Kinetic Design is the name given to a style of automobile design used by Ford Motor Company for many of its passenger vehicles in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
99-791: Developed by the design studios of Ford of Europe in Germany and Britain, it replaced New Edge , and was first shown in 2005 with the SAV concept. Kinetic Design or Kinetic Design elements have featured on the Ford Ka from the 2008 model onward, the Ford Fiesta (as well as the Ford Verve concept) from the 2008 model onward, the Ford Focus from the 2008 model onward, the Ford C-MAX from
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
297-585: A comfortable interior all won praise for those who experienced the new car. The only major criticism of the Focus was its unoriginal styling which differed little from that of its predecessor but it remained one of the most popular cars in Europe during a production life which lasted more than six years. November 2005 saw the launch of a facelifted Fiesta which offered new styling inside and out as well as new colour options. 2006 saw Ford launch two new people carriers,
396-662: A ground-breaking new family car in the shape of the Mondeo , the replacement for the Sierra made to rival the newer Opel Vectra / Vauxhall Cavalier , Peugeot 405 and Nissan Primera . Finally making the transition to front-wheel drive, the Mondeo came with an impressive range of new 16-valve Zetec petrol engines as well as a 2.5 V6 that joined the line-up in 1994. It was also one of the first volume production cars to feature an airbag as standard. Hatchback, saloon and estate versions made up
495-629: 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
594-605: A radical change in most of the European Fords which had begun in September 1980 when the Escort switched to front-wheel drive and a hatchback from the traditional rear-wheel drive saloon which became a huge sales success across Europe. 20 years of Cortina production came to an end in October 1982 with the launch of the new Ford Sierra . The new car retained the traditional rear-wheel-drive chassis, perhaps surprisingly at
693-582: A rebadged US-market Escape which launched in the same year, but sales were slow and was axed after 4 years. The demise of the Puma in 2002 left Ford without a competitor in the coupé sector once more while the Focus ST170 which launched at that time could be seen as an indirect successor. Ford entered the expanding compact MPV market in late 2003 with the Ford Focus C-Max which was unusually,
792-405: A small car. Going against the appeal were its cramped rear seats and tiny boot, but it managed to sell well for most of its 12-year production run. A month later in October, the Mondeo gained a facelift which saw the exterior styling brought up to date and the seating redesigned to improve space for rear seat passengers. The Fiesta chassis also spawned the stylish Puma coupé in 1997 which included
891-430: A sub-brand for the highest specification models. It was based on a stretched version of Sierra's rear-wheel-drive chassis and was far more modern looking than any other cars in its sector at this time, being similar in appearance to the smaller Sierra. It was also the world's first volume production car to feature anti-lock brakes as standard. High equipment levels, a comfortable interior and solid build quality ensured that
990-606: 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
1089-757: 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
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#17327944648421188-409: 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
1287-579: Is a subsidiary company of Ford Motor Company founded in 1967 in Cork , Ireland , with headquarters in Cologne , Germany . Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 by the merger of Ford of Britain , Ford Germany , and Irish Henry Ford & Son Ltd divisions of the Ford Motor Company. The front-engined Ford Transit range of panel vans launched in 1965, was the first formal co-operation between
1386-518: The Austin Metro , Vauxhall Nova , Fiat Uno , SEAT Ibiza and the Peugeot 205 . New to the range were the new 1.0 and 1.1 HCS (High Compression Swirl) petrol engines which ran alongside the long-running 1.4 unit. There was also a 1.8 diesel as well as the 1.6 fuel injected XR2i and RS Turbo sports models, the first Fiestas to feature fuel injection. Upmarket Ghia models were the first versions of
1485-490: 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
1584-632: The European Economic Community , however once the UK joined the bloc in 1973, it made sense to standardise the model ranges throughout Britain and Continental Europe. Crucially merging the two companies' operations and having a common product range would allow Ford to double source cars and components from either British or Continental plants (the Fiesta for example was simultaneously assembled at Dagenham, Valencia and Cologne), something which
1683-507: The Focus , went on sale. Its radical design meant that Ford kept the Escort on sale alongside it for two years, the van until 2002, giving buyers a more conventionally-styled alternative, perhaps in fear of a repeat of the controversy it had faced some 16 years earlier when the Sierra went on sale. But Ford need not have worried about the public's reaction to the new Focus which was European Car of
1782-563: 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
