99-509: The Ford Mondeo I (first generation) is a mid-size car that was produced by Ford , beginning on 23 November 1992, with sales beginning on 22 March 1993. It is also known as the Mk I Mondeo; the 1996 facelift versions are usually designated Mk II. Available as a four-door saloon , a five-door hatchback , and a five-door estate , all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in
198-564: A Weber carburetor and uprated suspension. This version featured additional instrumentation with a tachometer, battery charge indicator, and oil pressure gauge. The same tuned 1.3 L engine was also used in a variation sold as the Escort Sport, that used the flared front wings from the AVO range of cars, but featured trim from the more basic models. Later, an "executive" version of the Escort
297-548: A vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars . "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. Mid-size cars are manufactured in a variety of body styles, including sedans , coupes , station wagons , hatchbacks , and convertibles . Compact executive cars can also fall under
396-568: A "Sport" option package available for both versions); from 1997 to 1999, an undesignated base-trim Mystique was offered. Released in January 1997 for the 1998 model year, Ford introduced an updated version of the Contour and Mystique with redesigned front fascia, front and rear quarter panels, headlamps and taillamps. All three models added the model name to the rear door behind the passenger window (with Mercury adding its brand emblem). For 1998,
495-817: A few. This version of the Mondeo also had even harder sports suspension than the ST24, and came with half-leather Recaro sports bucket seats, full leather was available as a cost option. The ST200 was released to the public in Imperial Blue (All Countries due to receive the ST200) and additionally in Europe, Stardust Silver, Panther Black and Radiant Red. 66 were also made in Diamond White 73 (for use by various UK police forces). The North American counterpart to this model
594-868: A high-performance version variant of the Ford Contour was introduced, the Ford SVT Contour (in line with the larger Ford Taurus SHO ). For 1999, the Ford Mondeo would introduce the ST200 trim; while sharing the powertrain of the SVT Contour, the Mondeo ST200 adapted different chassis and interior modifications from the SVT Contour. The SVT Contour was a modified version of the Ford Contour sedan from Ford's in-house Special Vehicle Team , with all examples sourced from Kansas City Assembly. It
693-592: A larger interior. The 1996 launch of the lower-priced Chevrolet Malibu also cut into Contour sales. The Mondeo was released in Australia in 1995, but was not a sales success, where, similarly, a much larger local model, the Falcon , was available, and was dropped in 2000. Ford Australia withdrew completely from the medium-sized segment of the Australian market, arguing that it was in decline. The estate version,
792-629: A larger, 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch-diameter (190 mm) clutch, stiffer rear springs and, in most configurations, slightly larger brake drums or discs than the saloon. A panel van appeared in April 1968 and the 4-door saloon (a bodystyle the Anglia was never available in for UK market) in 1969. Underneath the bonnet was the Kent crossflow engine also used in the smallest capacity North American Ford Pinto . Diesel engines on small family cars were rare, and
891-499: A little. The Sierra had sold well, but not as well as the all-conquering Cortina before it, and in Britain, it had been overtaken in the sales charts by the newer Vauxhall Cavalier . Previously loyal customers were already turning to rival European and Japanese products, and by the time of the Mondeo's launch, the future of Europe as a Ford manufacturing base was hanging in the balance. The new car had to be good, and it had to sell. It
990-485: A noticeable distinction between early and late 1998 SVT Contours. To differentiate between the two, the late 1998 model is sometimes referred to as the "1998.5", or alternatively the early 1998 model as the "E0" and the late 1998 model as the "E1". The mid-year changes are as listed below. Both the Contour and Mystique were praised for their handling and ride quality , and were described as a "fun four-door sedan that offered European moves at American prices" by Edmunds. For
1089-416: A panel bearing the name Mondeo. The most notable change was the introduction of the grille and larger, wraparound lighting units. The saloon version featured some distinctive rear lights. These incorporated an additional reflector panel that extended around the top and the side of the rear wings. Unlike the iterations seen on the heavily facelifted Scorpio and Mk IV Fiesta during the previous year, this facelift
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#17327809620011188-662: A power output of 200 PS (150 kW). Although neither of these models ever sold in high numbers, the marketing was important to Ford, as it was an introduction to the ST range as a sportier side to the full range, especially significant as apart from the Focus RS, both the XR and RS model ranges were phased out during the 1990s. Ford briefly sold a version using the 2.0 L Zetec engine and four-wheel drive , available between 1995 and 1996 on cars with Si, Ghia, and Ghia X trim and in 1997 on
