| Ford Escort (Europe) | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Ford |
| Production: | 1968 – 2000 Rental fleet: 1968 – 2002 |
| Basic generations: | Mk.I (1968 - 1975) Mk.II (1975 - 1980) Mk.III (1980 - 1986) Mk.IV (1986 - 1992) Mk.V (1990 - 1993) Mk.VI (1994 - 1996) Mk.VII (1995 - 2000) |
| Class: | Subcompact (C-Class) |
| Body styles: | 4-door sedan 3 & 5-door hatchback 2 & 4-door station wagon 2-door convertible |
| Engine Types: | 1.0 L, 1.1 L, 1.3 L, 1.6 L Ford Kent (Mk.I & Mk.II) 1.3 L, 1.4 L, 1.6 L, Ford CVH (Mk.III & Mk.IV & Mk.V) 1.6 L, 1.8 L, 2.0 L Ford Zetec (Mk.VI & Mk.VII) |
| Predecessor: | Ford Anglia |
| Successor: | Ford Focus |
The Ford Escort was a small family car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from 1967 through 2003. Although it was originally a European model, the Escort badge has been applied to several different designs in North America over the years.
Ford Escort Mk I (1968-1975)
The Ford Escort was a British automobile launched at the end of 1967 as a replacement for the Anglia.
It had conventional rear wheel drive and a four-speed manual gearbox. The suspension consisted of a simple live axle mounted on leaf springs, but with rack-and-pinion steering. The Mk I featured contemporary styling cues in tune with its time - a subtle Detroit-inspired "Coke Bottle" waistline and the "dogbone" shaped front grille - arguably the car's most famous stylistic feature. Initially, the Escort was sold as a 2-door saloon (with angular or circular front headlights) but a 3-door estate and a van were later available. In 1969 the 4-door saloon appeared.
Underneath the bonnet was the Kent Crossflow engine. Diesel engines on family cars were a thing of the future, so the Escort's original engines were all petrol - in 1.1L, and 1.3L editions. A 950 cc engine was also available in some export markets, but few were ever sold.
There was a 1300GT (called 'Sport' in some markets) performance version, with a tuned 1.3L Kent (ohv) engine sporting a Weber carburetor and uprated suspension. There was also a higher performance for rallys and racing - the Escort Twin Cam, which featured a 1.6L engine with a Lotus made 8-valve twin camshaft head.
The Mk I Escorts became very successful as a rally car, and it eventually went on to become the most successful rally car of all time. The Ford works team was practically unbeatable in the late '60s/early '70s, and the Escort's greatest victory was in the 1970 London-Mexico rally being driven by Finnish legend Hannu Mikkola. This gave rise to the famous Escort Mexico (1.6 'Kent' engined) special edition road versions in honour of the rally car.
In addition to the Mexico, the RS1600 was developed which used a 'Kent' engine block with a 16-valve Cosworth cylinder head. This engine was esentially a detuned Formula 3 engine designated BDA, for Belt Drive series A. Both the Mexico and RS1600 were built at Ford's Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) facility located at the Aveley Plant in South Essex. As well as higher performance engines and sports suspension, these models featured strengthened bodyshells making them an ideal model for rallying. Even today Mk I's are still popular in the amateur rally scene.
Ford also produced a RS2000 model as a more "civilised" alternative to the somewhat tempreramental RS1600 featuring a 2L 'Pinto' (ohc) engine. This also clocked up some rally and racing victories; and pre-empted the GTi market as a desirable but affordable performance road car.
The Escort quickly became one of Britain's most popular cars and was also a success on export markets (the car was built in Germany, Britain and several Commonwealth countries). The Mk I was not, in fact, the first use of the "Escort" name - it had been used previously in the 1950s on an estate car version of the Ford Popular.
Ford Escort Mk II (1975-1980)
The square-edged Mk II version appeared in early 1975. The first production models of which rolled off the production lines 2nd December 1974.
