RE: Ford Escort Cabriolet 'Special Edition' | Spotted
Discussion
That's awful. And in no way worth that money.
I had an RS Turbo of that generation. And whilst it was funny and quite cool, it was in reality a dreadful car that at 12 years old, rotted away if it even looked at rain. Battery tray, underneath the bolted on performance trim, floor etc.
This Escort generation and the subsequent one are suffering from misty eyes nostalgia for cars that were pretty bad.
I had an RS Turbo of that generation. And whilst it was funny and quite cool, it was in reality a dreadful car that at 12 years old, rotted away if it even looked at rain. Battery tray, underneath the bolted on performance trim, floor etc.
This Escort generation and the subsequent one are suffering from misty eyes nostalgia for cars that were pretty bad.
cerb4.5lee said:
I do enjoy seeing an older nice condition Ford like this these days for sure. However I didn't lust after these back then and still don't now, I'd rather have the XR3(i) or the RS Turbo instead.
Agreed. Another one for the collector me thinks. Happily lust after the other 2 but a cabrio? 
E30KB said:
Hired one for a day to do a treasure hunt. When I took it back it was making different noises to when I picked it up. It wasn't very white by the time I had finished with it either.
Apart from that I recall it had a stump for an indicator control. Weird.
£24k you say ?. Dream on.
The Mark 4 had the horrible indicator stalks. The Mark 3, which is the one for sale here, had normal ones. I used to have an Orion of that vintage with a 1.6 carburettor engine. It really wasn't a bad car to drive and I'd have another; actually I'd rather have a cabriolet, but there are plenty for sale at a fraction of the cost of the white one. Supply seems to exceed demand on the used market and, I think, the drop heads have a better survival rate on the basis of the bodies being slightly more rust resistant - although they still do. The Mark 6 special editions are lovely too. Apart from that I recall it had a stump for an indicator control. Weird.
£24k you say ?. Dream on.
That sums the 80s up pretty well as the decade taste forgot!
My boss bought a new 5 speed graphite Capri 2.8i in 1982. Then in 1984 I bought a 1982 4 speed Strato Silver 2.8i Capri so not to outdone by an oik like me he bought a new 2.8i Special in white, complete with white wheels and bumpers.
Like this Escort it looked a bit chav!
My boss bought a new 5 speed graphite Capri 2.8i in 1982. Then in 1984 I bought a 1982 4 speed Strato Silver 2.8i Capri so not to outdone by an oik like me he bought a new 2.8i Special in white, complete with white wheels and bumpers.
Like this Escort it looked a bit chav!
J4CKO said:
Its amazing how desirable these were to a lot of people in the eighties, Princess Diana had one for a bit, Glynis Barber in Dempsey and Makepeace had one.
I remember my dad coming home in one and having it for a few days for some reason, I wouldnt have admitted it but I was really quite taken with it sat there on the path.
Remember the local hard lad whos dad had a scrapyard and was fairly wealthy, his mum had one and he used to cruise round in it with his mates all summer, only problem was, it was pink, Ford did a number of special edition ones in Pearlescent colours,
https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/20-1989-ford-e...
It spoke volumes that even a local hardman was happy poncing round in a pink one with his mates all summer, for all the world looking like a budget Wham video, but bet there are some good memroies, for him at least, dont think his mum ever saw it !
Looks a tidy example, no want from me as I know it will be a bit lame but they are a cultural icon, even if as a car, they were average at best.
"looking like a budget Wham video" - excellent : )I remember my dad coming home in one and having it for a few days for some reason, I wouldnt have admitted it but I was really quite taken with it sat there on the path.
Remember the local hard lad whos dad had a scrapyard and was fairly wealthy, his mum had one and he used to cruise round in it with his mates all summer, only problem was, it was pink, Ford did a number of special edition ones in Pearlescent colours,
https://www.handh.co.uk/auction/lot/20-1989-ford-e...
It spoke volumes that even a local hardman was happy poncing round in a pink one with his mates all summer, for all the world looking like a budget Wham video, but bet there are some good memroies, for him at least, dont think his mum ever saw it !
Looks a tidy example, no want from me as I know it will be a bit lame but they are a cultural icon, even if as a car, they were average at best.
The Mk2 Golf cabrio of the period had something of a similar, er, spirit, being usually available in a white paint job so all-encompassing it too looked it had been driven through a blizzard. I think they persevered with the MK1 bodyshell for the cabrio even after the Mk 2 Golf hatch was on sale too. I don't think they ever made a 16V version either, though of course easy to swap in a 16v engine - which, when combined with the lighter Mk1 body, was plenty quick for what it was. Karmann made the Golf cabrio, and they were well made little things.
Neither car were taken too seriously at the time of course.
But, as this article notes, this is a heck of a nostalgia piece, and there is something endearingly light-hearted about it.
Neither car were taken too seriously at the time of course.
But, as this article notes, this is a heck of a nostalgia piece, and there is something endearingly light-hearted about it.
I always liked the styling of these and you can see why it was a desirable car both then and now. Lady Diana and Glynis Barber, quite rightly as many people have highlighted did further wonders to their desirability.
A friend of mines Mum had one and the scuttle shake was quite noticeable.
I always liked the tin top XR3i and even better RS Turbo.
A friend of mines Mum had one and the scuttle shake was quite noticeable.
I always liked the tin top XR3i and even better RS Turbo.
The only buyer this works for is someone with nostalgia vibes for this particular model. No one else.
They're rubbish to drive and with the miles you really can't drive it without affecting value and once you drive it you won't want to again.
You can buy it as an investment as a) financing it would cost more than it's increase potential or b)if you don't finance it the cost to your cash return would be less than it you simply stuck it in a bank getting cash return.
So it's not a driver's car, it's not an investment it's just a nostalgia w
k.
They're rubbish to drive and with the miles you really can't drive it without affecting value and once you drive it you won't want to again.
You can buy it as an investment as a) financing it would cost more than it's increase potential or b)if you don't finance it the cost to your cash return would be less than it you simply stuck it in a bank getting cash return.
So it's not a driver's car, it's not an investment it's just a nostalgia w
k.It's a lot of money to a lot of people, but I bet there are plenty out there that would buy it. For all the predictable comments about how st these were, they were massively popular in the '80s, so there will be loads of people that have fond memories of them.
It's not something I would buy realistically but, with a nice set of wheels and a slight drop, it would be a good looking little classic, and fun to drive around in the summer. I think people need to remember that a car doesn't need to be objectively brilliant to be desirable.
t these were, they were massively popular in the '80s, so there will be loads of people that have fond memories of them.It's not something I would buy realistically but, with a nice set of wheels and a slight drop, it would be a good looking little classic, and fun to drive around in the summer. I think people need to remember that a car doesn't need to be objectively brilliant to be desirable.
Robertb said:
...or put another way, a fun car that would no doubt raise a smile and a conversation when out and about.
Cars like this make me sad that we live in the 21st century as they show how joyless and expensive 'normal' cars have become.
I think you mean how joyless PHers have become!Cars like this make me sad that we live in the 21st century as they show how joyless and expensive 'normal' cars have become.
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