1287-410: A reputation in the motoring press for selling products which had been designed by accountants rather than engineers. The fifth-generation Escort and third-generation Orion of 1990 was the zenith of this cost-cutting/high-price philosophy, which was by then beginning to backfire on Ford, with the cars being slated for their substandard ride and handling, though a facelift in 1992 had seen things improve
1386-606: A subtle Detroit-inspired "Coke bottle" waistline and the "dogbone" shaped front grille – perhaps the car's main stylistic feature. Similar Coke bottle styling featured in the larger Cortina Mark III , launched in 1970 (a visually similar reskinned version of the Cortina was built in West Germany as the Taunus ). Initially, the Escort was sold as a two-door saloon (with circular front headlights and rubber flooring on
1485-593: A two- or four-door saloon and as a two-door panel van . 1100 cc and 1300 cc engines were offered, as was the 1558 cc twin cam unit., the last only in the Escort Twin Cam model, which was renamed the Escort GT 1600 in late 1971. Some 67,146 examples of the Mk I were built in Australia, with local sourcing bringing the Australian content of the vehicles to 85 per cent. In 1975 Ford Australia imported 25 MK1 RS2000 Escorts from England for sale in
1584-467: Is a small family car that was manufactured by Ford of Europe from 1968 until 2000. In total there were six generations, spread across three basic platforms: the original, rear-wheel-drive Mk.1/Mk.2 (1968–1980), the "Erika" front-wheel-drive Mk.3/Mk.4 (1980–1992), and the final CE-14 Mk.5/Mk.6 (1990–2002) version. Its successor, the Ford Focus , was released in 1998, but the final generation of Escort
1683-765: The Belgian city of Genk . In December 1992, Autocar published a section on the Mondeo, and how it would conquer rivals. Intended as a world car , it replaced the Ford Sierra in Europe, the Ford Telstar in a large portion of Asia and other markets, while the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique replaced the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz in North America. Despite being billed as a world car,
1782-490: The British Saloon Car Championship in 1968 and 1969, sporting a full Formula 2 Ford FVA 16-valve engine, producing over 200 hp. The Escort, driven by Australian driver Frank Gardner , went on to comfortably win the 1968 championship. The Mark I Escort became successful as a rally car, and eventually went on to become one of the most successful rally cars of all time. The Ford works team
1881-544: The Citroën Xantia and Peugeot 406 , and worse than the Nissan Primera). The cars' structure suffered excessive footwell intrusion in the frontal impact and a disturbing B-pillar displacement in the side test. The Zetec engine was thoroughly revised in 1998. The updated version was far more refined at high revolutions. In December 1998, Ford released in Europe a sports car with a coupé body shell based upon
1980-868: The European Car of the Year title for 1994), side-impact bars, seat belt pretensioners, and antilock braking systems (higher models) as standard features. Other features for its year included adaptive damping, self-leveling suspension (top estate models), traction control (V6 and 4WD versions), and heated front windscreen, branded Quickclear . The interiors were usually well-appointed, featuring velour trim, an arm rest with CD and tape storage, central locking (frequently remote), power windows (all round on higher models), power mirrors, illuminated entry, flat-folding rear seats, etc. Higher-specification models had leather seats, trip computers , electric sunroof, CD changer, and alloy wheels. During its development, Ford used
2079-563: The Ford Cortina 's 2.0L OHC Pinto engine (in a lower tune to European units) was introduced to the Escort range, available as an option on nearly all models. Codenamed internally by Ford Australia as "BC", the Australian Escort range's bodies were modified to fit the larger engine and a redesigned fuel-tank, which involved the placement of the fuel filler being behind the rear numberplate. In 1978, Ford Australia standardised
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#17327809620012178-462: The Ford Escort , Ford Orion and Ford Fiesta . Three versions of the 16-valve Zetec engine were used. The 1.6 L version, rated at 90 PS (66 kW) from the Escort was used, a 1.8 with 115 PS (85 kW) also found in the Escort and Ford Fiesta (105 and 130 metric horsepower (77 and 96 kW)), while a new 136 PS (100 kW) 2.0 L version was launched. An alternative to
2277-662: The Ford LTD II and the Plymouth Fury . A comparison test by Popular Science of four intermediate sedans (the 1976 AMC Matador, Chevrolet Malibu , Ford Torino, and Dodge Coronet ) predicted that these will be the "big cars of the future." By 1978, General Motors made its intermediate models smaller. New "official" size designations in the U.S. were introduced by the EPA , which defined market segments by passenger and cargo space. Formerly mid-sized cars that were built on
2376-464: The Hillman Avenger and Opel Kadett C / Vauxhall Chevette had moved on to coil springs. The car came in for criticism for its lack of oddments space, with a glove compartment available on only higher end models, and its stalk-mounted horn. The "L" and "GL" models (2-door, 4-door, estate) were in the mainstream private sector, the "Sport", "RS Mexico", and "RS2000" in the performance market,
2475-599: The Taurus which was larger and offered better value for money, or to the Escort which was less expensive. Large factory incentives on the outgoing Taurus throughout 1995 in anticipation of a completely redesigned model due to launch later that year helped the Taurus cut into the Contour's initial market. Anticipating this, Ford moved the Taurus upmarket with the release of the redesigned 1996 model, but poor customer reception to