Unlike the first Escort (which was solely a British effort), the second generation was developed along with Ford of Germany. Codenamed "Brenda" during its development, it used the same mechanicals as the Mk I, although the unpopular 950 cc engine was dropped. The station wagon and van versions used the same panelwork as the Mk I, but with the Mk II front end and interior - giving the car a slight "identity crisis". The car used a revised underbody, which incidentially was introduced as a running change during the last six months of the Mk1's life.
This car made a point, just with its four bodystyles, of competing in many different niches of the market, which rival manufacturers either had multiple models ranges, or simply none at all. "L" and "GL" models (2-door, 4-door, estate) were in the mainstream private sector, the "Sport", "Mexico" and "RS2000" in the performance market, the "Ghia" (2-door, 4-door) for an untapped small car luxury market, and "Base/Popular" models for the bottom end. Panel-van versions catered to the commercial sector.
During the second half of the 1970s, the Escort continued to prove hugely popular with buyers in Britain and other parts of Europe. A cosmetic update was given in 1978, with most models gaining the square headlights (previously exclusive to the GL and Ghia variants), some models gaining the Escort Sport wheels, and an upgrade in interior spec - the 'L' in particular gaining a glovebox and centre console. Underneath a wider front track was given.
Production, after an incredibly popular model run, ended in Britain in August 1980, other countries following soon after.
Rallying
As with its predecessor, the Mk II had a successful rallying career. All models of the Mk I were carried over to the Mk II, though the Mexico had its engine changed to a 1.6 ohc 'Pinto' instead of the ohv for the UK market. Other markets continued with the 1.6L 'Kent' in the mk 2 and called it the 'Sport' model. Also a new and potent model was released - the RS1800; a 1.8L version of the RS1600. It was essentially a special created for racing, and surviving road versions are very rare and collectible today. There has been a longstanding debate regarding how the RS1800 was homologated for international motorsport, as Ford are rumoured to have built only fifty or so road cars out of the four hundred required for homologation.
The 1.6 L (1598 cc/97 in³) engine in the 1975 1.6 Ghia produced 84 hp (63 kW) with 125 N·m (92 ft·lbf) torque and weighed 955 kg (2105 lb). For rally use, this can be compared to the 1974 Toyota Corolla which output 75 hp (56 kW) and weighed 948 kg (2090 lb).
The 2.0 L RS2000 version, which featured the Pinto engine from the Cortina, was available with a top speed of 110 mph (177 km/h). The 2.0 L engine was also easily retro-fitted into the Mk I, and this became a popular modification, along with the Ford Sierra's 5-speed gearbox, for rallying and other sports, especially given the Pinto's tunability.
The RS2000 was more distinctive, having a slanting plastic nose housing four round headlamps.
Australia and New Zealand
Ford Australia also built Mk II Escorts. The majority of Escorts (regular and performance models) sold there utilized the 1.6 OHV Kent and the Cortina's 2.0L Pinto engine (in a lower tune than European units, due to Australia emission laws). The bodyshells were 2-door, 4-door and van, the wagon models being unavailable to the Australian market. The slant-nose RS2000 was sold as a regular production model 1979-1980, in 2-door and - unique to Australia - 4-door variants. The Escort, like the Cortina, was never popular on the Australian market, due to the competing Japanese imports. It was an underrated car throughout its production life.
In New Zealand, MKII Escorts were built from CKD kits at the Ford plant in Petone. Unlike Australia, Escorts and Cortinas always topped the monthly sales lists, and all body styles including the wagon were sold. Based on the British models (aside from using metric speedometers), the cars were sold in 1.1 (base), 1.3 (L,GL,1300 Sport, estate and van variants) and 1.6 (Ghia, 1600 Sport) variants - the 1.3 being the most common.
The Escort was replaced in the Australian and New Zealand markets by the Ford Laser in 1980 which were locally built Mazda 323s with different panels.
Ford Escort Mk III(1980-1986)
Codenamed "Erika", the third generation Escort was launched in September 1980. The code name alluded to the leader of the product planning team, Erick A. Reickert. The North American Escort introduced at this time was a derivative. The two vehicles were intended to share component designs, but separate engineering organizations and government regulations made this impractical.
