one" - the original test vehicle used by Ford to fine-tune each component before sign-off.
It has eye-popping performance figures thanks to the Cosworth 2.0-litre turbocharged engine.
With 224bhp it could sprint to 60mph in under seven seconds with a 153mph top speed.
RS500 specialist, Paul Linfoot, has confirmed it is chassis number one, making it the first of four Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 pre-production models.
Ford eventually sold chassis number one, which went to its first owner in March 1987.
The car was exported to Norway in October 2007, where it spent the next ten years, until February of this year when it was sold to its current owner.
Auction experts reckon chassis number one could even break the current record for a Sierra which stands at £122,400.
Silverstone Auctions, which is selling the car on May 19 has said "for any serious Ford collector, this must be the car to have", describing it as "the one that started it all".
Nick Whale, managing director of Silverstone Auctions, added: "It's chassis number one, the first Sierra Cosworth RS500 ever built.
"This car is truly a one-off, and for any serious Ford collector, this must be the car to have - the one that started it all.
"Recently we have seen a growing interest in fast Fords, and the prices have risen to record-busting levels.
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"I can't recall there ever being a Ford prototype coming to auction, and I can't see this happening again.
"This is a very special and rare RS500 that presents very well and is a car that can be driven, enjoyed and is a great addition to any collection."
Chassis number one comes with a comprehensive history file which includes a number of old MoTs, some early tax discs and the usual registration and ownership information, as well as the report by leading marque expert, Paul Linfoot.
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