2574-536: The Vauxhall Vectra . In North America and Australia, the Contour/Mondeo wasn't as successful. In the United States and Canada, the Contour suffered from market incompatibility with the preceding Ford Tempo , which by the end of its production run was an outdated design from the early 1980s which was sold primarily to lower-end customers and fleets on account of its low price. In contrast, the Contour
2673-417: The estate versions were unavailable to the Australian market. The sedan models were available in L, XL (later renamed GL) and Ghia forms, and a Sport pack option – similar to the 1300 and 1600 Sport models sold elsewhere. Unlike other markets – likely due to the estate's absence – the van was offered in a higher level of trim – a GL, and a Sport pack van was also available. Unusual fitments for
2772-421: The "De Luxe" model). The "Super" model featured rectangular headlights, carpets, a cigar lighter and a water temperature gauge. A two-door estate was introduced at the end of March 1968, which, with the back seat folded down, provided a 40% increase in maximum load space over the old Anglia 105E estate , according to the manufacturer. The estate featured the same engine options as the saloon, but it also included
2871-461: The "Ghia" (2-door, 4-door) for a hitherto untapped small car luxury market, and "base / Popular" models for the bottom end. The base spec Popular versions for British market were divided into "Popular" and "Popular Plus", with the former being an "austerity" model with vinyl seats and rubber carpets, the 'Plus' version having a fully trimmed interior. Panel-van versions catered to the commercial sector. The 1.6 L (1598 cc/97 CID) engine in
2970-599: The 1.5 L non-crossflow block, which had a bigger bore than usual to give a capacity of 1,558 cc. This engine had originally been developed for the Lotus Elan . Production of the Twin Cam, which was originally produced at Halewood, was phased out as the Cosworth -engined RS1600 (RS denoting Rallye Sport ) production began. The most famous edition of the Twin Cam was raced on behalf of Ford by Alan Mann Racing in
3069-463: The 1972 UK facelift with just one run of 1.3XLs (with the GT instrument pack) before these were downgraded to 'L' trim. Base and L trims were offered to the end of the Mk I run. Some 1.6 Mexicos were imported in 1973–74 after the government temporarily freed up import licensing owing to a shortage of new cars. Estate versions were mostly imported. The Mk I was produced by Ford Australia from 1970 to 1975 as
Ford Mondeo (first generation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3168-481: The 1975 1.6 Ghia produced 84 hp (63 kW) with 125 N·m (92 ft·lbf) torque and weighed 955 kg (2105 lb). In August 1977, the Escort received its first noticeable facelift, with the front grille, boot lid and steering wheel hub cap being fitted with the oval Ford logo instead of the previous single-letter lettering. A further cosmetic update was given in 1978 (note that Australia received differing updates – see below), with L models gaining
3267-583: The 1986 Honda Accord and in the later stages the 1990 Nissan Primera as the class benchmarks that the CDW27 had to beat. The mid-cycle facelift, launched in October 1996, addressed three of the original Mondeo's biggest criticisms: its bland styling, the poor headlight performance, the reflectors of which quickly yellowed, and the cramped rear legroom. The lowering of specification levels around that time, such as air conditioning and alloy wheels, became optional on
3366-536: The 2.0 Si was available in 1993–1994 in limited numbers and came in Citrine Yellow with a special version of the Si seat fabric and included the full RS bodykit, these were issued to each Ford Dealer as a promotional tool for sale and an even smaller number of these cars (~50) were tuned by a dealer, Hendy Ford and fitted with different camshafts, producing approximately 150 PS and were identified by special graphics on
3465-595: The C and D size classes and was a "world car". The head of the Mondeo project was John Oldfield , headquartered at Ford Dunton in Essex. A large proportion of the high development cost was due to the Mondeo being a completely new design, sharing very little, if anything, with the Ford Sierra. Unlike the Sierra, the Mondeo is front-wheel drive in its most common form, with a rarer four-wheel drive version available on
3564-785: The Chinese market. The first use of the Ford Escort name was for a reduced-specification version of the Ford Squire , a 1950s estate-car version of the British Ford Anglia 100E . The Mark I Ford Escort was introduced in Ireland and the United Kingdom at the end of 1967, making its show debut at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1968. It replaced the successful, long-running Anglia . The Escort
3663-489: The Escort Estate from mid-1976. 3. Four Door Escort Sport Discontinued after mid-1976 4. Escort Ghia 1600 was four door only after mid–1976. 1300GT / 1600 GT = 1300 or 1600 twin venturi carburetor "Goldcrest" Popular discontinued from Jan 1980 The Mk II Escort was assembled at Ford Australia 's Homebush Plant, Sydney from March 1975 to 1980 in 2-door and 4-door sedan, and 2-door panel van forms –
