FAO heep

hello, what can you tell me about the US escorts, what are your sportiest versions, old or new, are they 'sporty' at all?? the most popular ones we have are the series 1 (1984-86) RS turbo with 130bhp and the series 2 (1986-90) again with 130bhp. both had recaros (as with all sporty fords) i will post up pics once i find some nice clear pictures.
you'll see many RS turbo replicas based on XR3i's (1600 injection 105 bhp) because many owners are young and insurance is quite high, (for someone who has just passed his/her driving test, expect to pay aroung £4000! just to insure an RS turbo, and you lucky youngesters get to drive V8's:( )
anyhoo, i'm 24 now and when i'm 25 i will no longer be classed as a 'young driver' so my insurance will come down and i will be able to afford the UK's stupid high overpriced insurance system.
i'd be happy to find out everything i can as it would help other AF members to learn about differences to euro and US escorts!!:flash:

Just a quick bit of model history.

When Escort went front-wheel drive in the early 80s (ie Mk3), the US and European Escorts were essentially very similar cars. The main difference being powertrain - Euro Escort went down the CVH route and US Escort used a US-derived engine.

The idea was that by having a 'world-car' ie one car for many markets there could be significant savings in development, parts etc.

Unfortunately, due to the differences in market preferences and emissions/safety regulations in the small cars - the US and Euro Escorts began to become more and more dissimilar.

So by the time Euro Escort went to its first big update (Euro Escort Mk5 - which incidentally is when the RS Cosworth appeared) - Ford USA had decided enough was enough. It then looked at developing its own platform while it scoured around the Ford empire looking for another donor platform which would be more similar to the US requirements.

It found one with the Mazda 323/Ford Laser platform. Mazda had been producing the front-wheel drive 323 and badge-engineering a version for Ford called Laser for its Asia Pacific Affiliates since Euro Escort Mk3.
In fact, the Laser had replaced the European-sourced rear wheel drive Mk2 Escort in these markets in 1981 - apart from the usual tweaks to the grille, lights and interior trim they had been the same car.

So instead of Euro Escort Mk5, the US (who were to become the single biggest market for the platform) had a big involvement in the KE Laser (ie Laser Mk5) programme which was also US Escort Mk5 (ie this is Heep's car). This happened about the early 1990s - the hotter Escorts inherited the 1800cc DOHC BF Series Mazda engines in natural aspirated(106kw roughly 140hp) and turbocharged form (120kw roughly 160kw) - they also used a 1900cc SOHC from the US. However, while the Laser briefly had 4WD and turbo (thanks to the short-lived Mazda Group N rally programme) this never went state-side.

Meanwhile, Mk5 Euro Escort got 1600cc and 1800cc Zetec powertrains to replace the dated and coarse CVHs.

Interestingly, when the Laser Programme when to its major update in 1995 ie KG/KH Laser Mk7/Mk8 - Ford decided to stick with the Mk5/Mk6 Laser platform and just did a reskin - this eventually ended up being the ZX2 which was quietly killed off this year.

However, by this time Ford had got its head around a small 'world car' and spent its money on the Focus programme...

To make matters even more confusing... In NZ, Ford decided to skip the Mk8 Laser and brought over the Mk6 Euro Escort while it continued supply of the Mk8 to Australia. When Laser Mk9 became available, NZ dropped the Escort and went with Australia on the supply of the Laser.

And now, both Australia and NZ will add the Euro-Focus to their lineups and probably drop the Mk9 Laser. And even more ironically, the Mk 11 (Mk10 will a facelift) Laser/Mazda 323 will probably be based on the Focus!

And Ford's new Duratec-HE 4 cylinder which will probably appear in the Focus eventually (after debuting in the 2001 Mondeo) was evidentally heavily engineered by the Mazda powertrain department...

any.pics.of.the.first.MK3.escort?
:o

1998-2001: Ford Escort ZX2 - Zetec DOHC 2000cc, 130 hp, 127 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/01240EscoZX2-__--__2152.GIF

2000: Ford Escort ZX2 S/R - Same as above except: performance clutch, exhaust, rear disc brakes, Eibach suspension, special badges and wheels



1997-2000: Ford Escort Sedan - SOHC 2000cc, 110 hp, 125 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/00240Esco----__--__4552.GIF

1997-1999: Ford Escort Wagon - SOHC 2000cc, 110 hp, 125 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.



1991-1996: Ford Escort GT - DOHC 1800cc, 127 hp, 114 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/91240EscoGT--__--__2352.GIF

1991-1996: Ford Escort Wagon - SOHC 1900cc, 88 hp, 108 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/95240EscoLX--__--__4652.GIF

1991-1996: Ford Escort Hatchback - SOHC 1900cc, 88 hp, 108 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/92240EscoLX--__--__2352.GIF

1992-1996: Ford Escort Sedan - SOHC 1900cc, 88 hp, 108 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/92240EscoLX-E__--__4552.GIF

1992-1993: Ford Escort LX-E Sedan - DOHC 1800cc, 127 hp, 114 lbft, 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/92240EscoLX-E__--__4552.GIF

1988-1990: Ford Escort GT - SOHC 1900cc, 110 hp, 115 lbft, 5-speed manual

http://images.autotrader.com/images/intellichoice/90240EscoGT--__--__2352.GIF

1988-1990: Ford Escort Hatchback - SOHC 1900cc, 90 hp, 106 lbft, 5-speed manual, 4-speed manual, or 3-speed automatic.



1988-1990: Ford Escort Wagon - SOHC 1900cc, 90 hp, 106 lbft, 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic.



This is a work in progress...I'm doing it at work and have to get back to work now...more to come :D