1881-652: The German-built Scorpio was a success all over Europe and was voted European Car of the Year for 1986. A saloon version had joined the range by early 1990, as had a 2.9 V6 Cosworth high-performance hatchback while an estate version arrived in early 1992 as it was nearing replacement. An updated Escort and Orion appeared in March 1986, called the "Mark 4", it featured Scorpio-influenced front-end styling, revised engine options and an all-new interior. Production of
1980-464: 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,
2079-744: The Orion but was aimed more upmarket than the Escort with no 1.1 litre engined version and initially only GL and Ghia trim levels. It was almost as long as a Sierra and many saw it as a true replacement for the traditional Cortina. Ford launched another ground-breaking new car in May 1985 with the Granada-replacing Ford Scorpio , although the Granada name was retained in the United Kingdom and Ireland with "Scorpio" being used as
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#17327944648422178-628: The RS2000 performance version and was capable of 110 mph (180 km/h). It quickly became popular with buyers, outselling key UK competitors from BMC (later British Leyland), Vauxhall (Opel in Germany) and the Rootes Group . The Escort would never achieve such dominance in Europe's largest auto market, but nevertheless took significant market share from the Opel and Volkswagen competitors of
2277-417: 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
2376-421: 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
2475-461: 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
2574-599: 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
2673-463: 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
2772-481: 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
2871-526: The 1990s, the Scorpio's sales potential was held back by its controversial styling. In the late 1990s, Ford adopted a distinctive "New Edge" design on its model range. Some of the cars adopting this eye-catching new look were entirely new, while others were facelifted versions of earlier and more conservative designs. The end was in sight for the Escort in October 1998 when its distinctively-styled successor,
2970-657: The 2007 model onward, the Ford Kuga , the Ford Mondeo from the 2007 model onward, the Ford S-MAX and the Ford Galaxy from the 2006 model onward. Common features of Kinetic Design is the large, lower trapezoidal grille which may resemble an opened mouth; geometric shaped fog lights to the side; long, straight creases along the side; and headlights that seem to stretch out from the front. The Ford Kinetic Design
3069-574: The Capri coupé ended in December 1986 after 18 years and there was no replacement, although stocks of the model were sold into 1987, as sporting coupés were less popular at this time following the rise in popularity of fast hatchbacks such as the Ford Escort XR3i, Vauxhall Astra GTE, Peugeot 309 GTI and Volkswagen Golf GTI. Ford had proved successful in this sector with faster versions of
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3168-835: 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
3267-653: The Cougar was built in the USA and used 2.0 and 2.5 petrol engines. Unlike its predecessor, it was based on the front-wheel-drive chassis of the Mondeo . It was very spacious for a coupé and offered superb road-holding and cruising ability. Sales were relatively low in Europe and it was dropped in Europe after 2000, with sales limited to its home market. In 1999, Ford's European headquarters relocated from Brentwood in England to its current (2019) location in Cologne , Germany . It
3366-489: 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 –
3465-487: The Escort II at the start of 1975 which was essentially a rebodied version of the 1968 car and was largely mechanical identical, despite the larger, squarer body. The entry-level 950 cc engine which was rare in any country, was discontinued. In 1975, Ford overtook British Leyland (the combine which included Austin , Morris and Rover ) as the most popular make of car in the United Kingdom. 1976 saw Ford Europe enter
3564-492: 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
3663-606: 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
3762-510: The Fiesta to feature items such as electric windows and anti-lock brakes and was only available with the new five-door version. For much of the 1980s, the Ford Escort was the most popular model of car in the world and from 1982 to 1989, it was the best-selling new car in the UK every year. Despite the launch of the MK4 in March 1986, it started to look a little dated by the end of the decade in
3861-441: The Fiesta's floorpan and 1.4 engine as well as its own 1.7 unit. The Puma won plaudits for its styling, handling and performance. Despite its popularity, there was no direct successor when production finished in 2002. Ford pulled out of the executive car market in 1998 upon the demise of its Scorpio which had replaced the Granada four years earlier. As well as a Europe-wide transition from mainstream brands to prestige brands during
3960-458: The Fiesta, Escort, and Sierra. The Sierra was facelifted in early 1987 and gained a saloon version for the first time, called the Sapphire, ensuring that it continued to sell well into the 1990s. The third generation Fiesta was launched in March 1989 and the big news of the launch was the long-awaited availability of a five-door version, something that was already available on key rivals like
4059-634: The Ford range across Europe was now virtually complete, with the different nameplates on the Taunus/Cortina being the only separator. Ford launched the Granada II range in September 1977. In 1976, all Granada production had been concentrated to Cologne, Germany. The Consul badge was abandoned in 1975. In 1977, Ford finally overtook British Leyland as the market leader in the UK. The Mk III Capri coupé arrived in early 1978. By now Capri production