3762-492: The Escort an update, increasing basic equipment levels and standardising square headlights on L and GL models (previously only available on Escort Ghia). Chasing both youth and performance, Ford Australia introduced their take on the RS2000, which – complete with its slant-nose – was available in both two-door form and as a unique to Australia four-door, in a choice of five solid paint colours. These RS cars certainly looked
3861-606: The Escort was no exception, initially featuring only petrol engines – in 1.1 L, and 1.3 L versions. A 940 cc engine was also available in some export markets such as Italy and France. This tiny engine remained popular in Italy, where it was carried over for the Escort Mark II, but in France it was discontinued during 1972. There was a 1300GT performance version, with a tuned 1.3 L crossflow (OHV) engine with
3960-524: The Ford Mondeo Mk 1, the Contour and Mystique shared the Ford CDW27 platform with its European counterpart. In contrast to the first Ford " world car " (the 1981 Ford Escort), the Contour was redesigned slightly to better suit American demands. The three shared major systems, including body structure, powertrain, and suspension. While officially classified a mid-size car, the Contour was among
4059-405: The Ford SVT Contour was available primarily by special order at specially designated Ford dealerships. The SVT Contour was produced from 1997 to 2000, with a major running change during 1998 (effectively making a 1998.5 model year for the variant). In mid-production for the 1998 model (manufactured after February 1998), Ford decided to make several more changes to the SVT Contour. This resulted in
Ford Mondeo (first generation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4158-509: The General Motors Kadett and its Astra successor. The Escort had conventional rear-wheel drive and a four-speed manual gearbox or three-speed automatic transmission . The suspension consisted of MacPherson strut front suspension and a simple live axle mounted on leaf springs . The Escort was the first small Ford to use rack-and-pinion steering. The Mark I featured contemporary styling cues in tune with its time:
4257-632: The Mexico, the RS1600 was developed with a 1601 cc Cosworth BDA which used a crossflow block with a 16-valve Cosworth cylinder head, named "Belt Drive A Series". 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, like the Mexico these models featured
4356-804: The Mk I car only. Over-optimistically, the floor pan was designed to accept virtually any conceivable drivetrain, from a transverse inline-four engine to a longitudinal V-8. This resulted in a hugely intrusive and mostly disused bellhousing cover and transmission tunnel. Resultingly the front interior, especially the footwells, feels more cramped than would be expected from a vehicle of this size. The Mondeo featured new manual and automatic transmissions and sophisticated suspension design, which give it class-leading handling and ride qualities, and subframes front and rear to give it executive car refinement. The automatic transmission featured electronic control with sport and economy modes plus switchable overdrive . The program manager from 1988, and throughout its early development,
4455-672: The Mk II Mondeo called the Ford Cougar (or Mercury Cougar in North America). This car shared the engines (2.0 I4, 2.5 V6), transmissions, suspension (partially) and floorpans from the Mondeo, but the body shell was unique to the Cougar, and was one of the last Ford cars to be designed under Ford's New Edge philosophy. Along with an all-new platform, the Mondeo also used Ford's then-new Zetec engines, first seen in 1991 in
4554-516: The Mk2 in some European countries. The 1992–1996 range had the following trim levels: Special edition versions included the 1.8 L Ultima (1993-1994 only) and 1.8 L, 1.8 L turbodiesel Verona (1995-1996 only) models which included a mix of lower and higher model components and exclusive interior trims. The Mk1 was available with a factory or dealer option, RS bodykit, from 1993 to 1995, consisting of additional front and rear aerodynamic bumper styling which
4653-545: The ST featured unique cabin trim (half-leather seats), unique 16-inch alloy wheels (that were originally only available on a Ghia X Estate), and a full Rally Sport Appearance Pack body kit as standard. The bodykit option was listed as a delete option for those who did not want it fitted as standard. This was later replaced by the Limited Edition ST200 in 1999, featuring an SVT version of the V6 Duratec with
4752-403: The ST24 from standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.0 seconds, coupled with a maximum speed of 148 mph (238 km/h). North America got an SE "Sport" Version of the Contour, which featured exclusive wheels and the coveted 9-inch Sport Drum rear brakes. Rear disc brakes eventually became available in North America on certain Contour and Mystique models, although some customers bemoaned
4851-528: The SVT trim, Edmunds.com named the Contour SVT the most wanted sedan under $ 25,000 for 1999 The Contour and Mystique were on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1995, 1996 and 1997. Although Car and Driver staff wrote an article in 2009 apologizing for the inclusion of the Ford Contour on the "Ten Best" list, it was the only car the staff did not outright recant from the list, saying in hindsight,
4950-473: The UK Ghia models and may have indicated a desire by Ford to cut costs and recoup some of the considerable sums invested in the original design. These specification levels were improved again in 1998 as the Mondeo approached replacement. The facelift left only the doors, the roof, and the rear quarter panels on the estate the same as the original model. Even the extractor vents on the rear doors were replaced by
