Ford Escort RS Turbo Review

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Ford Escort RS Turbo
3.4 stars
Average rating for this product is: 3.4 out of 5

From 53 ratings and 25 reviews

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cottrellb's Review of Ford Escort RS Turbo

11th Mar 2004

Overall Rating

3 stars
  • Value for money
    3.5 stars
  • Length of ownership
    1
  • Practicality
    2 stars
  • Year Manufactured
    1981
  • Performance
    4 stars
  • Reliability
    5 stars
Good Points

Its cheap and fast.


Bad Points

Its fragile and poorly built. Terrible chassis design!


General Comments

This is a 201 Bhp Ford Escort RS Turbo. Lightweight Mk3 shell with mk 4 running gear tipping the scales at just under 1000Kg. It has Cosworth brakes, koni suspension, and 16 inch wheels.

This is a really fast car. It has terrible handling and torque steer to challenge pop eye. It a straight line it is fast, if you can hold it in a straight line! Inside it squaks rattles and bangs. It is just unthinkable.
If you can afford to look after one and it certainly aint cheep! then buy a better car to start with! I really wish I had bought a modern jap turbo car, comfortable and fast... oh well live and learn...

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Members' Comments oncottrellb's Review

  • nitrosurf460 on 19th May 2005

    Evidently yours is just badly set up. I've known several RS owners, including the president of the local RS club whose son had a 196BHP series2 RS like yours. It went like stink but handled lovely, run rings around many modern performance hatches and saloons due to its low-slung stance and light weight. If yours rattles it's because you haven't maintained the interior trim, and if it has torque steer your suspension, drive transfer and transmission are incorrectly fitted and/or set up. If you can't do the stuff yourself try a company called Interpro, they're suppose to work wonders with RS Fords.
    Good Luck, and don't swap to a 'looks like everything else' modern car.