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What About The Mechanicals?
We've already established that the XR2's engine followed in the tracks of American-specification Fiestas by using a 1600cc Kent engine. Things aren't that simple when it comes to the XR2 though, because its engine uses an American-specification bottom end, with a 1600GT cam and cylinder head, while the Weber carburettor sits on a bigger-bore inlet manifold. Exhaust gases are routed away from the engine by a 4-into-2 manifold, connected to a single pipe.
While that extra power made the XR2 much quicker than its less powerful siblings, it also helped overcome the weight gain. According to a 1981 Autocar test, an XR2 tipped the scales at 16.5 cwt, compared with a typical 1300 Fiesta's weight of 15.7 cwt.
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