5049-587: The UK, where the national bestseller of the 1960s, BMC's Austin/Morris 1100 was beginning to show its age, while Ford's own Cortina had grown, both in dimensions and in price, beyond the market niche at which it had originally been pitched. It competed with the Vauxhall Viva , and from early 1970 the Rootes Group's Hillman Avenger . In June 1974, six years after the car's UK introduction, Ford announced
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#17327809620015148-516: The United States and Canada, the Contour/Mystique were replaced initially by the Focus and later the Fusion . Instigated in 1986 (just before its Sierra predecessor received a major facelift), the design of the car cost Ford US$ 6 billion . It was one of the most expensive new-car programmes ever. The Mondeo was significant as its design and marketing were shared between Ford USA in Dearborn and Ford of Europe. Its codename while under development reflected thus: CDW27 signified that it straddled
5247-425: The Zetec engines was the Endura-D 1.8 L turbo-diesel . This engine had origins in the older 1.6 L diesel design (which in itself was based on the petrol OHV Kent engine block from the Mk1-2 Escort and Mk1 Fiesta) and was used in the Fiesta and elsewhere. Although not without merits, it was not seen as a strong competitor to other European diesels such as that produced by Peugeot . The contrast between this unit and
5346-453: The car should have been considered too small for its price range to properly meet criteria, and that this is the likely reason for the car's failure to achieve widespread appeal. The Ford Contour was also named as an Automobile magazine All Star for 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Contour a "Poor" overall rating in the frontal impact crash. The head, neck, and chest were all well protected and
5445-554: The competition seemed enormous by the time the engine was dropped in 2000. Strangely, the diesel-powered vehicles could easily be distinguished by dint of their having a slightly redesigned grille so that more air would flow to the top mounted intercooler. A new American designed V6 engine was introduced in 1994 as part of a model line-up review, in the form of the 170 metric horsepower (130 kW) 2.5 L 24-valve V6 Duratec unit, primarily included for markets where four-cylinder petrol engines are not favored and are usually intended for
5544-441: The completion of the two-millionth Ford Escort, a milestone hitherto unmatched by any Ford model outside the US. It was also stated that 60% of the two million Escorts had been built in Britain. In West Germany, cars were built at a slower rate of around 150,000 cars per year, slumping to 78,604 in 1974, which was the last year for the Escort Mk1. Many of the German built Escorts were exported, notably to Benelux and Italy ; from
5643-437: The driver’s seat in addition to the Ford SA VIN tag in the engine compartment. South African RS1600s had various detailed differences from the Ford UK cars. They were painted yellow with a black stripe to the rear panel and to the sills. They also had black blocks painted on the bonnet. The front seats were from the Capri V4. The squarer-styled Mark II version appeared in January 1975. The first production models had rolled off
5742-573: The dummy movement was well controlled, but excessive footwell intrusion contributed to high forces on both legs and a "Marginal" structural rating. The Contour received five stars for both the driver and passenger in the NHTSA test. In Europe, the Mondeo was instantly declared a class leader. It was elected Car of the Year in 1994, ahead of PSA's new Xantia model. The facelifted Mondeo was initially popular, being Britain's third-best selling new car in 1996 through to 1998. However, in 1999 it dipped into sixth place and had been outsold by its biggest rival,
5841-454: The first medium-sized Ford of its kind to be sold in Australia since the Cortina, was dropped in 1999. It struggled against Japanese midsized models such as the Honda Accord and Subaru Liberty , as well as the Holden Vectra , also imported from Europe, although unlike the Mondeo, briefly assembled locally. The Mondeo has since returned to Australia in 2007 with an all-new model. Mid-size car Mid-size —also known as intermediate —is
5940-525: The full-size cars of a decade or so ago ... best sellers include Ford Torino , Chevrolet Chevelle , AMC Matador , Plymouth Satellite ..." The domestic manufacturers began changing the definition of "medium" as they developed new models for an evolving market place. A turning point occurred in the late 1970s, when rising fuel costs and government fuel economy regulations caused all car classes to shrink, and in many cases to blur. Automakers moved previously "full-size" nameplates to smaller platforms such as
6039-424: The launch of the Nissan Primera in 1990 prompted Ford to make a number of major alterations to the final product, as it saw the new competitor from Nissan to be the benchmark car in this sector, having previously identified the Honda Accord as the class leader. The car was launched in the midst of turbulent times at Ford of Europe, when the division was haemorrhaging hundreds of millions of dollars, and had gained
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#17327809620016138-409: The local market. Assembly of the Mk I Escort was undertaken by Automotive Industries in Upper Nazareth, in conjunction with the local distributor, Israeli Automotive Corp. Assembly from UK-sourced kits started in April 1968. The last Mk I, a light green 1100cc two-door, was produced on 14 November 1975. A total of 14,905 units were assembled in Israel, including 105 Escort 400 vans. The Mk I Escort