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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
4356-630: The S-MAX and the Ford Galaxy MK2 . Both cars used the same underpinnings, but the S-MAX was a cheaper and sportier alternative to the more upmarket and practical Galaxy. The S-MAX then became the first full-size people carrier to be voted European Car of the Year . Ford launched the third generation Mondeo in May 2007 and had a facelift in Autumn 2010. The new generations of the Fiesta and Ka launched in late 2008. RS2000 The Ford Escort
4455-417: 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
4554-464: The VW Sharan which quickly went straight to the top of the people carrier sales charts, remaining in production until the launch of an all-new replacement in 2006. Ford entered the city car market in September 1996 with its oddly-named and oddly-styled Ka and was beaten into second place in the 1997 European Car of the Year award by the Renault Scenic . It made use of the Fiesta's chassis and 1300 cc petrol engine which gave it strong handling for such
4653-426: The Year for 1999 and being one of the best-selling cars on the continent. At the height of its production, there was a new Ford Focus coming off a production line at an average of one every 12 seconds (Saarlouis, Germany, Valencia, Spain, Wayne, Michigan, USA and Hermosillo, Mexico). However, the Focus was never built in Britain. 1998 also saw the launch of the Probe's replacement: the Cougar . Like its predecessor,
4752-399: The back, was far from the best. This shortcoming was solved in Spring 2002 when the all-new MK5 Fiesta went on sale. This new Fiesta was to be built at Ford Cologne and Ford Valencia, each plant producing one Fiesta every 27 seconds. This also marked the end of Ford passenger car production in the UK after some 90 years, though commercial vehicles continued to be produced at Dagenham alongside
4851-422: The beginning of the 1990s following the collapse of communism. They even enlisted the help of Brian May to record a new song, " Driven by You ", which featured in their new TV advertising campaign for the whole Ford range in the UK. Ford responded to criticism of the Escort's shortcomings in September 1992 with a minor facelift which saw the introduction of its impressive new 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 Zetec 16-valve units,
4950-481: The best seller of this size for the previous four years. From 1996 to 2001, Ford also imported its Explorer SUV to Europe from the USA , but like the smaller Spanish-built Maverick, it was not a strong seller either. Ford reentered the coupé market in early 1994 with its American-built, Mazda -based Probe . Available with 2.0 16-valve and 2.5 V6 petrol engines, the Probe was well regarded for its handling and performance but failed to sell as well as Ford had hoped and
5049-441: 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
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#17327944648425148-437: 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
5247-416: The engine assembly for the passenger vehicles. In addition, Ford's Halewood plant was converted for Jaguar X-Type assembly in 2001. Ford also continued to build vans at its Southampton plant until relocating production to Turkey in 2013. The Ford Mondeo was relaunched in an all-new MK2 version in late 2000 and was pipped for the European Car of the Year award by the Alfa Romeo 147 . The new Mondeo
5346-400: The face of newer rivals like the Rover 200 , Peugeot 309 , Fiat Tipo and Renault 19 . The Mk5 Escort was launched in September 1990, along with the Orion saloon, but the motoring public and press gave it mixed to negative reviews. The car's styling lacked the flair of some rivals and it received mostly negative ratings for ride and handling, while it also retained the engine line-up of
5445-415: The first car on the platform that would spawn the next generation Focus hatchback a year later. 2003 also saw a convertible version of the Ka launched as the StreetKa alongside a facelifted Mondeo. The second generation Focus hatchback, saloon and estate models went on sale in late 2004, picking up where the original model left off. Excellent ride and handling, good equipment levels, solid build quality and
5544-448: The latter of which also found its way into the Fiesta RS1800. The Orion also received the same changes, only for the name to be shelved a year later and the saloon models absorbed into the Escort range. Ride and handling was also improved. For 1993, Ford introduced a standard driver's airbag on all production models, with many cars also coming with a passenger's airbag as either standard or optional equipment. February 1993 saw Ford launch
5643-415: The launch of the British Ford Cortina Mk III and its German cousin, the Taunus (replacing the Taunus 12M and 15M ). The British and German models were based on the same platform, but had different sheet metal and used engines from their home countries, though both models could be had with the new German-built 2000cc OHC petrol engine. By 1972, the Cortina was the best-selling car in Britain and would stay at
5742-409: 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
5841-405: The market during 1982 and 1983. The sporty XR2 version was relaunched and its power output was increased, as well as receiving the first five-speed gearbox ever fitted to a Fiesta. Also in that year, Ford introduced a new four-door saloon to meet the demands of buyers looking for a booted alternative to the Escort and Sierra hatchbacks and estates. The saloon derived version of the Escort was named as
