Copy of Article Text Below
.....rear anti-roll bar), features included a 'sports' gearchange, wheelarch extensions, a black polyurethane front airdam, additional driving lamps, a rear spoiler and low profile tyres. It cost £4499, and came in four colours with contrasting side stripes. Performance was reasonable with an output of 66 bhp. The Supersport's interior was welcoming, with Ghia seats and with a standard-fit radio, cigarette lighter, grab handles and a clock. For an additional £192, buy ers could opt for the 'executive pack', comprising a tillable/removable glass sunroof, a Ford stereo system and headlamp washers. An extra £60 would purchase the 'climate control pack', incorporating a 'gradient banded' front windscreen, tinted windows all round, and opening front-quarter windows......
Bodywork
Bodyshells on Mkl Fiestas are vulnerable to severe corrosion in a number of key areas. Since the cars do not usually fetch high prices, it's important to ensure that any example you are viewing is in sound condition - unless looking for a project. Make a detailed inspection of the sill assemblies, floorpans, inner front wings, front suspension 'towers' (include the metal around and behind them), rear sections of the underbody and adjacent strengthening members, and around all the suspension mountings. If the inner sills are rotten, the seatbelt mounts will probably be weak too - an instant MoT failure.
In most cases the inner sills and floors will be covered by carpet, which can be difficult to remove during a brief inspection. So apply firm hand pressure to the inner sill/floor areas, and hope that the metal doesn't give. Check also that the bases of the door mounting pillars are structurally sound, and that the outer front wings aren't holed. They are prone to disintegration around the headlamps, and in their lower and upper rear corners, also along the joints with the inner wings and front panelwork.
Inspect the bases of the rear wings, rear wheelarch lips, lower edges of the doors and tailgate, also the entirety of the boot floor - from underneath the car and from within the luggage compartment. Check the rear axle assembly too - especially the coil spring seats - another MoT no-no if they're rusty. If the car you're viewing has serious corrosion evident around the windscreen frame and in the front quarter window frames, think carefully before buying, proper rectification can be complex and time-consuming.
If buying an XR2, make sure that the car you're looking at really is what it's supposed to be. Many XRs have been stolen and their true identities disguised. Always check that the relevant identity numbers on the registration document tally with those on the vehicle, and that the seller is the rightful owner of the car.
Make sure too that the car truly is an XR2 and not just a replica. It's also wise to look closely all over the vehicle for evidence of additional or disguised weld seams around and under the bodyshell - make sure it's not a cut and shut, making it totally illegal. Chassis numbers may have been altered too - look for signs of tampering.
Always check for rust under bodykit components on XR2 versions; visible damage is usually just the tip of the iceberg.
Parts Availability
Genuine Ford bodywork spares are now scarce, but reproduction panels and repair sections are still available. Good quality replacements are supplied by LMC Hadrian (01373 865088), also Hadrian Car Panels Ltd ( 01434 674676) among others. Mechanical spares can still be tracked down for most versions from a variety of sources - including local motor factors and motorists' accessory shops. These can be especially useful for obtaining routine servicing components.
Reality Check
Mkl Fiestas can be extremely rusty, and rectification can cost far more than the car is worth - at least in purely monetary terms. Bear this in mind when viewing potential purchases.
The comparatively low powered 'mainstream' versions are usually inexpensive to buy and much cheaper to insure than the XR2.
Although the Supersport and XR2 are the sporty models which everyone talks about, don't ignore the less fashionable 957cc and 1117cc versions. These are now quite rare, but are less costly to buy, insure and run.
Most spares required to keep a Mkl Fiesta on the road can still be sourced. However, original Ford body and interior components are scarce.
Tuning for improved performance is relatively easy.
The cars are not difficult to look after at home. Jobs such as cylinder head overhauls and clutch/gearbox changes present few worries for do-it-yourself mechanics.
How Do They Drive?
With just 957cc and 45 bhp available, the smallest engined Fiestas aren't going to be fast. The good news though comes in the form of cheaper insurance premiums (especially important if you are a young or high risk driver) and frugal petrol consumption. The 53 bhp 1117cc versions represent the next step up the power ladder, and these are faster yet will still give up to 40 mpg.
Much livelier are the 66 bhp 1298cc Fiestas, which will accelerate to 60 mph in around 13.5 seconds, and are ultimately capable of 100 mph. However, if it's real sporting performance you are after, the one to go for is the XR2, with 84 bhp available from 1.6 litres. This model benefits from an impressive power to weight ratio, and is top fun to drive, will scoot from a standstill to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds, and has a top speed of over 105 mph. Fuel consumption is between 25 and 32 mpg. If you're considering the purchase of an XR2 for everyday motoring, check the insurance premiums before you buy; they can be hefty.
Fiesta ride comfort and handling characteristics are on a par with those of most contemporary hatchbacks from rival manufacturers; the suspension of the XR2 is uprated for optimum dynamic behaviour, but is not too harsh for everyday motoring.
Considering the diminutive external dimensions of the Fiesta's bodyshell, the interiors are spacious, the seats leave a little to be desired for frequent longdistance driving, but are adequate for daily running. The seats on the higher specification models are more elaborately upholstered, and more comfortable.
|
