RE: Fast Fiestas: a history lesson
Discussion
Johnnytheboy said:
...and yet I don't think it was very well received at the time...
It wasn't, and I think the RS1800 got the nod over it in contemporary reviews, but it's a hell of an omission in such a list of cars considering it was the product the XR2i probably should have been in terms of power, market position etc.I always thought it was odd that two RS-branded cars with effectively identical performance were available at the same time. Ford really was a mess in those days.
My dream car when I passed my test in 1987 at the age of 17 was a mk1 XR2 in Caspian blue.
I didn't get to own one until ten years later. It was very tired bodily and a bit smoky by then, but it still went really well. I also owned a mk2 version at around the same time, again, very tatty by then, but it was still good fun to bomb about in.
I had a passenger ride in an early CVH engined XR2i once and that was enough. It was as if Ford had managed to engineer out everything that had made the first two models such fun.
The lad who was driving was giving it everything, trying to impress us I suppose, but it was woeful. It left me completely cold.
I didn't get to own one until ten years later. It was very tired bodily and a bit smoky by then, but it still went really well. I also owned a mk2 version at around the same time, again, very tatty by then, but it was still good fun to bomb about in.
I had a passenger ride in an early CVH engined XR2i once and that was enough. It was as if Ford had managed to engineer out everything that had made the first two models such fun.
The lad who was driving was giving it everything, trying to impress us I suppose, but it was woeful. It left me completely cold.
Alex_225 said:
Don't forget the Zetec-S Fiesta from 2001/2002. Although not as quick as the ST that followed it was still a brilliantly fun car and had great handling. Looked good too.
The only one I've actually owned, and an absolutely corking chassis. We bought ours 6 months old in 2001 and kept it a couple of years. It was great fun to drive, but sorely needed more power. A lot of people stick Puma engines in them which makes them much more entertaining. I have to say, build quality even on our new one was pretty tragic, and most of them were visibly rotting by the time they were 5 years old.
My favourite hot Fiesta was the RS Turbo. It was terrible in a lot of ways. It feld crude, unruly, harsh, torque steered for England, but my God it stuck a smile on your face. I remember driving one from Oxford to Swindon, along the A420, and its overtaking punch was just immense. The CVH was nowhere near as grotty sounding with the turbo on it, and the mid-range upwards clout was ridiculous.
The RS1800 was a better car, but nowhere near as exciting as the turbo.
I remember a friend driving me in his Escort RS Turbo 1.6. The same engine as used in the Fiesta I think? Anyway his was tweaked to 150bhp. That thing really shifted and overtook cars with absolute ease. The joys of lightweight cars! I bet a Fiesta Turbo with that same 150bhp would FLY!
This article brings back some memories, my first car was a mk3 xr2i in black, think I paid £3200 for it. Thinking back probably wasn't the best hot hatch but I was too young to know any different, all I did know was it looked great! Unfortunately it seemed to attract the wrong kind of attention as it was broken into once and stolen twice, the second time was the end for it and was written off 
generationx said:
At the time the RS Turbo had a bit of a reputation for torque steer.
I´ll always have a place in my heart for Mk1s - amongst others I had a red Supersport (basically an XR2 with a 1300cc engine) and it was hours of lunatic fun.
The only thing the Mk1s were missing was that 5th gear.
I owned an RS Turbo for about 5 years. Yup torque steer was bad, however it was only bad if you had a heavy right foot. Turbo lag wasnt too bad for the era too. I´ll always have a place in my heart for Mk1s - amongst others I had a red Supersport (basically an XR2 with a 1300cc engine) and it was hours of lunatic fun.
The only thing the Mk1s were missing was that 5th gear.
Feed the power in gently and precisely and it was fine. This was the case with alot of cars from that era. It was a great hatch, excellent chasis, very chuckable, quick for its time, mine was totally reliable and well built. Wish I still had it.
Drove all the hot fiestas listed, the RS Turbo had more personality and was so much more fun that any of them IMHO
brings back some memories. had a mk1 supersport as my first car. wanted a mk2 xr2 as a replacement after it was stolen but my dad said it was too fast for me ! in mercury grey too, was a really nice car and I still think the best looking out of the bunch.
friend has a nice low mileage white mk3 rs turbo in his garage that never sees the light of day.
friend has a nice low mileage white mk3 rs turbo in his garage that never sees the light of day.
my first car was a mk3.5 1.3i LX. was given to me for free with around 67k on it. managed to 110k in 5years of owning relatively fault free and i loved it. always wanted the RS1800 as it was newer and didn't have the ugly grey interior of the RS Turbo. had to sadly get rid of it as rust was beginning to kill it. managed an indicated 110 leptons along the M1 with 5 up.
reliable car, only downside was how noisy the engine was! drank oil and was even noisy when close to minimum level. 3500rpm at 70mph was also rather noisy too. crap fuel economy of 35mpg pretty much everywhere. If I could own one again I would, but would have to be the RS1800. although they command silly prices now and it's not special enough for me, I'd look for a rover mini cooper instead.
I've still got some fiesta Si bumpers (front & rear) which I was planning on putting on it but never got round to it!
reliable car, only downside was how noisy the engine was! drank oil and was even noisy when close to minimum level. 3500rpm at 70mph was also rather noisy too. crap fuel economy of 35mpg pretty much everywhere. If I could own one again I would, but would have to be the RS1800. although they command silly prices now and it's not special enough for me, I'd look for a rover mini cooper instead.
I've still got some fiesta Si bumpers (front & rear) which I was planning on putting on it but never got round to it!
Edited by ambuletz on Tuesday 10th May 11:18
I had the 'worst of both worlds' Mk3 1.6S - the XR2 engine in the newer Mk3 body, but with less performance than the XR2i- but it had spot lamps!
I was drawn in at the age of 20 by the free insurance deal....and still regret it now! Back to the main dealers 13 times in 12 months, and when I asked about the extended warranty that I was told could be taken out 'anytime in the first year' I still remember the look on the service managers face as he said 'We won't be offering that on YOUR car'!!!
Flogged it quick smart and have never gone back to Fraud since!!
I was drawn in at the age of 20 by the free insurance deal....and still regret it now! Back to the main dealers 13 times in 12 months, and when I asked about the extended warranty that I was told could be taken out 'anytime in the first year' I still remember the look on the service managers face as he said 'We won't be offering that on YOUR car'!!!
Flogged it quick smart and have never gone back to Fraud since!!
I purchased an L Reg XR2i 1.8 Zetec in 2004. It had 46K miles on the clock and got it for £2000 still miss it to this day. It was just a simple hot hatch with no bells and whistles. 105bhp doesn't sound much but it put a smile on my face everytime I drove it. Literally cried when someone went into the side of it and it was written off.
I still keep an eye out for these going for sale as I would love another one but maybe an RS1800.
I still keep an eye out for these going for sale as I would love another one but maybe an RS1800.
Steamer said:
k-ink said:
Good point. That was a weapon wasn't it. black paint, green stripe, tri-spoke wheels... wrong, but so right at the time 
Was the green stripe standard? I seem to recall alot of white ones with a green trim line.FRST or MK3.5 RS1800 for me. The Mk3.5 changes introduced a stiffened shell and quick PAS rack which completely transformed the car, but the Mk3’s reputation was too far gone by that point for anyone to really notice.
It’s so good to drive a nice one these days as it makes you realise how characterless modern cars have become.
It’s so good to drive a nice one these days as it makes you realise how characterless modern cars have become.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff