The escos is 2 inches (or 51mm) shorter than a saph/3dr......making it 2552mm wheelbase compared to 2601mm (3dr and saph).

Mk1 & mk2 escorts are 2401mm (mk1) and 2400mm (mk2) both are 6 inches shorter than the escos and 8 inches shorter than the 3dr/saph....nobody slates them for being rwd and not handling right....or calls them short wheelbase...

All this rubbish about making an escos rwd will ruin it is just pish really....set it up right and it will be great! got nothing to do with wheelbase. Escos is not a short wheelbase car, its just shorter than the 3dr/saph so has become regarded as short wheelbase.

Also in std form they're heavier than a 3dr/saph so if staying std then I agree back to back (same power) with a 2wd saph/3dr they are slower cars but against a 4x4 std escos would be much quicker... and a lot more nimble without the dreaded understeer.