5940-400: The model quickly gained attention due to its controversial styling which was often criticised in the motoring press. 1995 saw Ford launch its MK4 Fiesta and MK6 Escort ranges to keep them on the pace with the ever-growing number of new rivals that were threatening to decimate Ford's market share. Another new car launch that year was the Galaxy multi-purpose vehicle in June that was based upon
6039-412: 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
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#17327944648426138-592: 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
6237-434: 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
6336-486: The previous generation with 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 petrol units and a 1.8 diesel. The standard Escort models were later joined by the RS2000, XR3i and RS Cosworth performance versions that attracted a much more positive reaction. The RS2000 nameplate had been abandoned back in 1980 and the new version was undoubtedly the best, with its 2.0 16-valve I4 engine and the option of four-wheel drive, as well as its impressive top speed of more than 130 mph (210 km/h). The RS Cosworth
6435-422: 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
6534-416: 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
6633-429: The range which won European Car of the Year accolade the following year. 1993 also saw the launch of its first European 4x4 model, the Maverick, which was based on the Nissan Terrano II . However, the Maverick was not a strong seller and it was discontinued in early 1999. 1994 was the year where Ford regained leadership of the large family car sector market in Britain in terms of sales, as the Vauxhall Cavalier had been
6732-414: The rest of Europe took to it straight away and it was quickly among the best-selling cars in most of the continent, fighting off competition from the Volkswagen Polo , Renault 5 , Fiat 127 , Vauxhall Chevette and Peugeot 104 . The new Taunus saloon and estate were launched on the continent at the end of 1975, with the UK market Cortina version being launched in late September 1976. The integration of
6831-427: The same time – indeed GM followed Ford's precedent in the 1970s by merging the operations of Opel and Vauxhall into General Motors Europe . The process took several years to complete, as new model ranges arrived and the older model ranges were gradually phased out. One of the key justifications for keeping separate divisions was to circumvent the high trade tariffs imposed on vehicles being exported between Britain and
6930-453: 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
7029-617: 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
7128-478: 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
7227-635: The supermini market with its first ever front-wheel-drive model. The Fiesta I was built at the company's new Valencia plant in Spain (and would also be produced at Dagenham and Cologne) and came with 950 cc, 1100 cc and 1300 cc petrol engines. It was briefly exported to the United States and Canada between 1978 and 1980. From 1981, it was available with a 1600 cc unit for the sporty XR2 version. In Britain where it launched in February 1977 and most of
7326-415: The time when a front-wheel drive system was becoming almost exclusive in this sector of car. But in place of its predecessor's conventional, square styling was Sierra's ultramodern aerodynamic styling that was way ahead of its time compared to the competition. Initial sales were disappointing, but demand soon increased and the Sierra was Britain's second best-selling car in 1983, its first full year on sale. It
7425-593: The time. Ford Europe's second new car launch was the Capri sporting coupé at the beginning of 1969. Loosely based on Ford UK 's rear-wheel drive Mk II Cortina saloon platform, it came with engines ranging from 1300 cc to 3000 cc and was made in Britain and Germany (with a different range of German V4 and V6 engines) and was an instant success, frequently featuring as one of Britain's top 10 best-selling cars and also doing well in most other European markets. August 1970 saw
7524-549: The top spot until 1981, except for 1976 when the smaller Escort was Britain's top-selling car for that year. In March 1972, Ford Europe replaced their executive models from Britain ( Zephyr/Zodiac ) and Germany ( 17M/20M/26M ) with the Consul and Granada (large saloon, estate and coupé) which was aimed directly at the Opel Rekord, Rover P6, Audi 100 and Triumph 2000. It quickly outsold its rivals in many countries and in 1973
7623-605: The two entities, simultaneously developed to replace the German Ford Taunus Transit and the British Ford Thames 400E . Prior to this, the two companies avoided marketing their vehicles in one another's domestic markets, and in much of the rest of western Europe were direct competitors, with totally separate product lines, despite being owned by the same American parent, in a similar manner to General Motors ' Opel and Vauxhall subsidiaries at
7722-529: 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
7821-467: Was a rear-wheel drive small family saloon that took the place of the British Anglia range and was built in both Britain and from 1970, Germany, although it was sold there from the outset. It was first available as a two-door saloon and later in estate, van and four-door saloon bodystyles. Power came from 950 CC, 1100 CC, and 1300 CC petrol engines. Later there was also a 2000 cc unit which came in
