14,031 original miles. Desirable 5-speed manual transmission. 100% stock and unmodified. Factory alloy wheels and recent tires. Beautiful interior and excellent paint. Nimble, fun, and underrated, the Cosworth Vega is worth a second look!

There are plenty of places to read about the Cosworth Vega on the internet, and I’d encourage you to learn more about this cool piece of GM performance from the ‘70s. When American cars were getting bigger and heavier, the Vega bucked the trend. Tapping Cosworth in England to add a little excitement to their lightweight compact was not quite the home-run that GM hoped it would be, but the end result is a pretty cool car that is one of the best Anglo-American hybrids of the era. This beautiful black Cosworth Vega is beautifully preserved, properly maintained, and very well documented. The factory paint is in amazing condition with few signs of age, and while the Cosworth upgrades were all under the skin, they added a few COSWORTH TWIN CAM decals on the flanks to set it apart. Panel fit is surprisingly good and despite what you’ve heard about the Vega’s propensity to rust, this one clearly lived someplace warm and dry because the original sheetmetal is in excellent condition and original paint means no patchwork or other mischief under the skin. We can’t remember seeing a nicer one.

The black and white cloth and vinyl interior is an uncommon choice and it works extremely well with the black bodywork. Yes, it’s ‘70s funky, but isn’t that what you’d expect from your Vega? The bucket seats are comfortable and supportive enough for the spirited driving for which this car was designed, and the instrument panel’s gold-toned engine-turned surface looks suitably racy. You get a full array of gauges, including a tachometer with a sky-high 6500 RPM redline, and the original 4-spoke steering wheel is not cracked or sun damaged. There’s a special plaque on the center of the dash indicating that this is Cosworth Vega number 2703 (out of 3508 total and only 1446 1976 models). The factory AM/FM radio remains in place, but given how cool this thing sounds, you might never need it. The 5-speed has decent throws, although the dogleg first gear will take some acclimation, and the gear ratios are well-spaced to make the most of the Cosworth’s high-RPM nature. Other control efforts are light and the Cosworth Vega is even a bit practical with a large hatchback cargo bay and fold-down rear seat, while the original full-sized spare is stashed underneath.

Chevy’s aluminum block 2.0-liter inline-4 was growing in popularity with racers, so it was a natural choice to call in the experts at Cosworth to build something a little more potent. A custom DOHC cylinder head improved airflow and with mechanical fuel injection, Cosworth prototypes were putting out as much as 270 horsepower. Of course, by the time it reached US showrooms, the fuel injection was switched to a Bosch setup for emissions reasons, but it still works rather well. Thanks to proper care and low mileage, this one fires right up and idles nicely, and once it’s warm it’s a joy to run it through the gears. That big exhaust header is actually factory equipment, and it feeds what appears to be the original catalytic converter with a newer muffler and tailpipe out back. Even the little details are correct, including the hose clamps, wiring, and brake fittings. Manual steering and disc brakes plug you into the mechanicals pretty directly and the lightweight Vega enjoys changing direction more than you’d expect. 4.10 gears on a limited slip out back keep the rev-happy engine in its powerband and the live axle on leaf springs adds a distinctly American feel to the handling—it doesn’t mind a little tail-out cornering now and then. You can see just how clean and solid the floors really are—that’s factory undercoating on the bottom of the car. Even the original spiral shocks are still in place, although a fresh set is included with the car. Factory alloy wheels look fantastic and carry recent 205/60/13 BFGoodrich T/A radials that have plenty of grip.

Documentation is extensive and includes the original owner’s manuals and booklets, the factory build sheet, dealer order forms, invoices, and sales materials. It also includes technical bulletins from the Cosworth Vega Owners Association, years of magazines, maintenance receipts, and a cache of spare parts.

Maybe you’re already a Cosworth fan or perhaps you’re looking for an alternative to the usual sports cars of the period. Either way, this Vega deserves a closer look, as we’ve seldom seen a better one. The low mileage is legit and it is super solid, delivering the kind of driving experience designed to put a grin on your face. With a passionate owner base and club support, it’s also a very easy car to own and maintain. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.