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.....completely clean sheet when designing the transaxle. A very compact all-indirect four-speed gearbox and final drive sits alongside the engine and can be removed without taking the engine out. Eager to keep their reputation for slick gearchanges, much work was done on this item and it seems to be one of the nicest around with very light if rather long movements.
Suspension is straightforward with MacPherson struts and tie bars up front and a solid axle located by trailing arms, a panhard rod, coil springs and tele shockers plus an anti roll bar on the S models at the rear. Negative scrub geometry is used at the front - the same as Audi and VW models.
Ten models complete the range varying from a basic no-frills version through the 'L' model (probably the most popular) to the 'S' sporting version shown in our main picture (this has stiffer suspension and lots of matt black trim) and finally to the Ghia - the full luxury model.
Although announced now, the car will not be on sale until January of next year in this country - although the Germans get theirs soon.
Obviously, no prices have yet been announced and a lot must depend on that, but you can be certain that Ford will place it right where it hurts the opposition. If I were a betting man, I'd put my shirt on it being at the very top of the British and maybe even European best sellers by this time next year. I can't wait to drive it!
Captions -
Top - Conventional struts at the front with tie bars but the back end has five links including a Panhard rod and a roll bar on all the S models
Bottom - A Kent-based engine is fitted transversely with the all-new transaxle mounted alongside it
Ian Wearing
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