The Mk III was intended to be a hi-tech, high-efficiency design which would compete with the Volkswagen Golf, and indeed the car was launched with the advertising tagline "Simple is Efficient". The Mk III was a radical departure from the two previous models, the biggest changes being the adoption of front wheel drive, and the new hatchback body, which introduced trademark styling cues which would be later seen in the forthcoming Sierra and Scorpio, most notably the "Aeroback" rear end - the "sawn off" bootlid stump which was proved to reduce the car's drag coefficient. Also new were the overhead camshaft CVH engines in 1.3 L and 1.6 L formats, with the Valencia engine from the Fiesta powering the 1.1 L derivative. The suspension was fully independent all around, departing from the archaic leaf spring arrangement found on its predecessors. The Escort Mk III was voted Car Of The Year in 1981.
However, the car attracted criticism from the motoring press at launch due to how its suspension was set up - with positive camber on the front wheels and negative camber at the rear, giving rise to the Mk III's infamous "knock-kneed" stance. Although this gave the car acceptable handling on perfectly smooth roads, once the car was tested on bumpy British roads the effects of this decision was obvious and the Mk III soon had a reputation for a harsh, unforgiving ride, with questionable handling. The shock absorber specification was to blame also, and it was not until 1983 that the suspension gremlins were finally ironed out. A three-speed automatic transmission was available on the 1.6 engine within a couple of years of the car's launch and for the first time 5-speed manual gearboxes could be specified.
In order to compete with Volkswagen's Golf GTI, a hot hatch version of the Mk III was created from the outset - the XR3. Initially this featured a tuned version of the 1.6 L CVH engine fitted with a Weber carburettor, uprated suspension and numerous cosmetic alterations. Despite the initial lack of a 5-speed transmission and the absence of fuel injection, the XR3 instantly caught the public's imagination and became a cult car which was beloved of "boy racers" in the 1980s. Fuel injection finally arrived in 1983 (creating the XR3i), along with the racetrack-influenced RS1600i. The final performance update arrived in the form of the turbocharged RS Turbo model in 1985.
The Escort estate was initially only available with three doors, but a five-door version was eventually introduced in 1983. In that year, a saloon version of the Escort, the Orion, was launched. It used the same mechanicals as the hatchback, but had a more upmarket image and was not available with the rather underpowered 1.1 L engine. The Orion name would continue in use through until 1993, when it was dropped and the Orion simply called "Escort".
A convertible version, courtesy of coachbuilder Karmann appeared the same year, significant as it was the first drop-top car produced by Ford Europe since the Corsair of the '60s. The Escort Cabriolet was initially available in both XR3i and Ghia specification, but the Ghia variant was dropped after a couple of years.
A pickup version of the Escort, the Bantam, was produced in South Africa, while Brazil had a two-door sedan known as the Verona.
Mk IV (1986-1992)
The Escort received another facelift in early 1986. Codenamed within Ford as Erika–86, and sometimes referred to as the "Mk IV" (although it was not officially the fourth generation), it was instantly recognisable as an updated version of the previous model, with a smooth Scorpio style nose and the "straked" rear lamp clusters were smoothed over. New features included a mechanical anti‐lock braking system and the option of a heated windshield – features which were at the time unheard of on a car of this size and price.
As well as an all‐new interior, a new 1.4 L derivative of the CVH engine was introduced, as well as numerous suspension tweaks to address the long standing criticisms of the Escort's handling and ride quality, although these had limited success. In 1989, the diesel engine was enlarged to 1.8 L, and the poorly‐performing 1.1 L version was finally dropped from the range.
The Orion was also proving popular with the motoring public, and Ford also gave the Escort‐based saloon a similar makeover. Carried over from the previous range was the 3–speed automatic which was ultimately replaced late in the production run with a variant of the CTX stepless gearbox as first used in the Fiesta a couple of years earlier.
At this time, the Escort was dropped in South Africa and replaced by the Laser and Meteor, although the Escort‐based Bantam pickup remained in production, facelifted, and also sold as a Mazda Rustler.
