1982 Ford Fiesta XR2 Mk1 - Drives.today

SPECIFICATIONS FORD 1982 FIESTA XR2 Mk1 · ENGINE 1598cc · MAX POWER 84bhp at 5500rpm · MAX TORQUE 91lb.ft at 2800rpm · 0-60 MPH 9.4secs · MAX SPEED ... Articles Retro 1982FordFiestaXR2Mk1 1982FordFiestaXR2Mk1 Asthego-fasterFiestacelebrates40years,werevisitthefirstofthebreed.Wordsandphotography:PaulWagerBABY STEPS ROADTEST:FORDFIESTAXR2Wesampleanincreasinglyrareexampleofthefirstgo-fasterFiesta.Nothingsumsuptheautomotive’80squiteasneatlyasFord’sXRbadgebutdespitetheoftenastonishingvaluesofhothatcheswearingtheblueoval,theoriginalFiestaXR2isarealraritytoday.Perhapsweshouldn’tbetoosurprisedthough:asaquickrunuptheroadinthisexampleproved,thecombinationofthelightweightMk1Fiestaandthe1600Kentenginemakesforaneagerpackagewhichstillfeelssurprisinglybrisktoday.No,it’snotinthesameleagueastoday’sturbochargedFiestaSTbutstillquickenoughtobefun–andbackinthe’80swasfastenoughtolandhardchargingXR2pilotsonthewrongsideofthehedgequiteeasily.Throwinthepopularityforgo-fastertuningbackintheday,addthejoyridermenaceandahelpingofbodyrotandit’seasytoseewhytheydidn’tsurviveinhugenumbers.TherecipewhichcreatedtheXR2wasasimpleone,butitalsomeantthatthego-fasterFiestawasahybridofoldandnew.WhereastheSupersportwhichhadtestedthewaterin1981hademployedthe1.3-litreKentenginealsofoundinother1.3-litreFiestas,thefull-fatperformanceFiestalookedtothepreviouseraoftheEscortforinspiration.A1.6-litreFiestawasn’tinitselfanythingnew:theFiestahadbeenconceivedasa‘worldcar’andwasinfactofferedbyFordinNorthAmericauntil1981,whereitusedthebiggerengineinordertocounteractthepower-sappingemissionsrequirements.Inordertocreateameaningfulperformanceupliftoverthespritely66bhpofferedbytheSupersporthowever,FordraidedthepartsbinsbotholdandnewtocreateabespokeversionoftheKentmotor.ThebottomendwasessentiallytheFederal-spec1.6-litreKentunit,onwhichsatacylinderheadresurrectedfromtheoldEscort1600GT.TheGT’scamshaftwasalsoemployed,withalarge-boreintakemanifoldanda32/34DFTAtwin-chokeWebercarb.Anewfour-into-twocastironexhaustmanifoldwasdevelopedfortheEuropeancartosuitthiscombination,thesystemrunningunderthesumptoproducethecharacteristicrasp,whilethetransmissionemployedthestrongerEscortgearboxwithstandard1.6internalratiosanda358:1finaldrive.Runninga9.2:1compressionratio,theendresultwas84bhpat5500rpmand91lb.fttorqueat2800rpm,bothrespectablefortheday.Suspensionfundamentalswereessentiallyunchanged,theXR2usingthesamespringratesandanti-rollbardiametersasthe1300SandGhiamodels,butwiththecarsittinganinchloweratthefront.Thefronttiebarbracketsonthebodyshellwerealsoloweredtoreducepitchanddiveunderhardaccelerationandbraking,whiletheengineitselfwaslowered15mminthebaytoreducetheoperatingangleofthedriveshafts.ThedamperswererevisedtosuitthemoresportingXR2,aswerethebrakes.Reardiscsmayhavebeenastretchtoofarbackthenbutthestandardseven-inchdrumsgainedlarger-diameterwheelcylinderswhilethefrontdiscswereupgradedtovented10-inchers,backedupwithabiggerservo.Themastercylinderandservoremainedontheleftthough,meaningthattheright-handdrivecarsusedacross-linkageforthebrakingsystem–acommonsolutionbackthenandoneevenusedbyVWfortheGolf.TheSVEengineersalsohadahandinthecar’sappearance,specifyingthe6x13‘Pepperpot’alloywheelssuppliedbyCosmicwhichwouldbecomeasignaturefeatureofthecar.Therestofthepackagewassimpleparts-binstuff:theplasticarchextensions,frontspoilerandhatchspoilerwerepluckedfromthe‘XPack’accessorybrochure,whileroundheadlampsreplacedthesquareunitsfoundoncookingFiestasandEscortXR3-styleseatswithredpipingliveneduptheinteriorwhichwasotherwisetoGhiaspecwiththeluxuryofacentreconsole.Screen-printed‘fade’graphicsonbodysidesandapairofdrivinglampsonthegrillecompletedthepackageanditwasawinnerintheshowroom.Interestingly,theextrakitoftheXR2lifteditskerbweightto839kg,whichbymodernstandardsmakesitafeatherweightbutbackthenplaceditsurprisinglyclosetothelarger,morepowerfulGolfGTIandperiodroadtestersofthedaypraisedtheFiestaforitseagerfeelandsharphandling.TheimpeccablythoroughtestersatAutocarevendiscoveredthattheXR2’s50-70mphaccelerationintopgearwassignificantlybetterthantheGTI,althoughamaximumof30mpganda7.5-gallonfueltankwasslatedforgivingthecarasub-200milerange.It’sinterestingtocomparetheravereviewsoftheMk1XR2withthesomewhatlacklustrereceptionaffordedtoitssuccessorinsomecircles.TheMk2gainedthemoremodernCVHenginebutitsthrashynatureandthecar’ssmoothed-overstylingmeantitlackedthesparkleoftheMk1inmanyways.Launchedinlate1981,theXR2mayhavegotofftoaslowstart,withjust253carsdeliveredintheUKbutthefollowingyear8174carsfoundhomeshereand11,445in1983beforetheMk2carreplacedit.TheshortproductionrunandthelowsurvivalratemeanthatastandardMk1XR2isararetreatandweencounteredthis40,894-mileexampleatarecentsaleatManorPark.ThechunkysilhouetteofTomTjaarda’sMk1FiestastyleisdistinctivefourdecadesonandintheSunburstReditreallystoodoutonawinter’sdaylikearayofwelcomesunshine.Animpressionwhichcontinuedas–withatouchofchoke,naturally–theWeber-carbedKentmotorbarkedintolife,itscheekyrasptakingmerightbacktothedayswhenanXR-badgedFordcouldbeidentifiedfromitsexhaustnotelongbeforeitappearedinview.We’reusedtohoppinginandoutofoldcarsbuttheFiestatookmebysurprisewhenIrealisedhowmodernitfeelsinsomerespects.Clutchandgearshiftarebothlightandpositive,whilethenon-assistedsteeringisunusuallyuser-friendlyforacaronsix-inchwheels.Indeed,periodroadtesterscommentedonhowthesystemfeltmorepositiveatspeedthantheXR3,yetdidn’tweightupsobadlyatparkingspeedsandit’ssomethingI’dagreewith.Fromastandingstart,theXR2feelssurprisinglyeager,itsshortgearingcontributingtoitslivelynature,althoughasspeedsrisetheaccelerationtailsoff,whilehigh-speedcruisingwasalwayshardontheearscourtesyofthefour-speedboxandgearingwhichproduced18.45mphper1000rpm–ornearly3800rpmatthemotorwaylimit.MotorwayswereneverwhattheXR2isallaboutthoughandit’satlowerspeedsthatitsterrier-likenatureshinesthrough.Inurbandrivingit’sanenjoyablecareveninmoderntraffic,withthebigglassareaandresponsivesteeringatthreeturnslock-to-lockmakingiteasytoplace.Wedidn’thavetheopportunitytoapproachthelimitinthisexamplebutexperiencehastoldusthattheXR2isaverypredictablebeast,tendingtowardsgentleundersteerwhenitdoesletgo.AsareminderofwheretheFordperformancehatchbegan,it’safascinatingpieceofhistoryandcomesrecommendedasahalf-wayhousebetweenthetraditionalclassicsoftheTriumphandMGilkandthemoremodernclassics.Justtryfindingonethough–andwhenyoudo,don’tbesurprisedatthe‘performanceFord’taxyou’llhavetopay.SpoilersandspotlampsillustrateperfectlyFord'smasteryofmarketing.Screened‘fade’graphicsarepureEighties.Feisty1600KentmotorgavetheXR2performancesurprisinglyclosetotheall-conqueringGolfGTI.InteriorwaslargelytoGhiaspec.Four-speedboxwasn'tsuchahandicapbackthen.SPECIFICATIONSFORD1982FIESTAXR2Mk1ENGINE1598ccMAXPOWER84bhpat5500rpmMAXTORQUE91lb.ftat2800rpm0-60MPH9.4secsMAXSPEED104mphECONOMY30mpgLENGTH3.7mWIDTH1.6mKERBWEIGHT839kg“TheSVEengineersalsohadahandinthecar’sappearance,specifyingthe6x13‘Pepperpot’alloywheels”THEOTHERFASTFIESTATheXR2wasn’tinfactthefirstfasterFiestatoemergefromFord.Backin1978,thefirm’sDetroitheadquarterscommissionednoneotherthanDonaldHealeytoproduceaHealeyFiesta,usingaUS-spec1.6-litreFiestawiththeemissionsgearjunkedandtheenginerebuiltto105bhpEscortMexicospecbyBroadspeed.LiketheXR2,itfeaturedupratedsuspensionandflaredarchesbutdespiteravereviewsbythepress,theJaguargreencarwasdestinedtoremainaone-off.ItremainsinexistencethoughandaswewenttopresswasforsalewithClassicMobilia.Seewww.classicmobilia.com. Articletype: Review 1982fordfiestaxr2mk1fordfordfiestafordfiestaxr2mk1fordfiestamk1 — 12.03.2022 702 Comments Writeacomment Nocommentsyet.Bethefirsttoaddacomment! Yourname E-mailforreplies SendCancel Preview Contacts | |AddressKyivCitystrrChavdar23/[email protected] MenuItems About SiteRules Contact DrivesTODAYusecookie Iagree