Ford Escort GTI
ENGINE 1796cc/4-cyl/DOHC POWER 113bhp@5750rpm TORQUE 118lb ft@4500rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 122mph 0-60MPH 9.4sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 21-39mpg TRANSMISSION FWD, five-speed manual MoT November 2020 ODOMETER 41,357 miles
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
This Escort still feels solid and the controls and handling don’t seem at all tired or worn. The car grips and corners well and the steering is very precise, though it does drift slightly to the right. The 1.8-litre Zetec engine performs well in all gears and provides good throttle response, but the aftermarket exhaust drones somewhat at cruising speeds. The ABS brakes are excellent and pull the car up in a straight line with no squealing or juddering. It keeps its cool and generates no unwanted noises under load or at idle.
BODYWORK CHECK
The paint is generally good; there are a few marks and scratches here and there but it’s solid with no rust to speak of. However, there is a small area of blistering at the bottom edge of the tailgate and there are some cracks in the rear bumper. There’s some surface rust on the sills and chipped paint in the wheel arches, but the rest of the underside of the car is tidy and there’s no evidence of crash damage or repair work. The original alloy wheels are in good shape and wear a mixture of Orium High Performance (front) and Windforce Catchpower (rear) tyres, all of which have ample tread remaining.
HOW’S THE INTERIOR?
Typical Nineties Ford fare. It’s complete and original, too, and everything works apart from the speedometer (which just jumps around between 10mph and 30mph) and the ‘open door’ dashboard indicator light (which is a constant companion whether the doors are open or closed). The half-leather seats are in pretty good shape with only a small amount of wear to the driver’s side bolster, but the steering wheel and gear knob are heavily worn. The carpets, door cards and headlining are in much better condition and the cabin is dry. The entire interior needs a good clean but the vendor says that this will be carried out prior to sale.
UNDER THE BONNET
The engine bay looks a little sad at first glance, mainly due to the rusty exhaust manifold heat shield and brake servo, but it’s all merely surface rust. The valve cover is still resplendent in its factory blue paint and the orange HT leads look new. One of the coolant hoses has been ‘repaired’ with some tape but the engine doesn’t appear to have any coolant or oil leaks and it fires up instantly with no exhaust smoke. The brake discs and pads appear to have life left in them and the suspension bushes and linkages look okay.
THE CCW VIEW
This car may need a little TLC here and there but the mechanicals appear to be sound and it drives well. Its issues are mainly cosmetic so it could easily be brought back to its former glory with a little time, money and effort. Factor in its low mileage and rarity and the case for buying it starts to look quite compelling.