6237-401: The mid-size category. The automobile that defined this size in the United States was the Rambler Six that was introduced in 1956, although it was called a "compact" car at that time. Much smaller than any standard contemporary full-size cars, it was called a compact to distinguish it from the small imported cars that were being introduced into the marketplace. By the early 1960s, the car
6336-597: The mid-size market for decades. Mid-size cars were the most popular category of cars sold in the United States, with 27.4 percent during the first half of 2012, ahead of crossovers at 19 percent. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year (dated July 1996) includes definitions for classes of automobiles. Based on the combined passenger and cargo volume, mid-size cars are defined as having an interior volume index of 110–119 cu ft (3.1–3.4 m ). Ford Escort (European) The Ford Escort
6435-414: The mid-size market segment as the line of cars themselves kept increasing in size. By 1965, these GM "A platform" mid-size models matched the size of 1955 full-size cars. During the 1970s, the intermediate class in the U.S. was generally defined as vehicles with wheelbases between 112 inches (2,845 mm) and 118 inches (2,997 mm). Once again, the cars grew and by 1974 they were "about as large as
6534-480: The new model's design and higher price forced Ford to heavily discount it and continuously reduce its base price through its life, reviving the in-showroom competition between the two models. Additionally, the Contour was hurt by strong competition in the medium segment by the other American automakers. The similarly priced Chrysler Cirrus , which was launched for the 1995 model year, matched the Contour in design, performance and driving dynamics, but had more features and
6633-402: The only external items the Mondeo shared initially with the Contour were the windscreen, front windows, front mirrors and door handles. Thus, the CDW27 project turned out not to be a true world car in the sense that the original Ford Focus and newer Fords developed under the "One Ford" policy turned out to be. The first generation Mondeo was replaced in 2000, by the larger second generation ; in
6732-412: The other larger European markets in Europe it was unavailable. The estate and van versions used the same doors, roof and rear panelwork as the Mark I, but with the Mark II front end and interior. The car used a revised underbody, which had been introduced as a running change during the last six months production of the Mark I. The rear suspension still sat on leaf springs though some contemporaries such as
6831-592: The part, but were actually powered by the same 2.0-litre engine as the rest of the local Escort range, and available with a choice of manual or automatic transmission. A total of 2,400 Australian RS2000 cars were made. While offered in many model forms, the Escort, like the Cortina, was not popular on the Australian market, largely due to expanding competition from Japanese imports and the established preference of Australian drivers for larger six-cylinder vehicles, including Ford Australia's own Falcon . Australian Escort production ceased in late 1980, with 79,142 examples of
6930-434: The perspective of the West German domestic market, the car was cramped and uncomfortable when compared with the well-established and comparably priced Opel Kadett , and it was technically primitive when set against the successful imported Fiat 128 and Renault 12 . Subsequent generations of the Escort closed the gap somewhat, but in Europe's largest auto-market Escort sales volumes always came in significantly behind those of
7029-422: The production lines on 2 December 1974. Unlike the first Escort (which was developed by Ford of Britain), the second generation was developed jointly between the UK and Ford of Germany. Codenamed "Brenda" during its development, it used the same mechanical components, floorpan and core structure as the Mark I. The 940 cc engine was still offered in Italy where the smaller engine attracted tax advantages, but in
7128-485: The range not offered elsewhere on the Australian Escort included 'dog-dish' steel hubcaps, and high-backed front seats. The initial powerplants utilized in the Australian Escorts were Ford's 1.3 L and 1.6 L OHV Crossflow units, offered with either 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmissions. In 1977, to cope with Australian emission laws, in particular ADR27A , the 1.3L models were dropped and
7227-489: The reduced level of feel over the original sport drums. The ST200 was then launched as the Enthusiast's car, with a tuned 2.5-litre V6 24v engine producing 202 bhp (151 kW). This engine made the ST200 go from standing to 60 mph (97 km/h) in around 7.7 seconds, and reach a maximum speed of 151 mph (243 km/h). Tuning included a different throttle body, cams, flywheel, and upper manifold, to name
7326-679: The same platform, like the AMC Matador sedan, had a combined passenger and cargo volume of 130 cubic feet (3.68 m ), and were now considered "full-size" automobiles. Cars that defined the mid-size market in the 1980s and 1990s included the Chrysler K-Cars ( Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant ), the Ford Taurus , and the Toyota Camry , which was upsized into the midsize class in 1991. The Taurus and Camry came to define
