1987-89 FORD LASER KE TX3 TURBO 4WD

If ever you needed proof t hat t he hot hatch is any t hing but a new idea, t his is it. The KE series turbo Laser was a serious performer for its day, wit h t he intercooled unit boosting performance to a claimed 100kW versus 61 for t he normally-aspirated unit.

Throw in 4WD and you had something that hung on like t he proverbia l limpet, particula rly in slick conditions and gave you a rea l sense of confidence on a backroad.

Ironica lly t he extra weight of t he four-paw drive meant t he front-wheel-drive turbo was lighter and marginally quicker in a straight line and had less mechanical woes as it aged.

That said, the 4WD was still the hero model and by far your biggest challenge t hese days will be f inding one t hat isn’t a complete basket case.

The engines on these things are famously strong, though the five-speed transmission on the 4WDs could develop dramas if used hard over a long time. Angelo, our resident Laser nut, reckons t he biggest hassle for t he restorer could be the interna l trim which is hard to f ind and becomes britt le wit h age.

You’d a lso want to caref ully check out t he drive line and underpinnings, including t he adjustable ride height f ittings.

We can’t say you’ll ever retire rich on t he proceeds of one of t hese t hings, and it won’t be easy to f ind a car t hat would cost far more t han it’s worth to get back into shape.

But f ind t he right one and you’ll be rewarded wit h a f un litt le car t hat will turn a surprising number of heads.