This Escort continued production until 1995 in some foreign markets, especially Latin America.
Ford Escort Mk V (1990-1994)
The fourth generation Escort (and Mk 2 Orion saloon) arrived in September 1990 with an all-new bodyshell and a simplified torsion beam rear suspension (instead of the Mk III's fully independent layout). Initially the 1.3 L, 1.4 L and 1.6 L CVH petrol and 1.8 L diesel units were carried over from the old model, and were starting to show their age in terms of refinement especially compared to Rover's state of the art K-Series engine launched in 1989.
Despite being the most eagerly awaited model for year the Escort and Orion was subjected to negative press from virtually all corners. Not only was the car at best average in some areas, when compared to some established and much older rivals it came 2nd best. Although it was rumoured to have cost £1 billion to develop this model was heavily criticised for seemingly a cut-price approach to its design (the biggest thing Ford could boast about was the design of its door sealing), mediocre ride and handling, cheap interior, lack of features and archaic engines. Subjectively, the car was a step back from its predecessor.
Matters improved in 1991 when the all new Zetec 16-valve engines were launched bringing improved driveability, while also marking the return of the XR3i which was available with 2 versions of the 1.8 litre Zetec engine. The 150Bhp RS2000 also appeared in 1991 with a 16v version of the Sierra's I4 2.0 litre engine and also improved ride and handling meaning a Mk IV Escort finally delivered on the road. Specification, however, were also higher than before. The Escort was now available with items such as power steering, electric windows, central locking, airbags, antilock brakes and even air conditioning.
1992 saw the launch of the Escort RS Cosworth, and a 4th generation Escort that was was genuinely considered excellent. Intended to replace the Sapphire RS Cosworth as Ford's stalwart rally challenger, it used a turbocharged version of the 2.0 L Cosworth 16-valve engine, generated some 227 horsepower#PS (167 kW) and was capable of 225 km/h (140 mph), as well as having four-wheel drive. It's most memorable feature was its outrageous "whale-tail" tailgate spoiler. The Cosworth ceased production in 1996 but the 2,500 road-going examples sold (required for homologation purposes) have already achieved classic status. However, the car wasn't really an Escort at all, being based from a Sierra floorpan and mechanicals, including its longitdinally mounted engine, and was merely clothed in body panels to look (supposedly) like a standard Mk V.
Engines:
- 1.4 CFi (1393 cc) CVH 52 kW
- 1.4 EFi (1393 cc) CVH 55 kW
- 1.4 G (1393 cc)CVH 54 kW
- 1.6 EFi (1597 cc) CVH 79 kW
- 1.6 G/H (1597 cc) CVH 66 kW
- 1.6 EFi (1598 cc) Zetec 66 kW
- 1.8 EFi (1796 cc) Zetec 77/85/96 kW
- 1.8 D (1753 cc) Endura D 44 kW
- 1.8 TD (1753 cc) Endura D 66 kW
- 2.0 EFi (1998 cc) "Zetec" 110 kW
- 2.0 (1993 cc) Cosworth YDT 167 kW
1992 Mk VI
Strung by the criticism of the original Mk V Ford facelifted the Escort and Orion in 1992, giving the revised cars a new grille, bonnet and, in the Escort hatch's case, a new rear end. The crash structure was also improved, featuring side impact bars and improved crumple zones. These revisions made the Escort and Orion much better cars and were now competitive against rivals, if still not the best in class.
1995 Mk VII
The Escort and Orion was facelifted again in 1995, but this time the car was thorougly revised following Ford's new approach to car design after the launch of the highly acclaimed Mondeo in 1993. Although the same basic design continued, this version had new front lights, bonnet, front wings, front and rear bumpers, wing mirrors and door handles. For the first time in its history the Orion now had an identical front end to the Escort, previous versions either having a unique grille and/or light cluster. The interior of both cars was hugely revised interior too. Dynamically, the handling and ride was much improved, while the interior was now top notch. However, the car was now 5 years old and most of its rivals were either new or about to be replaced very shorty. The RS2000 versions were still produced until june 1996, which now also included a 4x4 version.