7425-432: The sides. Additional trim levels in other European markets included: The 1996–2000 range had the following trim levels: The facelifted Mk II Mondeo sports variants included the ST24 and the ST200. The ST24 produced 170 bhp (130 kW) from its 2.5-litre V6 24v engine and was launched with Rally Sport Appearance Pack body kits, along with sports suspension and half-leather sports bucket seats. Its standard setup had
7524-578: The skin from the UK-built ones. The front suspension and steering gear were configured differently and the brakes were fitted with dual hydraulic circuits; also the wheels fitted on the Genk-built Escorts had wider rims. At the beginning of 1970, continental European production transferred to a new plant on the edge of Saarlouis , West Germany. The Escort was a commercial success in several parts of Western Europe, but nowhere more so than in
7623-443: The smallest sedans in the segment, with its interior dimensions becoming a point of criticism. The Contour and Mystique shared two engines with the Mondeo, a 125 hp 2.0 L Zetec inline-4 and a 170 hp 2.5 L Duratec V6 ; the 1.8L turbodiesel of the Mondeo was never sold in North America. A five-speed manual transmission was standard with both engines, with a four-speed automatic offered with as an option. The Ford Contour
7722-771: The square headlights (previously exclusive to the GL and Ghia variants) and there was an upgrade in interior and exterior specification for some models. All models (other than RS) had a new steering wheel and the horizontal chrome strip along the center of the grille removed. Underneath a wider front track was given. In 1979 and 1980 three special edition Escorts were launched: the Linnet, Harrier and Goldcrest. Production ended in Britain in August 1980, other countries following soon after. RS1800 (Cosworth BDE) RS2000 (2000 ohc) 2. 1100E engine replaced 1100 standard on Escort L, made optional on
7821-478: The strengthened bodyshell. Ford also produced an RS2000 model as an alternative to the somewhat temperamental RS1600, featuring a 2.0 L Pinto (OHC) engine. This also clocked up some rally and racing victories and pre-empted the hot hatch market as a desirable but affordable performance road car. Like the Mexico and RS1600, this car was produced at the Aveley plant using the strengthened bodyshell. The Escort
7920-448: The upmarket European buyer. This engine, first unveiled in the Mondeo's North American cousin, the Ford Contour, is characterized by its smooth operation, chain-driven camshafts, and additional butterflies in the lower inlet to close of the inlet path to one valve, giving better torque at low engine speeds, this was vacuum operated on the Mk1 and electronically controlled on the Mk2. This engine
8019-529: The use of the blue oval logo across the Escort model range. These Escort models are identified by the familiar blue Ford oval in the centre of the grille and on the right of the bootlid. It also revamped the image of its 'leisure range' by introducing the Escort Sundowner panel van, positioning it as a youth-orientated lifestyle vehicle complete with bold body decorations and domed side windows, available in 1.6L and 2.0L forms. In 1979, Ford Australia gave
8118-432: Was David Price . By 1989, Ford had confirmed that it would be launching an all-new front-wheel drive car to replace the Sierra within the next four years, although it had not yet decided whether the Sierra name would continue or be replaced, with some subsequent reports even hinting that the Cortina name could make a comeback, having been axed in 1982 when replaced by the Sierra. Several prototypes were tested that year, but
8217-683: Was also presented in Europe as the first passenger car to be developed by the merged Ford of Europe (the Transit van having been the first product of this collaboration). Escort production commenced at the Halewood plant in England during the closing months of 1967, and for left-hand-drive markets during September 1968 at the Ford plant in Genk . Initially the continental Escorts differed slightly under
8316-416: Was bonded to the factory bumpers, side skirts and a boot lid mounted spoiler on all body shapes, together with a choice of 15” and 16” alloy wheels. A more subtle bodykit was offered as an option from Sept 1995 to Aug 1996 consisting of complete replacement bumpers with round front fog lights and smooth side skirts, the boot spoilers had an additional high level brake light added. A special edition version of
8415-517: Was built in Germany and Britain, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. All models 1100 and 1300 were offered in 2 door Saloon, 4 door Saloon and 3 doors Estate versions. Ford New Zealand's Seaview plant in Lower Hutt built 1.1 and 1.3-litre versions, initially as Deluxe (1.1) and Super (1.3) two-door sedans plus panel vans. The four-door sedan was added in 1970. Trim levels were revised after
8514-663: Was known as the Contour SVT. In South Africa, the trim levels offered were: In Brazil, the trim levels offered were: The Ford Contour and its rebadged Mercury variant, the Mercury Mystique , are North American versions of the first-generation Ford Mondeo, marketed for model years 1995-2000 as a four-door sedan, replacing the Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz . Production at Kansas City Assembly in Claycomo, Missouri , and Cuautitlán Assembly started on August 15, 1994. Derived directly from (and developed together with)