7920-512: Was a turbocharged version of the RS2000 and had a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h) which helped bolster its fortunes in international rallies. In spite of this and impressive new models being launched by rival companies Vauxhall and Rover , Ford were still firmly positioned at the top of the British car sales charts in the early 1990s and enjoyed a strong market share in virtually all European countries, expanding into Eastern Europe at
8019-548: Was also available as a hatchback for the first time, with the Escort-based Orion saloon not arriving until 1983. The 2000 cc engine was dropped and the range-topping Escort was now the XR3 which came with a fuel-injected 1600 cc unit. It was a huge sales success for the company throughout the 1980s, being Britain's best selling car from 1982 to 1989 and also topping the sales charts in several other countries. The 1980s saw
8118-574: Was also concentrated at Cologne. In 1979, the Cortina/Taunus was given a very light facelift to create the "Cortina 80" (or Cortina Mk5). However, this was very much a short-term measure, as Ford was beginning to develop an all-new successor ready for a 1982 launch. 1980 saw one of the most important car launches in Ford's history. The Escort III went on sale across Britain and Europe in September that year, with its ultra-modern aerodynamic styling and updated front-wheel drive mechanical layout. It
8217-577: 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
8316-462: 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
8415-472: Was built in Great Britain and Belgium and sold well in most other European countries. Cosworth versions of the Sierra were built from 1986, all of which were capable of 150 mph (240 km/h). The three-door Sierra hatchback, mostly sold with only a 1.3 petrol engine, was not a popular choice and had been discontinued by the time the Sierra was facelifted in early 1987 when a Sapphire saloon version
8514-401: Was chosen to build a new factory in order to accommodate production for the new car which was scheduled for a mid-1970s launch. A revised Capri II arrived in early 1974 which saw a hatchback replacing the traditional "boot". This was the first time that Ford had produced a car with a hatchback, adopting this new concept which had first been patented by Renault in the mid-1960s. Ford launched
8613-418: Was especially important due to the fraught industrial relations problems which plagued the British motor industry in the 1970s, and would prove crucial in Ford's ascendancy in the UK market and overtaking the troubled British Leyland . The first new model launched after the creation of Ford of Europe was the Escort , built in England from October 1967 and launched to market at the beginning of 1968. The Escort
8712-541: Was first seen when Ford unveiled the Ford iosis concept. It was later phased out in 2012 starting with the facelifted Ford Fiesta and replaced by Kinetic Design 2.0. The Kinetic Design 2.0 design language was introduced in 2012 when the Ford Fiesta was facelifted. It was previewed with the Ford Evos concept. The large trapezoidal grille resembles Aston Martin models. Ford of Europe Ford of Europe GmbH
8811-414: Was from the adjacent Cologne factory that the 30 millionth Ford, a Fiesta , emerged from the production line on 19 November 1999. The aging MK4 Fiesta received a facelift in the Autumn of 1999 and continued to attract huge sales thanks to its excellent ride and handling that disguised its age well. The interior was, by now, one of the smartest in the supermini sector, though interior space, particularly in
8910-582: 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
9009-423: Was launched and the 1.3 engine dropped. The original Sierra Cosworth was the last model in the range to feature a three-door hatchback. 1983 saw the seven-year-old Ford Fiesta receive an updated MK2 version that retained the three-door hatchback bodyshell but smoothed out the previously boxy edges to give it a more modern look and keep it competitive with a string of new European and Japanese superminis which hit
9108-456: Was more competitively priced than its predecessor, but its real strengths were its excellent accommodation and driving experience which put it back on top of the large family car sector. Although demand for cars of this size dipped slightly across Europe during the 2000s, the Mondeo remained Britain's most popular large family car until 2007, when it was outsold by the facelifted Vauxhall Vectra . The Maverick returned in late 2000, this time being
9207-487: 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
9306-669: 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
9405-471: 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
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
9702-414: Was the tenth best-selling car in Britain. Like the Capri and Cortina/Taunus models, the early Consuls and Granadas were built in both Britain and Germany, each with a unique range of national engines. In the early 1970s, Ford took the decision to enter the growing European supermini market and began to develop a competitor for the well-received new Fiat 127 and Renault 5 . A site near Valencia , Spain ,
9801-462: Was withdrawn from Europe three years later. Its American-built replacement, the Ford Cougar , was imported from Europe but was even shorter-lived and less successful in Europe, with imports finishing after just two years. October 1994 saw the launch of the second generation Scorpio which replaced the long-running Granada nameplate in the UK and Ireland and sold with saloon and estate models only,
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