In 1998, Ford announced an all-new car, the Focus, which was launched as a replacement for the 8 year old Escort, although the Escort would continue to be produced as a move to keep the Halewood assembly plant busy until the Jaguar X-Type was ready for production two years later.
With the arrival of the Focus, the Escort range was dramatically cut back and repositioned as a budget entry-level model. The 1.3 L, 1.4 L and 1.8 L petrol engines, and the three-door hatchback and four-door saloon bodystyles, were dropped (except in mainland Europe, New Zealand, South Africa and South America) and the only versions remaining were the 1.6 L petrol and 1.8 L diesel. Prices were made more competitive and this managed to keep European Escort sales going until the last one rolled off the Halewood assembly line at the end of 2000.
The van variant kept going until 2002 when the new Transit Connect model was introduced.
Engines:
- 1.3 CFi (1299 cc) HCS 44 kW
- 1.3 CFi/H (1299 cc) HCS 44 kW
- 1.3 EFi (1299 cc) HCS 37/44 kW
- 1.4 CFi (1393 cc) CVH 52 kW
- 1.4 EFi (1393 cc) CVH 55 kW
- 1.6 EFi (1598 cc) Zetec 66 kW
- 1.6 G (1598 cc) CVH 66 kW
- 1.8 D (1753 cc) Endura D 44 kW
- 1.8 DT (1753 cc) Endura D 55/66 kW
- 1.8 EFi (1796 cc) Zetec 85 kW
- 1.9 sefi
- 2.0 EFi (1998 cc) "Zetec" 110 kW
Escort in Brazil
The Escort is a well-known and loved car in Brazil. It was launched in 1983 (MKIII), in the L, GL, Ghia, and XR3 versions. The 1.6-liter engine was related to old Renaults. In 1985 the XR3 convertible was introduced. A facelift came in the model-year 1987 (MK IV). In 1989 the drivetrain was changed to a Volkswagen 1.8-liter one (due to the Autolatina association between Ford and Volkswagen).
In 1993 another change to the MK V (with 1.6, 1.8, and 2.0-liter VW engines) and in 1996 to the MK VI (with the Ford Zetec 1.8-liter 16V engine). Only in 1996 the station wagon was introduced, but the convertible and the XR3 were dropped. Also, there was a special 1.0L version called Hobby with the MK IV body and almost no optionals.
Interesting to know that all the Escort versions in Brazil hadn't Fuel Injection (up to 1992), diesel engine (not allowed for cars in Brazil), turbo, hidraulic assisted direction (up to 1992), and ABS brakes.
In 2000 Ford introduced in Brazil the Argentina-made Focus. The Escort was dropped in 2003.
External links
Comparable contemporaries
- Alfa Romeo Alfasud
- Alfa Romeo Alfa 33
- Austin 1100 (similar to Mk 1)
- Austin Allegro
- Austin Maestro
- Chrysler/Simca Horizon (similar to Mk 3)
- Citroën GSA
- Citroën ZX (similar to Mk 4)
- Datsun 1200
- Fiat 124
- Fiat Ritmo
- Honda Civic
- Hillman Avenger (similar to Mk 1 and Mk 2)
- Mazda 323
- Mitsubishi Colt
- Nissan Sunny
- Opel Kadett / Vauxhall Astra Mk 1/2 (similar to Mk 3)
- Opel/Vauxhall Astra Mk 3+ (similar to Mk 4)
- Peugeot 309 (similar to Mk 4 and Mk 5)
- Peugeot 306 (similar to Mk 6 and Mk 7)
- Renault 12 (similar to Mk 1/2)
- Renault 9/11 (similar to Mk 3)
- Renault 19 (similar to Mk 4)
- Rover 200/400
- Toyota Corolla
- Vauxhall Cavalier
- Vauxhall Viva (similar to Mk 1 and Mk 2)
- Vauxhall Chevette (similar to Mk 2)
- Volkswagen Golf (similar to Mk 3+)
| Preceded by: Ford Anglia |
Succeeded by: Ford Focus |