8613-582: Was later rectified by Ford in collaboration with Cosworth. A batch of sixty RS1600s were sold by Ford SA to Basil Green Motors in Edenvale, Johannesburg who replaced the twin cam BDA engines with the 2000cc SOHC Pinto engine and the car was renamed the Escort Perana. Approximately 40 of the original cars retained the twin-cam BDA engine and these cars were sold as RS1600s by Ford dealers throughout South Africa. These cars had an identification tag under
8712-399: Was originally branded 24v on the Mk1, but later on badged as the more glamorous sounding V6. This engine was also used to introduce the new "ST" brand to the Mondeo range as a flagship model (with less specification than a Ghia or a Ghia X), the ST24 in 1997. The power of the engine stayed at 170 PS (130 kW), the same as other 2.5 L-engined models (so was slower than a Mk I 24v), but
8811-487: Was phased out gradually, with the panel van version ending production in 2002 in favour of the Ford Transit Connect . The Escort was frequently the best selling car in Britain during the 1980s and 1990s. A total of more than 4.1 million Escorts of all generations were sold there over a period of 33 years. In 2014, Ford revived the Escort name for a car based on the second-generation Ford Focus , sold on
8910-433: Was powered by an upgraded version of the 2.5 L V6, producing 195 hp (200 hp from 1999). Paired solely with a 5-speed manual transmission, the vehicle underwent handling and performance upgrades, including re-tuned suspension, upgraded brakes, larger wheels and high-performance tires, along with the installation of different seats, trim, white-face instruments, and new bodywork. In line with Ford Mustang SVT Cobras ,
9009-669: Was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Perhaps the Escort's greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally , driven by Finland's Hannu Mikkola and Swedish co-driver Gunnar Palm . This gave rise to the Escort Mexico (1598 cc crossflow-engined) special-edition road versions in honour of the rally car. Introduced in November 1970, 10,352 Mexico Mark Is were built using bodyshells with additional strengthening panels in high stress areas, making them more suitable for competition. In addition to
9108-471: Was produced known as the "1300E". This featured the same 13" road wheels and flared wings of the Sport, but was trimmed in an upmarket fashion for the time, with wood trim on the dashboard and door cappings. A higher-performance version for rallies and racing was available, the Escort Twin Cam, built for Group 2 international rallying. It had an engine with a Lotus-made eight-valve twin camshaft head fitted to
9207-402: Was produced with three trim levels: base-trim GL (1995-1997), a higher-content LX, and a sporty SE trim. The 2.0L engine was standard on GL and LX versions, with the 2.5L standard on SE-trim examples. As a running change during 1996, a "Sport" option package was introduced for GL and SE-trim models. The Mercury Mystique was produced with two trim levels: standard-trim GS and higher-trim LS (with
9306-513: Was renamed the Rambler Classic and while it retained its basic dimensions, it was now competing with an array of new "intermediate" models from General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The introduction of the 1962 Ford Fairlane was viewed by consumers as too close to the compact Falcon in size and performance as well as too close to the full-sized Ford models in price. It was the introduction of General Motors " senior compacts " that grew
9405-401: Was significantly more expensive as Ford hoped to sell it on its redeeming qualities; a base model 1995 Contour cost $ 13,310, which was over $ 2,000 more expensive than a base model 1994 Tempo, and several hundred dollars more expensive than a fully optioned 1994 Tempo LX, which priced it out of the market for returning Tempo customers. Customers in the Contour's price range were instead drawn to
9504-515: Was sold in Japan, imported from the United Kingdom by Kintetsu Motors and was available with the 1.3 L engine in GT trim, and was sold alongside the Ford Cortina and the Ford Capri . Sales were helped by the fact that this generation Escort complied with Japanese government dimension regulations concerning vehicle dimensions and engine displacement. Only the four-door saloon was offered, and this
9603-504: Was the only generation available to Japanese buyers. The engine displacement contributed to a lower annual road tax obligation to Japanese buyers which helped sales. Approximately 100 Mk 1 Escort RS1600s were sent to South Africa as knock down kits (CKD) in 1970/1 and were assembled in the Ford Port Elizabeth plant. They were sold through the Ford dealer network but some of the initial cars suffered oil feed problems which
9702-421: Was unveiled to the public on 23 November 1992, although sales would not begin for another four months. At this stage, Ford confirmed that the new car would feature a completely new name and would be called the Mondeo. Safety was a high priority in the Mondeo design, with a driver's side airbag (it was the first-ever car sold from the beginning with a driver's airbag in all of its versions, which helped it achieve
9801-546: Was well received. The interior was also mildly revised, though the basic dashboard architecture was the same as before. Safety specification was improved, with the car gaining a full-sized driver airbag in place of the smaller 'euro-bag' fitted in the Mk I Mondeo. The Mk II gained a 'flagged' three-star rating in Euro NCAP testing, which was average for rivals of its time (the same as the Vauxhall Vectra, better than
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