Either standard or mildly tuned

Saph
Escos
3-dr

 

You do know you have prob just started a war don't you!

 

The more door less stylish one is the best driver car

 

Saff 100%

 

I don't think so, hopefully owners, ex owners will just share their views

 

RWD is the only proper road Cossie & the RWD Saff is the best of those.

 

+1 RWD Saff yeeeehaaaaaaw

 

2wd Saff allllllll daaaaaaay looooooooong!

 

Don't you just love that sense of jeopardy when approaching a bend in a 3dr?

Will I go round it, or will I die?

 

Enough said case closed

4x4's feel heavy
3drs feel like jelly

2wd saffs with 350-400bhp are a good road car as long as the suspension is in good condition and set up correctly.

 

Everyone says 2wd saff.

I used to us my 4x4 saff most days with no problems.. There just an old car with old technology so compared to modern cars they might no be as comfy. Who cares though cause your driving a cossie.

 

This ^

I use mine daily and everytime I get in it I have a Smile on my Face. Just need more reasons to get in it.

The looks from people on the street from just driving round in it is enough to remember why you have the car in the first place. Then you need to remember that no matter the car (Escos, 2WD or 4WD) nothing boosts like a Cossie

 

I guess it depends on what you define as 'best'. You do say as a road car, so I assume which handles best on track is at least not the only thing to look at. A sapph is probably the most practicle, having 4 doors. But a hatch like the 3dr or Escort can be useful as well in some situations. The 4x4's will be safer than the rwds, so to some this will be better. But straight line performance is less good with 4x4 and it is also less fuel efficient (if you want to consider that on a cossie anyway). The 4x4 sapph and escort also have a stronger engine block.

So which is best depends mostly on what things you personally find important.

 

Looks wise the 3dr kills it. - Looks very retro 80's cool to my eyes
It is wobbly but strut braces, bushes, suspension help that no end.

If I could afford another I would have an Escos to go with it...... oh wait... and a R32 GTR, Exige V6, Ariel Nomad, Caterham 620r, Bowler Wildcat, F40, Classic Trans-Am and the list goes on...

Some much better road cars out there but cant help but love a cossie in any flavour 3dr, escos, saph. They do get under your skin.

 

Yep!! The 3dr is best looking without a doubt. Remember driving a modified Escort back in the day the owner enthused about its Performance & it had much the same Power as my Sapp at the time it felt as if it was pulling a double decker bus it felt so muted never considered 4x4 after that.

 

'Best as a road car'..... Well I'd take my old 500 over any Cossie, a Sapphire may well be stiffer (my 500 never ever felt wobbly!) but if its a road car then enjoyment has to come into it and I'd have little interest in driving a Sapphire to Spain, I'd do it in an instant in my old 500.

 

Got to agree with Rod the 4x4 does feel lazy compared with the 2wd and I would of preferred a 2wd but these are getting harder to get in any format in good order so this is how i ended up with a 4x4 but I love it now and not really fussed

 

Was basically the exact response I was about to type! Agree completely Jay

 

2wd saph for driving, 3dr for looks and escos always a runner up

 

As above, Saff all day

 

My old 4x4 Saff was excellent and drove so nice , standard with RS7'S. Drove a lot better than my 3 door .

 

For me it's a small Turbo Escort Cosworth for out the box std cars, by a mile. So drivable compared to the rest a real hoot on the road.

 

I defo agree with what you said also. Mine me smile too. I started mine up last Saturday (first time this year) reversed it out of the garage to wash it. This made me smiled. A couple walking there dog walked past and the bloke said nice car matey.

Ive had loads of people stare at my saff when ive been out in it.

Sadly this year i dont want the salt eating my car aftet all the money uve spent on bodywork lol.

 

I love my saff but i would love a escos. Its one of my dream cars. You might laugh but uve got more chance in buying a escos than i have say a Ferrari or some other car like that.

 

had both sapphires, 4x4 was fantastic as an all round road car in all weathers, 2wd was more fun, but not great in the wet if modified. keeps you on your toes though! i used to use my 2wd as a daily driver for my 40 mile commute every day. it ran faultlessly, but the fuel economy was a little... poor

 

I'm glad the 2wd saff is so well loved, I would have probably gone for a 4x4 if I didn't already have a scooby. I fancied some RWD action for a change and I'm glad I did, awesome car. I've never driven the others so I can't compare though..

 

When I bought my 2wd Saff 21 years ago, at the time 3 doors were still quite cheap but I never fancied one or an Escort Cossy. I have always liked the idea of a fairly ordinary looking 4 door saloon car that when modified around the 450-500 bhp mark can still out perform most cars on the road.
Over the years I have had great fun humbling many so called performance cars costing 3 or 4 times as much!
In the 21 years it has passed every MOT and has never let me down and I will never get bored with it! Smile factor 100%!!!

 

My 3dr was the most fun but the small turbo escos drove the best...

on balance i'd say a 2wd saph though

 

I used to love that in the 3dr - proper squeeky bum time approaching a bend hard on the brakes hoping you will see the other end

2wd saph is the best driving and handling but them i am comparing it to a 3dr as not driven an escos and i hate gay wheel drive.

Having said the above, i would still rather drive a 3dr than a saph

 

for me hands down 2wd saph

 

I loved driving NKJ but my 2wd saph is so much more confidence inspiring, I feel like I can push my saph much harder than I ever could the 3dr

 

sums it up for me

 

Another here for the 2WD Sapp.

 

2wd sapphire for me aswell love them to bits

 

They always looked good on escos rims. Will have to dig a pic of my old one with them on

 

Looks like hooligan Ades saff lol.

Escos wheels look mint on saffs.

 

3dr by a country mile

 

You get the most looks in a 3dr.


I have had all of them at some point and the 2wd taxi is the best drivers car. The 4x4 was very nice but boring.


Steve

 

I think every one can more or less agree on what the most fun out of the choices is.... but is a 2wd saph the best road car?

For a me a true road car qualifies as something my mrs can drive in the rain. If she can drive it safely without moaning her tits off its a good road car. I would never chuck her the keys of a 2WD saph with 400bhp (which is what they need to feel properly fun) if it was damp..... I would however let her drive a 4x4 with similar power.

 

Dream car for me too Glenn, a Jewel violet monte or an imperial blue big turbo model, both tuned just enough to improve them without taking away from the cars character and charm. Sadly both are well out of my budget now, one dream to far for me I think.